Would the Rose Bowl Be a Disappointment?

This year's Duck team is like a great basketball squad with a tremendous fast break and zone press. They go on devastating runs. Not only the LaMichael James kind, but runs of scoring and dominance that bury opponents. Washington got the game to 18-13 in the third quarter, and the Ducks scored on five of six possessions, outscoring them 35-3 the rest of the way. USC surged ahead after two breaks to lead 32-29 in the third quarter and Oregon reels off 24 unanswered to win going away. The same thing happened at Tennessee, at Arizona State, versus Stanford, at Washington State. The Ducks trailed early and struggled, then surged. Their only wire-to-wire dominations have been against New Mexico, Portland State and UCLA, all at home.

Oregon's depth and frenetic pace wear down opponents, and their talent and versatility stretches them to the limit. They haven't had a nail biter. They haven't had to make a fourth quarter drive or a fourth quarter stop with the game on the line. Heady territory for Duck fans, who in years past were used to games that were still in doubt on the last play of the game. Remember Cameron Colvin, reaching for the end zone? Remember Wesley Mallard, breaking up a pass in the end zone against the Cougars? The Ducks used to be cardiac kids, and occasionally heartbreakers, with last-minute field goals that split the uprights or went wide right. Nine wins used to be a distant goal.

Now it's a minimum expectation, a worse-case scenario. Duck fans expect the Holiday Bowl or better, and whisper or thump their chests that this could be the year. One by one the hurdles have been cleared, and now we're face-to-face with the realization that this is the year, and some of us are not sure how to act. The team wins by 37 over Washington and we're wrinkling our nose, thinking the game was too sloppy. They have one injury in a season almost free of serious injuries (Barner's scary concussion the only serious exception) and we're wringing our hands.

The Ducks need three wins to reach the national championship game. Only twice before have they been this close. In 2001 they got jobbed by the computers and a three-touchdown, fourth-quarter comeback by Stanford. They reached number two in 2007, but the season went down in a heap with Dennis Dixon's knee injury and three straight losses.

This time, the Ducks have avoided a stumble, a setback, a letdown, or a distraction. They've solved their problems, shored up their weaknesses, overcome their off-season issues and exceeded expectations. The Oregonian writers picked them to go 8-4 this year. One PAC-10 writer picked them to finish ninth. Among fans, preseason predictions varied widely between a cautious 8-4/7-5 to a blindly optimistic 13-0. Most thought inexperience at quarterback would lead to a stumble or two. That hasn't happened.

But the season isn't over yet. Three tough games remain. This week they travel to Cal. The Bears are an enigma, 4-0 at home, dismal on the road. Brock Mansion has taken over for four-year starter Kevin Riley, out for the season with a knee injury. Cal has speed and talent, and many picked them to finish in the top half of the PAC-10. Oregon has struggled in recent visits to Strawberry Canyon, and until last year, it seemed Jeff Tedford seemed to have his mojo working on the school where he formerly coached. Cal could be the stumble game, and might be if the Ducks start slow, turn the ball over and rely on a second-half surge to bail them out. There may be an opponent left on the schedule that surges back.

Arizona has a swarming defense and talented skill people. The Beavers are the Beavers, and this year's game is in the unfriendly confines of Reser stadium. The orange and black, long jealous of the Ducks opulence and rise to prominence, would love to spoil a dream season.

If Duck fans had known at the start of the year the Ducks would be 9-0, and likely to go 11-1 and repeat for the Rose Bowl, or 12-0 and win a trip to the title game, most would have been ecstatic. At this point, though, 11-1, 10-2 or 9-3 seem like a gigantic disappointment.

They achieved the fast and hard. Now they have to finish.

The ideal scenario? Three complete, decisive victories. No more slow starts or self-inflicted wounds. The Ducks should strive to finish like a champion and claim their potential. But Oregon fans would settle for three wins, even three of the barely-escape, 15-12 variety.

But it's hard to imagine they'd settle for anything less.