Week 1 Game Matchup: Oregon Ducks VS. Boise State Broncos
Oregon Ducks (0-0) vs. Boise State Broncos (0-0)
Thursday, September 3, 7:15 PM PST
Las Vegas Favorite: Boise State -4.0
*AllPac10 Game of the Week*
Sam’s Take (0 – 0):
The 2009 college football season starts with a bang Thursday, as this highly anticipated non-conference showdown could have BCS ramifications. This is a very difficult game to handicap, and I have done a ton of flip-flopping to this point.
Here is what we know: both teams have powerful offenses and opportunistic defenses, but there are also some question marks. For Boise State, the young receivers must prove that they are ready for prime time right away, and although the running game should be solid, losing a signature standout like Ian Johnson (graduation) does not make you better.
For Oregon, the offensive and defensive lines will need to gel quickly, as this game will be a huge test for those units.
Quarterback will be a source of strength for both teams. Kellen Moore was spectacular last year at Autzen (386 yards passing, 3 TD’s) while Jeremiah Masoli had a game to forget against the Broncos (left game with concussion early on) but finished last season as well as any QB in the conference.
Oregon’s defense had one of its worst outings of 2008 against the Broncos, triggered by a terrible start. For the Ducks to have any chance the D must get a few stops early or else it could be a long night. Boise State has an outstanding secondary, but the defensive line may be vulnerable to the power running of LeGarrette Blount and the shiftiness of the other UO backs.
Ultimately, I believe we will see an Oregon team similar to the one that torched Oklahoma State and less like the one that Boise pushed around last year. While I fully expect the Broncos best effort, I think the payback-minded Ducks will have just enough.
Prediction: Oregon 38 – Boise State 34
Oregon Player to Keep an Eye On: QB Jeremiah Masoli – He has stated that last year’s loss to BSU was “embarrassing”. Those are strong words, and he will have to back them up because the passing game will need to be sharp for the Ducks to win. While the secondary and both lines must also be strong, I believe Masoli’s performance will the key for setting the tone.
Boise State Player to Keep an Eye On: RB Jeremy Avery – He showed flashes of brilliance last season, and will now be the top replacement to Johnson. While BSU will use other backs as well, I believe Avery is the key to keeping the Oregon D honest.
Dave’s Take (0 – 0):
You can’t ask for a much better football game to kick off the 2009 college football season for the Pac-10 than this one. These two teams could not be much more evenly matched; two high powered offenses, both rebuilding on both the offensive and defensive lines.
Off the field they match up very similarly too; both are ranked within a few spots of each other in most preseason polls, and both realize that this game sets the tone for their entire season, and puts all of their question marks into the spotlight right away.
While it will likely just come down to bounces or a timely big play, after changing my mind a dozen times, I must stick with my original gut feeling and pick the Ducks to come out on top here.
In a game this evenly matched, I believe the main intangible for each team is Boise State’s home field advantage and Oregon’s desire for revenge.
Boise State is 64-2 at home since 1999, and has won 49 straight regular season games at home, with Washington State handing them their last regular season loss on September 8th, 2001. You can’t ignore how impressive that is. But when was the last time the Broncos were less than a 10-point favorite at home? Back in 2006 when they were favored by 7.5 to beat Oregon State.
The Beavers started the season off in one of their typical early-season slumps and fell to the Broncos. I’m not taking anything away from this home streak; consistently winning even against inferior opponents is an excellent feat. But this is the best team Boise State has faced at home since Boston College in the 2005 MPC Bowl; which the Broncos lost.
For Oregon, this game is all about revenge, and I’m a sucker for the revenge angle, especially at the collegiate level. It isn’t only that Boise State came into Oregon and beat them on their own turf last year, they also injured Jeremiah Masoli in the process. Oregon has a huge bone to pick, and as LeGarrette Blount said to a Sports Illustrated reporter while watching last year’s game on tape; “We owe that team a (butt)-whuppin’.”
Come Thursday night, I think Blount and the rest of the Ducks offense makes good on that declaration.
Prediction: Oregon 41 – Boise State 35
Oregon Ducks
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Football, Game Matchup, Jeremiah Masoli, Jeremy Avery, Kellen Moore, LeGarrette Blount
Good article, only thing I must say is that Ian Johnson didn’t do much of anything vs. Oregon, so I don’t know that I would say that “the running game should be solid”. Especially when Johnson who was very good, is gone and there is some fresh meat out there for the Oregon D. Great picks though.
Hey!
Your Blog is great, I write a Pac 10 Blog as well… I’ve added you to my blog roll, I was wondering if you would add me to yours.I think the Ducks are going to take it in the end but its going to be a close one for sure!
BSU will pull it out in the 3rd quarter
Boi – BSU will pull what out in the 3rd qtr? Must be referring to their heads that will be up their back sides? Either way, Oregon is a great second half team and makes great adjustments.
I soooo hope the Ducks are overflowing with confidence going into this game. Boise State is a precision team and capable of big, big plays. I cannot underestimate Oregon; they are very good, but the stadium is gonna be rockin’! Bronco fans are HOSTILE! The Ducks die on the blue – Boise State: 42 Oregon: 31
Yum, duck paté served on blue turf!
Crazy to me how confident duck fans are…. they must be really embarrassed about last year! We had a freshman team last year mind you…
Oregon is gonna go DOWN!
Playing on the world famous “Blue” is like nothing you can imagine. There are stadiums that are bigger. But Bronco Stadium is as vicious and intimidating as they come. The fans are absolutely rabid. The noise is deafening. Opposing teams find it extremely difficult to hear the play call. The mindset of the team itself has a “Pride of the Blue” that is like a mother bear & her cub when threatened. Make no underestimated mistake; That place is brutal. And year after year they got the weapons to back it up. Never, ever think you can pick up and pet a little Black Widow. In this case, a Blue Widow. That place is death. I’m going with the Broncos.
To the guy who said BSU fans are hostile? Maybe in the parking lot. I got season tickets when I moved here from Austin. I gave them up the next year. It would be 4th and 4, Hawkins would go for it and the crowd around me would be milling up and down the steps, facing the crowd asking friends what they want from concessions, and folding their programs into paper airplanes trying to get them on to the field. These things just don’t happen at UT and I would guess: LSU, Florida, USC, Ohio, Alabama, shall I go on? Then you listen to these fans on local sports talk and most of them are second guessing the plays on the field. No wonder Hawkins left.
I’m not trying to bust anyones stones here, I’m just saying, go to one of these games, then come back and tell me how passionate BSU fans are:
Texas vs OU
Michigan vs Ohio (the big house or the U) it doesn’t matter
Florida vs Florida St.
Alabama vs Auburn
even
Virginia vs Virginia Tech and Georgia vs Georgia Tech
It’s an environment like you’ve never experienced. By the way, all of these places hold more than 30,000 fans.
I have to admit, I like BSU’s stadium.
As an Alum of both UofO and BSU I am a fan of both programs. BSU is a great team, but their fans need to stop playing the unappreciated underdog role. Take the chip off your shoulder, your a great team but you’re in an easy conference.
The Ducks are going to have a battle royale on the blue (by the way, the gimmick is over, get some real grass or green turf already), but the boys of Boise aren’t going to be able to stop the Blount train.
Duck Pride makes a good point
Way to go Ducks, couldn’t possibly have humiliated yourselves worse. Well I guess Boise not blowing all those chances and winning 47-8 might have been even more humiliating. As much as that super-douche Bronco needed a punch, Blount is a psycho, and an idiot. He’ll be lucky if he escapes Idaho without being cited. At the end of the day though, this Bear fan is disappointed at Oregon’s pathetic representation of our conference. Just pathetic. And no, if the Ducks would have left the field in a respectable manner, I wouldn’t be this harsh.
“but the boys of Boise aren’t going to be able to stop the Blount train.”
Stopped, -5 total yards and -0.6 yards per carry.
Blount is a poor sportsman, talked all that trash before the game then couldn’t back it up. He should be kick from the team and banned from college sports for what he did at the end of that game.
Mmmmmmmmm… a little greasy but roast duck isn’t bad. How about that a*s whuppin, Blount? 19 to 8 – BOISE STATE! Hope you enjoy the rest of your season sitting on the bench! You SHOULD be sitting overnight in the Ada County Jail. What a criminal moron; you throw a hell of a sucker punch! Then you turn on your own team. Oregon University owes Boise State AND all of Boise an apology for your dumb a*s. I hope you aren’t representative of the rest of the Ducks. Oh, and please note: the Boise State players did not retaliate, but instead, showed a lot more class and maturity. Enjoy your NATIONAL infamy, Blount. You’re not only a loser, you’re a sore loser as well.
That was good game for Boise State. The last one. Now a series of high school opponents to look forward two. I can’t wait. Nice schedule Boise. Way to go out on a limb.
Why are you people so mean to my precious Blount? Waaaaa! Oregon shold have won!!!!
Ok… the game is over and the dust has settled. Blount has reaped his just reward (although the Pac 10 commissioner may have more to add). I just want to say that we, who so love our Broncos, respect the Oregon Ducks more than you know. You have a good team and you had a lot of fans here in Boise worried but excited to have this game. We thank you for the opportunity to play at your house last year and for coming to ours this year. I hope this will begin a new rivalry for years to come. All we want is respect and a shot at the BCS title. And Ben, the WAC may not be as tough as the PAC 10 or the others in the BCS, but we have some tough teams that have made BCS appearances. It’s time that BSU should move up and play with the BCS conferences. We may not dominate at first like we do in the WAC, but give us a few seasons to catch up and we’ll take any schedule and own any team. Fear the BLUE! Good luck on the rest of your season. Y’all have a huge fan base in Boise now!
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