After Oregon’s game against Washington State, head coach Mike Bellotti and the Ducks said the game tapes were going to be ignored, tossed away like a bad movie.
After the Ducks lost to Utah, concern began growing that Oregon wasn’t up to par with the rest of the Pacific-10 Conference.
After the Ducks visited Arizona State on Saturday, there’s whole new set of concerns.
Arizona State dominated Oregon in every category at Sun DevilStadium, defeating the Ducks, 59-14.
“We need to live with this game, and this game hurts,” Bellotti told KUGN Radio after the game.
Before the game, the Ducks talked about bringing intensity and a new attitude into Sun Devil Stadium.
Arizona State, meanwhile, also needed to come out strong after losing its previous three games.
The Sun Devils brought it against Oregon. The Ducks left it in Eugene.
“We started off very poorly,” Bellotti said. “We gave them some momentum.”
After throwing for 536 yards against the Ducks last season, Arizona State quarterback Andrew Walter had another impressive game Saturday. He didn’t come close to his output from a year ago, but he did complete 18 passes in 28 attempts for 316 yards. He threw for three touchdown strikes before giving way to backupSame Keller late in the fourth quarter.
“We couldn’t get to him,” Bellotti said. “He had a lot of time to throw. It’s hard to cover for that long.”
Derek Hagan was Walter’s favorite target, catching seven passes and one score. Skyler Fulton and Matt Miller also caught touchdown receptions.
The 59 points the Ducks allowed is the second time this season Oregon has allowed more than 50 in a single game. Washington State hung 55 on the board at Autzen Stadium on Sept. 27.
Arizona State has now scored 45 points or more in three of its last four games against the Ducks. The Sun Devils defeated the Ducks 45-42 last season, and in 2000 lost by just one at Sun Devil Stadium, 56-55.
The Sun Devils have scored 104 points and have passed for more than 1,000 yards in their last two games against the Ducks.
“You probably don’t want to know what I said to the team (after the game),” Bellotti said. “I told them we’re not a very good team right now.”
The 59 points is the most Oregon has allowed in a single game since a 63-0 shutout at the hands of Nebraska in 1985. That game also marked the last time Oregon lost by at least 45 points, Arizona State’s margin of victory Saturday.
Oregon’s quarterback competition began to clear up, even though neither Kellen Clemens nor Jason Fife played particularly well.
Bellotti said before the game he did not plan to rotate the two as he had in the previous six games this season. That all changed, however, when Clemens couldn’t get the offense going early.
His first two passes were picked off. The first was returned by Jamar Williams for a 50-yard touchdown return.
On a similar play, Clemens rolled right and lofted a pass into the hands of Arizona State’s Chris McKenzie for the quarterback’s second interception of the afternoon. The Sun Devils scored shortly after to go up, 14-0.
Fife wasn’t much better, throwing for 102 yards on 7 of 18 passing. He did throw a touchdown to tight end Tim Day and also scored on a 1-yard run with 49 seconds left in the first half.
Terrence Whitehead led the Ducks with 78 yards rushing on 19 carries. Fife wasn’t far behind with eight rushes for 69 yards. As a team, Oregon gained 159 yards on the ground in 33 attempts.
“We did run the ball well,” Bellotti said. “I think our backs ran with a better purpose.”
Day led the receiving corps with three catches, while Demetrius Williams and Samie Parker both had two catches apiece.
Kellen Taylor, who started his second straight game in place of Parker, left the game in the first quarter after covering on a punt.
He immediately came out of the game, holding his wrist. Bellotti indicated after the game that Taylor’s wrist was broken and he is expected to be out three-to-six weeks.
Fullback Luke Rowley left during the game with a concussion and Marley Tucker had wrist and hand problems. Keith Lewis headed to the locker room before the end of the second quarter, but came back to play in the second half. Bellotti said Lewis has “rib issues.”
The Ducks have a bye week next week, and even though they have to sit on the loss for more than a week, the extra rest will be needed.
“From a physical standpoint, we need it,” Bellotti said. “That pain can help influence attitude in practice.”
Oregon next returns to play Oct. 25 when Stanford visits AutzenStadium in the Ducks’ 2003 Homecoming game.