Take a deep breath tonight, you Southern California Trojans. It may be the last good one you get. Playing top-ranked Oregon is like trying to defend the Lakers, except the Ducks’ target area, an end zone, is a lot bigger than a basket.
The season is past the halfway point, and Oregon’s numbers are still something out of a ZIP code directory. It leads the nation in scoring (55.1 points per game) and total offense (569.1 yards per game) and is third in rushing (308.4 yards per game), with LaMichael James first individually at 161.8.
In seven games, the Ducks (7-0, 4-0) have 33 plays of 25 yards or longer. Good luck figuring out what to stop. Those 33 plays are made up of 17 rushing and 16 passing and have produced 18 touchdowns.
“They are so explosive,” USC coach Lane Kiffin said. “The style they play is like something we haven’t seen. Or probably anybody’s ever seen.”
Their secret is an up-tempo, no-huddle, spread offense that barely allows defensive coordinators to call in signals, let alone reserves. The Ducks usually call a play with 25 seconds still left on the 40-second clock.
Their defense isn’t great, but it is when the opponents are exhausted. Oregon has outscored its opponents in the second half 156-23. It didn’t give up a point in the fourth quarter until Oct. 21 against UCLA.
“It will prey on an unconditioned player,” Tennessee defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox said.
That’s not good news for a 24th-ranked USC team down in numbers because of defections after NCAA sanctions. However, a terrible defensive team had a good showing in a 48-14 win over California two weeks ago.
And the Trojans (5-2, 2-2) have had two weeks to prepare.
Colorado (3-4, 0-3 Big 12) at No. 11 Oklahoma (6-1, 2-1)
7:15 p.m., Memorial Stadium ESPN
Football coaches love players who have chips on their shoulders, and new Colorado safety Terrel Smith, who tied a school freshman record with 15 tackles against Texas Tech, is out to prove people wrong. CU was the only major college to offer the 5-foot-8, 180-pound Smith a scholarship. He will assume an important role tonight, keeping an eye on OU tight ends and running backs. Also, watch to see if reinstated starting Buffs QB Cody Hawkins gets enough time to throw. In the past, defenses have blitzed Hawkins when he has replaced the more mobile Tyler Hansen, who is out with a ruptured spleen. Tom Kensler
New Mexico (0-7, 0-3 MWC) at CSU (2-6, 1-3)
4 p.m., Hughes Stadium, MTN
Former Rams and coaches will be on hand in the tailgate area to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Rams’ 1990 Freedom Bowl win. New Mexico has gone through four quarterbacks this season. If Tarean Austin gets the call against CSU’s Pete Thomas, it will be the first all-true-freshman quarterback game in the nation since the 2009 Emerald Bowl when USC’s Matt Barkley met Boston College’s Dave Shinskie. New Mexico has won three of the last four against the Rams, with games in 2006, 2007 and 2009 decided by last-second field goals. CSU has had a 100-yard rusher in each of the last three meetings. Natalie Meisler
No. 8 Utah (7-0, 4-0 MWC) at Air Force (5-3, 3-2)
5:30 p.m., Falcon Stadium, CBSCS
Falcons QB Tim Jefferson faces the task of getting the offense going against a Utah team that is every bit as good as TCU. Last week against the Horned Frogs, the Falcons were held to season lows in points and rushing (184 yards) in a 38-7 loss. The Utes have allowed 12 points in their past two games: a 30-6 win over Wyoming and a 59-6 triumph over CSU. Utah is the fourth ranked team Air Force has played this season. The Falcons are 1-2, beating No. 24 BYU but losing at No. 9 Oklahoma and at No. 4 TCU. This marks the first time in school history that Air Force plays back-to-back games vs. top 10 teams. Irv Moss
Northern Colorado (2-6) at South Dakota (3-5)
3 p.m., DakotaDome
Running back Andre Harris and the rest of the Bears’ offense look to get their running game back on track, and the Coyotes appear to be just the team to face. UNC, which is on a five-game losing streak, was second in the Big Sky Conference in rushing offense through the first three games, averaging 201.7 per game. Since, the Bears have fallen to sixth in rushing offense, averaging 133.4 per game. South Dakota is last in the Great West Conference against the run, allowing 177.5 yards per game. It’s a matchup of one-time NCAA Division II North Central Conference foes. Matt Schuman, Greeley Tribune
Players to watch
Cam Newton, QB, Auburn
If you haven’t watched the Heisman front-runner yet, here’s your chance. The dual threat should have a good time against Mississippi, which is giving up an SEC-worst 32 points per game. 4 p.m., ESPN2
Kirk Cousins, QB, Michigan State
Will be hard for him to beat Iowa deep, but the short stuff (as Wisconsin showed last week) should be there against Iowa for Cousins if he is patient. 1:30 p.m., ESPN
Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska
He had one of the roughest games of his career covering Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon last week. Missouri has a bunch of playmakers, so Amukamara will get plenty of opportunities to show why he’s projected to be a high first-round draft pick. 1:30 p.m., KMGH-7
Matt Scott, QB, Arizona
Arizona’s junior backup looked comfortable last week, going 18-of-22 for 233 yards and two TDs with starter Nick Foles (knee) on the mend. Foles remains questionable to play today against UCLA. 1:30 p.m., FSN
