To the credit of Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks football team as a whole, they’ve done a good job of focusing on the task at hand and not looking a couple of weeks ahead on the schedule.
This theory might be put to the ultimate test this week as No. 6 Oregon hosts California (3-5, 1-4) at Autzen Stadium for a 2:30 pm PT at Autzen Stadium. A certain team from Los Angeles that possesses the reigning Heisman winner is next on the docket and lesser teams might look past the Bears.
Fortunately for the Ducks, California put the Trojans to the test just last weekend and made future opponents, including Oregon, take it seriously. After leading USC by 14 in the fourth quarter, the Bears weren’t able to hang on and lost 50-49.
That outcome had to get the Ducks’ attention, especially the 49 points the Bears were able to put on the scoreboard.
“They’re not remotely the same team we’ve played in the past. These guys are scoring a lot of points. They’re extremely efficient,” Lanning said. “I think they’re playing some of their best ball, especially offensively, here towards this point of the season. They’ve found a rhythm and they’ve settled in at quarterback.”
That quarterback is Fernando Mendoza, one of three signal callers Cal coach Justin Wilcox has thrown out there due to either injury or insufficient play. But against the Trojans, Mendoza threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more. For the time being, it seems as if Mendoza has secured the job over Ben Finley.
“This offense is really built off of a loaded box, we’re going to be able to throw it over your head, and light box, we’re going to be able to run it. They’ve run the ball really effectively,” Lanning said of his scouting report of the Cal offense. “I think a lot of that comes down to the decision-making of the quarterback because a lot of those are tied to RPOs. He’s done a great job with that.”
Besides Mendoza’s arm, Oregon will have to contend with one of the best tailbacks in the conference in Jaydn Ott, who is averaging 107 yards per game and he has scored eight touchdowns.
Ott was a Freshman All-American last season and he hasn’t suffered a sophomore slump. He is coming off a game where Ott gained 153 yards and three touchdowns against the Trojans. It’s not a surprise that the Ducks’ defensive game plan is going to stop Ott first and worry about the rest of the Bears offense second.
Over the last three weeks, however, the Cal defense hasn’t stopped anyone. Oregon State scored 52, Utah scored 34 more and of course, USC put up a 50-cent piece on the board. Bo Nix and the Oregon offense have to be anxious to get out on the field as quickly as possible.
The one California Golden Bear the Ducks need to pay close attention to is inside linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orb. He leads the team with 72 tackles with the next closest defender having 50 tackles.
Prediction: Oregon 55, Cal 23