Two Dangerous Bits of Unfinished Business

Oregon has been agonizingly close before, but never this close.

In 2001, 2005, and 2007 the Ducks got a glimpse of the top rung of college football, but this time they are two games from a dream season. At 10-0 and number one in the country, they have the opportunity to be undefeated, undisputed national champions, and the greatest team in Oregon history.

Or they could wind up flamed by the Beavers or upended by the Wildcats, the object of ridicule, a cautionary tale told with glee by buffoons like Robert Smith.

Lose one game, and the negative Nancys have a field day at Oregon's expense.

Arizona has plenty of talent. Nick Foles can sling it, Juron Criner has baffled defenses all year, and Nic Grigsby and Keola Antolin can carry the rock. Their defense is swarming. Led by defensive end Ricky Elmore, they're first in the conference against the run, allowing just 112 yards a game. Arizona has come into Autzen before and won a game they had no business winning. Stoops will cook up a few surprises.

Two weeks ago Oregon State looked like a beaten, disorganized football team, but on the heels of a 36-7 home victory over USC, they look resurgent. They sent Matt Barkley to the locker room with a high ankle sprain and pummeled the Trojans. Ryan Katz connected on 17-24 for two touchdowns and Quizz Rodgers ran for 128. They led 20-0 at halftime and tacked on two more scores in the fourth quarter. Imagine if they got to Darron Thomas early and put him out of the game. Think what an ugly party that would be in Reser Stadium.

Last year Oregon ruined Rose Bowl dreams for both these teams. It would be the sweetest, most memorable moment of their athletic lives for either of them to return the favor. The Ducks have busted the Beavers two years running, running over them when they could have made it to Pasadena for the first time since 1965. Ruining a perfect season would be a dunk the coach in Gatorade, tear down the goal post moment for the Little School that Could. The internet crowing would last for years.

Friday November 26th, and Saturday December 4th, Oregon will face two teams that will be as motivated as can be. If the Ducks don't execute, if they fail to prepare with the same beady-eyed focus they brought to Stanford and UCLA and USC, they could lose, and that means losing everything with everything to gain.

You can't take anything for granted, this close to perfection.