Ducks soar into Rose Bowl to take on Bruins

Sports Network | October 7, 2009

Pasadena, CA (Sports Network) - The 13th-ranked Oregon Ducks are the hottest team in the Pac-10 and they try to continue their run this weekend, as they take on the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl.

The Ducks opened the season and the Chip Kelly-era in the worst way possible, losing handily at Boise State and having their top running back suspended for throwing a punch following the defeat. Oregon fell out of the Top-25 following the 19-8 loss, but Kelly rallied the troops and the Ducks are now flying high as the 13th-ranked team in the land.

Oregon got to this point courtesy of a four-game win streak, which includes two wins over ranked opponents. Most recently, Oregon punished Washington State, 52-6, last weekend to cap a four-game homestand. It was a terrific follow-up for the Ducks, who thrashed then sixth-ranked California, 42-3, the previous week in their league opener. Things are about to get tougher for Oregon though, as the team is set to play three of its next four games on the road.

For UCLA, it kicked off its Pac-10 slate last weekend and came up short in a 24-16 loss at Stanford.

"It's a reminder we're not there yet as a team, but I think most people would have taken 3-1," said head coach Rick Neuheisel. "I don't like the loss."

As Neuheisel pointed out, the Bruins are still 3-1, including a win at Tennessee, and that is a solid start after finishing just 4-8 in 2008.

UCLA leads the all-time series with Oregon, 39-23, and the two teams have traded wins over the past four meetings. Last season though, it was the Ducks who prevailed by a 31-24 score in Eugene.

The Ducks simply had their way with WSU last weekend, as they went ahead 42-0 at the break and never looked back in a 52-6 rout. Oregon rolled up 514 yards of total offense, including 318 rushing, and that is well above its season average of 371.6 total ypg.

"The line of scrimmage is where it all starts," said coach Kelly. "The game of football starts up front, it's based on fundamentals."

The Ducks certainly had their way up front and tailback LaMichael James was the beneficiary of the offensive line's dominance, as he rushed for 81 yards and a pair of scores on just 13 carries. The redshirt freshman has been terrific since stepping into a starting role and he has rushed for 429 yards on the year, helping Oregon average a solid 199.0 rushing ypg as a team. James became the starter after LeGarrette Blount was suspended in the opener for throwing a punch at a Boise State player, but Blount could be reinstated according to recent reports and that should give James even more motivation to excel.

Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli adds another dimension to the ground attack, with 218 rushing yards and four scores, and he has heated up with his arm as well, throwing for 748 yards and four more touchdowns. Last weekend, Masoli completed 14-of-18 tosses for 116 yards and a touchdown, in addition to rushing for 52 yards and a second score. Masoli put up those numbers before leaving late in first half to ice his right knee and despite being listed as questionable, he is expected to start this weekend.

Tight end Ed Dickson has been Masoli's favorite target and he paces Oregon with 22 receptions for 309 yards and four scores. He has gone over 100 yards receiving in each of the last two games, providing Masoli with a reliable outlet.

Oregon's defense has really come together and the unit has allowed just one touchdown over the last two contests. The defense is giving up only 294.8 total ypg, while forcing 13 turnovers and recording the same amount of sacks.

Last weekend, the Ducks were outstanding on defense as they held WSU to a mere 158 yards of offense, including just 51 through the air. The unit surrendered a measly four first downs and added three takeaways and four sacks to the dominating effort.

"The best thing about this defense is how they compete," said coach Kelly. "They have come to play every game so far and we are going to ride them. We are encouraging where our defense is at right now. They are continuing to build."

Will Tukuafu, who had 7.5 sacks in 2008, finally got on the board with his first two sacks in the blowout win and his emergence is certainly a good thing for the Ducks. The UO defense suffered a blow this week, however, as starting corner Willie Glasper will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a knee injury in practice.

UCLA's fast start is attributed to its play on defense not offense, as the team is managing only 300.8 total ypg thus far. When needed last weekend, the Bruins' offense couldn't come through and gained just 299 total yards in the loss to Stanford.

"We got to get better on offense and become more explosive, that is clear to us," said coach Neuheisel.

Quarterback Kevin Craft threw for 204 yards on 22-of-34 tosses in the loss, but he finished without a touchdown. He has just one touchdown on the year and could find himself back on the bench if redshirt freshman Kevin Prince is recovered enough from a broken jaw. Prince started the first two games before suffering the broken jaw at Tennessee and has been able to keep sharp at practice since the injury is to his face.

Whomever does end up under center will surely get tailback Johnathan Franklin involved. The redshirt freshman toted 14 times for 58 yards and a touchdown against Stanford and has been one of the few threats for this offense this season, gaining 300 yards and three scores on the ground.

As mentioned earlier, it has been UCLA's defense that has carried the team early on and the group is limiting foes to only 281.2 total ypg, including just 99.2 ypg on the ground. The defense has given up just two passing touchdowns against eight picks, while also coming up with 10 sacks.

The unit, however, is coming off a sub par performance in which it allowed 372 total yards to Stanford, with 174 for those yards coming via the run. The Bruins had only one sack and forced turnover, and permitted the Cardinal to complete 14-of-20 pass attempts. It wasn't the unit's best effort, but the group still only allowed 24 points, none in the fourth quarter, to give the team a chance to win the game.

Rahim Moore is a player to keep an eye on, as he has five interceptions and continues to get better each week. The sophomore safety, unfortunately, suffered a concussion in last weekend's loss and is listed as questionable for this affair.