Looking ahead...

[MiccoMacey]

Oregon and Texas are faced with some tough competition this weekend.

Texas and tOSU have been talked about ad nauseum, but Oregon takes on Fresno State. This could reveal a ton about the team we play next week.

Not sure if it's on TV or not, but it's one game I'd like to see. FSU returns 14 starters (6 on offense and 8 on defense).

Is it on anywhere?

[SoonerMooner]

We will clearly be underdogs in both of those games by at least 10 points.

[Octavian]

You can catch the Oregon-Fresno St. game at 9pm on ESPN2

http://www.lsufootball.net/tvschedule.htm

CFN's take:


Oregon (1-0) at Fresno State (1-0) 10:00 PM EST ESPN2 Saturday September 9th

Why to Watch: When these two teams tangled last season it was an offensive showcase won by the Kellen Clemens-led Ducks 37 – 34. But that was in the friendly confines of Autzen Stadium in Eugene and not in the Valley. Coming off a win over Nevada, Fresno State is sky-high and looking to make a national splash to get the buzz generated again about the BCS possibilities. The Ducks possess an explosive offense that should counterbalance the power running of FSU RB Dwayne Wright, but it’s going to be a stiff test before dealing with Oklahoma next week.

Why Oregon Might Win: Give the ball to Jonathan Stewart, give it to him again, and then give it to him again. After a freshman year in which Stewart spent most of the season behind former RB Terrence Whitehead, Stewart made up for lost time by torching Stanford with 168 yards on 22 carries, but he suffered a sprained ankle and might be less than 100% effective. The Ducks have had some good backs, but never one like this. To stop Wright and the FSU running game, Oregon needs safety Patrick Chung, who’s always around the ball, to be in the right position at all times. If he is, Wright won’t break off any long runs.

Why Fresno State Might Win: Give the ball to Dwayne Wright, give it to him again. There are men running with a purpose, and then there’s Wright, who’s running with so much passion and power that it takes more than one man to bring him down almost every time he touches the ball. If he gets in a groove, Oregon will have to start selling out against the run opening itself up to the deep passes, which should be an issue for the average Duck secondary as the year goes on. On the other side of the ball, the FSU coaching staff believes that LB Dwayne Andrews is the best linebacker in the WAC and could be good enough to neutralize Stewart all by himself.

Who to Watch: Oregon QB Dennis Dixon, who didn’t have to rotate with Brady Leaf, looked to be more relaxed behind center against Stanford. His continued improvement (70% completion rate against the Cardinal) will allow offensive coordinator Gary Crowton to continue to expand his playbook. FSU C Kyle Young is the key cog for the Bulldog running game and when they struggle to move the ball, they run behind him with some lead and power isolation runs where he can use his size and strength to get movement.

What Will Happen: Both teams look to establish the running games to set up the pass, so expect a quicker than usual game. Don’t be surprised to see the Ducks attack FSU CB Marcus McCauley, who is extremely aggressive, with an out and up or a slant and go to get a quick six up on the board. The Duck defensive line will have to stem and move up front to disrupt Fresno State’s run blocking assignments, but they can also roll up a safety (Chung more than likely) to help against Wright. If and when they do that, the pressure is on FSU QB Tom Brandstater to go deep over the top. That’s a plus for the Ducks.
CFN Prediction: Oregon 30 ... Fresno State 20 ... Line: Oregon -4.5

http://cfn.scout.com/2/565708.html

[The Maestro]

Fresno was pretty strong against a decent Nevada team in their opener...always a tough place to go play and they always seem to bite someone from a big boy conference each year. Oregon is probably cocky after dismantling Stanford last week and licking their chops at revenge with us next week. Serious trap game for them.