Oregon Ducks. LSU Tigers. Week 1. I'm excited.
Excuse me if I'm jumping the gun a bit here, but I just received confirmation of my tickets to attend this Week 1 heavyweight match-up at Jerry Jones Stadium in Dallas, Texas---appropriately named the "Cowboys Classic."
Being a huge Oregon Ducks fan, this game will dictate our season. If you haven't heard, we lost Cliff Harris due to a plethora of infractions including $8,000 in unpaid tickets. He could be suspended for one game, one game, forever . . . who knows.
Fortunately for Oregon, their bread and butter is the offensive scheme master minded by Coach Chip Kelly. He has these guys running at warp speed which makes my Ducks the most highly watched team in the nation. Sorry Big 10, no one wants to watch the power running game for 60 minutes.
That's about where my enthusiasm ends surrounding this game. The SEC is big. Duck Nation found that out the hard way in the national title game. Oregon recruits small linemen, and if the offense isn't running at previously mentioned warp speed, the big boys on defense from our opposition stay fresh and thus we lose our advantage. SEE: Auburn Tigers/Oregon Ducks National Championship game.
I have my wager placed on LSU Tigers +2 even though I will be rooting for the Ducks. LSU carries the same storyline into the season as Auburn did last year with a transfer QB who was probably paid $180K to attend LSU. If Jordan Jefferson gets the nod, Oregon has struggled with overly mobile QBs, too. Either guy poses a problem along with a power running game and stout defense.
The most glaring aspect of Chip Kelly's record with Oregon is his dubious distinction of not being able to win games with extended preparation. Chip lost to Boise State in 2009 to open the year, he lost to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, and he lost to Auburn in the National Title game. All of these games had extended planning (offseason or extended layoff before bowl games) which neutralized the surprise of the Oregon gameplan.
LSU will have ample time this summer to prepare for the Ducks. I hope Chip gets this monkey off his back, but I can't put my money on him.
The winner will have an inside track to the BCS Title Game.
"We Can't wait!"
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