Oregon Ducks Expectation Should Be Pac-12 Championship Game

By STEVEN VAUGHAN, 750 THE GAME

A 10-win football season in 2022 was met with disappointment for some Oregon Ducks fans. The team started the season 8-1, but faltered down the stretch with losses to their two biggest rivals — Washington and Oregon State.

An injury to quarterback Bo Nix in the loss to the Huskies played a role in UO’s late-season skid. But if 10 wins is disappointing, what is a realistic expectation for the 2023 Ducks?

“I do think the expectations at Oregon are different,” John Canzano said on 750 The Game. “In a non-conference schedule for Oregon that includes Portland State at home, a road game in week two at Texas Tech, a Big 12 opponent, and then Hawaii at home in the third week of the season, there’s a good shot for Oregon to go 3-0 to start the season.”

With that in mind, Canzano says the expectations for Oregon have to include getting to Las Vegas and the conference championship game.

“I don’t think anybody in their right mind would say you have to win the conference championship game,” Canzano said, “but I think Oregon’s got to be in that position that they were in last year and do something different this year.

“Don’t get pushed around by Oregon State in the season finale. Don’t let Oregon State run the ball 16 straight times and piledrive you. That can’t happen for Dan Lanning in year two. That again, comes back to the defensive identity.”

Listen to this segment at the 1:56:12 mark of this podcast below and catch the Bald Faced Truth with John Canzano weekdays 3-6 p.m. exclusively in Portland on 750 The Game.