Pac 10 Fans Home
Pac 10 Football
Pac 10 Basketball
Pac 10 Baseball
College Fansites
Pac 10 Apparel
Pac 10 Tickets

Oregon Ducks vs California Golden Bears Recap

From the rubble of Boise State, from the ashes of LeGarrette Blount's punch, from the wreckage of Jeremiah Masoli's mystifyingly bad performances, the Oregon Ducks have resurrected themselves.

In one game, three unsteady weeks turned into a tale of week-four fulfillment, as the Ducks took wing to fly past the befuddled and bloodied Bears of the University of California at Berkeley.

There's not much to analyze from this contest, but my, how sensational and sweet the storyline must be for coach Chip Kelly and a program that now sees the world in a very different light. Just over three weeks ago, Oregon was reeling in the state of Idaho, as its coach faced a rare public relations crisis, all while his offensive line was impotent and his quarterback looked lost. Masoli, a preseason Heisman darkhorse, wasn't making good reads and couldn't complete a high percentage of passes. The UO football family was besieged by negative noises, and the prospects of a big season suddenly seemed to be quite remote.

Now, the Pac-10 title is not only a realistic possibility in Eugene; the Ducks will almost certainly be playing for at least a share of the conference crown when they entertain USC on Oct. 31. It's all because Gang Green was able to crush Cal, one of UO's main contenders for league supremacy (alongside the Trojans, of course). The Ducks outgained Cal, 214 yards to 64, in the first half, and then 310-143 in the second half. Masoli wowed the Autzen Stadium crowd by hitting 21-of-25 passes for three touchdowns without an interception. Running back LaMichael James--an evidently worthy replacement for Blount--ripped off 118 yards on just 21 carries. Kelly's vaunted spread-option offense spilled out into full flower on Saturday, effectively unleashing the immense talents this offensive unit always possessed. For the first time in 2009, Oregon's performance matched its potential, and when that happens, the Ducks are a load for any team in the country (even Florida or Alabama would have had difficulty holding back this particular Oregon outfit).

> Browse the selection of Pac 10 apparel & merchandise online as well as Pac 10 tickets through Pac 10 Fans and partner sites.

For Cal, another big game witnessed another face plant. Quarterback Kevin Riley couldn't hit open downfield receivers, part of a miserable 12-of-31 passing day that turned the Bears into a one-dimensional team. Since Oregon's defense, coached by coordinator Nick Aliotti, didn't respect Cal's aerial attack, the home team was able to load the tackle box and stop Bear running back Jahvid Best, the flavor-of-the-week Heisman candidate who fattened up on lesser opponents, but got throttled by UO's hard-hitting 11-man wrecking crew.

This was a comprehensive beatdown that doesn't need a whole lot of finely-calibrated thought. Cal is the Pac-10's version of Ole Miss, while Oregon is the league's Jesus of Nazareth... back from the dead in a short span of time. Many miles lie in front of the Ducks, but after one month of football, it appears that Chip Kelly's kids have turned the corner. Not many folks thought that would be the case three very short weeks ago.

By Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Staff Writer