Oregon Ducks Have a Must-Win Game in Week Two At Texas Tech
By STEVEN VAUGHAN, 750 THE GAME
The Oregon Ducks had a historic performance in Week 1 when they beat the Portland State Vikings 81-7 in Autzen Stadium.
Although the Ducks scored 81 points, it has to be taken with a grain of salt because the opponent was Portland State. Coming up next is a Big 12 opponent in Texas Tech on the road in Lubbock, Texas.
The game has lost a little bit of steam as the Red Raiders lost to Wyoming in Week 1 35-33 in Double OT. John Canzano on the Bald Faced Truth said that even though Texas Tech lost in Week 1, this game in Week 2 could be the most important game in Dan Lanning’s Oregon coaching career.
“This Week 2 game against a Big 12 opponent, on the road, is as big as it gets in the Dan Lanning era. You can point to Georgia in his first season. You can point to the Washington game or the Civil War football game against Oregon State. Or the Utah game in his first season. Even the bowl game. All those pale in comparison to Week 2 here against Texas Tech. They’re going to Lubbock. It’s tough to win on the road. It’s a power 5 opponent. You’re gonna have some eyeballs on you, and if you can get to week 4 undefeated and Colorado keeps playing well. Gameday could be coming to Eugene.”
Canzano says that if Oregon is wanting to play on the biggest of stages, which is the College Football Playoff, it all starts with Week 2.
“Week 2 you get a bigger stage. If you win there. You get a bigger stage in week 3, week 4, and week 5. That’s how it works in college football. Especially in this Pac 12 conference that has top to bottom great teams and a lot of depth. You have to know that getting through that conference schedule is going to be difficult.”
Some of the offensive stars shined against Portland State. But Canzano knows that even though they were great in Week 1, this upcoming game against Texas Tech will be much tougher.
“Good teams win on the road. You got to go on the road here against Texas Tech and Bo Nix has got to have it. His wide receivers including Troy Franklin, who was fantastic against a Big Sky opponent, has to be there. Bucky Irving was great. But Bucky Irving is going to have to carry the ball more then four times to get a 100 yards against Texas Tech. It’s going to be a much more difficult task and it’s as big a game as there has ever been in the Dan Lanning era of Oregon football.”
Listen to the segment starting at the 35:00 spot in the podcast below. Catch the Bald Faced Truth with John Canzano weekdays 3-6 pm in Portland exclusively on 750 The Game.
