The Ducks know that after finishing No. 2
in#® country last year, every team they play
this season will bring its A game into Autzen
Adam Jtide
Senior Sports Reporter
It’s a position Oregon has known all
too Well. A situation with little realistic
promise, only hope.
Idaho’s appearance at Autzen Stadi
um on Saturday evokes memories of
when Oregon was the perennial bottom
dweller, like the Vandals now, desperate
for any glance at glory.
The Vandals are 32-point under
dogs and have lost 21 straight games
to the Ducks, dating back to 1951. But
that doesn’t mean Idaho will necessar
ily fold in the first quarter, especially
after seeing the fight Fresno State put
up last week.
For Oregon, that means playing with
a large target on its back.
“The last few years, Oregon wasn’t re
ally a known program, so we’d go into
games with nothing to lose,” safety Keith
Lewis said. “Now that Oregon is on top,
people are trying to knock us off. We
need to try to play with the same passion
as when we’re weren’t anybody. I still
think we still have something to prove.”
Although their role has been reversed,
the Ducks are trying to adjust to being
the hunted whde maintaining the men
tality of a hunter.
“It’s tough to prepare to a team when
you’re going in as the top dog,” Lewis
said.
Whether thfey’re the pit bull or the
poodle, the Ducks always seem to make
games interesting — if not downright
scary — in the fourth quarter. Or per
haps it’s
the un
derdog,
playing
with noth
ing to lose,
that keeps
the game
close.
Case in point:
Oregon’s 28-24
win over Fresno
State last week,
when the Ducks
trailed by nine at the end
of the third quarter, only to
score 13 unanswered points
in the final period.
By no means is Fresno State a
pushover (the Bulldogs’ two losses this
year are by a combined six points), but
the Ducks know they should’ve played
better.
“Our kids have to understand that
we were fortunate that we won a game
we could have lost,” Oregfm head
coach Mike Bellotti said. “Wedidn’t al
ways do what was in our power to do.
We need to play hard for 60 minutes.
We played hard at the beginning and
played hard at the end when it counted
(against Fresno State).
“Great teams play hard the entire
time.”
Enter Idaho, a team that Sports Illus
trated ranked dead last out of 117 teams
in Division I college football. A team that
Turn to Target, page 15
KICKOFF AT 12:30 P.M. > AUTZEN STADIUM ■ SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2002 ■ TV: OSN
Bush league
Mike Bush leads Washington
State into the Pac-10's biggest
test this season, the Cougars'
matchup with No. 6 Ohio St.
Page 5
Heisman hoping
Onterrio Smith is one of a few
early-season favorites for the
Heisman Trophy, but he'll face
stiff national competition.
Page 3