College Football Rankings 2021: Projected AP Top 25 for Week 2
By Zach Bigalke
Ducks . Oregon Ducks (1-0). 10. player. 820. . won 31-24 v. Fresno State
After a weird Pac-12 season where Oregon finished second in the Pac-12 North but first in the Pac-12 championship game, the Ducks came into 2021 as dark-horse contenders to get the conference back on the national map. Fresno State presented a dangerous test, and the Bulldogs kept Oregon on upset alert all night at Autzen Stadium. Mario Cristobal’s team managed to escape the opener with a 31-24 victory to keep their College Football Playoff dreams alive.
Anthony Brown threw for only 172 yards and one touchdown, adding another 56 yards and a score on the ground. Veteran running backs CJ Verdell and Travis Dye traded time in the backfield and gained 138 yards and two touchdowns on 31 combined carries. The Ducks weren’t overpowering on offense, racking up only 358 total yards, but it was enough to prevail.
A week after torching UConn for 331 yards and three scores, Oregon’s defense held Jake Haener to only 298 passing yards and one touchdown in the air. The Fresno State running game managed only 75 yards on 30 carries, but Oregon suffered a potentially damning loss when Kayvon Thibodeaux left the game early with a left foot sprain.
Losing Thibodeaux for any length of time could derail any Playoff hopes before they can really get ramped up to speed. The Ducks travel across the country in Week 2 for a key intersectional showdown against defending Big Ten champion Ohio State. A win would vault Oregon up the Top 25, while a loss will send them into the teens.