S1W11 - Ducks One Win Away From PAC-12 Championship Game Bid

PALO ALTO, CA - Well, in a game that had a lot to do with standings, this much is guaranteed: Oregon has avenged its lone loss of the 2012 season. The other very important pieces of the puzzle, such as a Pac-12 North title, have not fallen into place just yet, but with Oregon's landmark victory over Stanford on Thursday night, the Ducks only need one more win to clinch a Pac-12 North Title.

"It's anything but guaranteed," noted Coach Helfrich following his team's 48-28 victory over Stanford, "we don't like to look at the standings around here. As far as I'm concerned, we need to get ready for Utah, and that's it." That attitude will go a long way for the Ducks, as we all know too well, the Ducks lost their Pac-12 title and national title bid in just a blink of an eye last season. If Oregon is truly an elite program, they have higher aspirations than just another Pac-12 title. And if Oregon wants to stick in the national title they can't just win one of their remaining games, they have to win every remaining game.

But for now, the Ducks truly are one win away from a PAC-12 Title game appearance against whoever wins the wide-open PAC-12 race. Oregon's remaining games are a home game against Utah next week, a trip to Tucson for a game against the hot Arizona Wildcats, and the Civil War game back in Eugene against Oregon State.

Of course, Oregon is as hot as any team in the conference, having just played its most complete game of the season to date with their dominant performance against Stanford. The entire Oregon offense is clicking, and the defense is shutting teams down at the right times, giving Oregon massive early leads against some of the best teams in the conference.

Everything is clicking for the Ducks at the moment, and when Coach Helfrich was asked if any team had a chance against the Ducks now, he quickly replied, "Let's just put it this way. I wouldn't want to face us right now."