Here’s some of the headlines from the Eugene Register-Guard today:
“Geauxing nowhere– The gap between the good and the great just got bigger”
“Ducks: Oregon commits 12 penalties”
“Simply put, the SEC is just better”
“Suspended players leave void”
“UO’s run game is slowed to a walk”
“Depleted defense can’t handle the pounding”
“Duck’s speed exceeded by top team’s athletes”

These pretty well say it all, don’t they?
And other comments here:

-paulbrown’s revenge– you said it, our continuous switching of uniforms at Nike’s insistence is ridiculous, and these black things were worst of all. We pray we never see them again and we can get back to our beautiful green and yellow.
And you are right, this game was won in the trenches by that big LSU line.

–skinnypigeon– and you are also correct, the LSU defense was terrific, and even with our great backs like James, we got almost no rushing yards.
And yet, in spite of this, Oregon still ended up with considerably more total yardage than LSU. Think about it.
It was the turnovers and penalties that killed Oregon’s chances.

Our defense actually played well in spite of the short field our offense kept leaving them, mostly shutting down Lee. Could we have stopped Jefferson as well? We’ll never know.
But we do know the UO was hurt badly by the absence of our suspended all-American cornerback and kick returner Cliff Harris. You saw the fumbles.

–alligatorsnapper– You were “right on” with your summary:
“LSU proved their defense was even faster than the Ducks. Team speed? LSU won. Line of scrimage? LSU won. Poise? LSU won. Game plan? LSU won. Penalties? Oregon won Turnovers? Oregon won.”
Yup, I’m afraid you were right about that, which is why we Oregon fans are feeling pretty blue today.
But LSU fans should be feeling great.

–fatfreddystubbs– I think you are right, the officiating was pretty poor. While all those offsides and movements by Oregon were obvious calls and showed how poorly prepared we were for this game, the leg whipping penalties and pass interference call in the end zone were highly questionable.

With all this, it is a good reality check for Oregon about how really great the rest of the Big Teams in the country are, and that our chances of finishing near the top every year are pure fantasy.
Oregon is just not a state made for top tier athletic excellence; our recent success has been artificial, fueled by Nike money. Of the 45 FB players highlighted in the recent RG media guide, almost as many are from Texas (5) as Oregon (6). The majority are actually from California.
This desperate national recruiting is how we got messed up with Lyles, and that controversy has ruined our focus, resulting in that uncharacteristic bumbling and confusion.

Thus, in a way, this loss in our first game was a good thing, as now we can get back to work on real issues instead of this athletic escape from reality. The UO has hurt itself a great deal by trying to match the FB superpowers, instead of taking care of the academic business we used to be noted for.
Ideally Uncle Phil and Nike can be put aside for a while and Oregon can turn the reigns of the university back to the faculty.

A letter to the editor in today’s RG says it all:
“….some Oregon players, and it would appear coaches, have led the way in a race to the ethical bottom. That’s not the Oregon I fell in love with. As for the USCs and the Miamis of the world, they can keep their wins and their scandals, I want my Oregon back.”

Well said, brother, and now it’s time to get back to the things that really count, such as rebuilding our economy and educational institutions, and helping out those states like Louisiana which just got clobbered by the storm.

If we could do that, this Webfoot would be satisfied if we win enough games to go to a good bowl again this year.
Wearing green and yellow.

skinnypigeon: I agree. Lee and the offense did what they needed to do.

I read a posting of southernpatriots some months ago that if LSU could score more than 33 points a game that the defense could hold just about any team below that and LSU should win. I think I may have seen the best secondary in college ball today in LSU. The big guards and tackles were faster off the snap. Several players for LSU surprised and greatly pleased me. They really seemed dialed in and focused. That game meant something.

The senior LSU assistant athletic director was interviewed on Saturday and he was the one that arranged the game with Oregon. He said after the recent player curfew violations and resulting situation, he was greatly concerned, wondering if this was the right thing to do. He thought, “no other top 5 team is playing a team above them, why are we doing this at this time?” He said he was so nervous it was hard for him to do anything. He was so glad when the game was over. He had the same thoughts I had and I know many thousands of other fans. Nerve racking and thank Coach Miles for keeping the players focused.

It’s Parseghian karma.

Re Notre Dame… I called this one a month ago.
Same question I axed a month ago – other than starting a new season, what have the Irish done to elicit this new found media and ranking confidence? Nothing. These ‘media darlings’ need to earn a top 25 ranking for a change, not have it gifted to them on an annual basis.

Notre Dame has been irrelevant for years, the only people who haven’t gotten the memo are NBC and Notre Dame. They Fighting Irish certainly don’t deserve their own “talk” page, and I’m certainly never going to click on it. Post Notre Dame analysis with the rest of 1-A College Football (or whatever it’s called now).

LSU proved their defense was even faster than the Ducks. Team speed? LSU won. Line of scrimage? LSU won. Poise? LSU won. Game plan? LSU won. Penalties? Oregon won Turnovers? Oregon won.

Good game. Good start for LSU with a whole lot to lose, a risky game with the recent problems. Lee did well. Lee did what he was supposed to do, at least that is what this fan saw.

also nothing about the domers being the only ranked team to lose to a non-ranked team. How lame is that?
===========================
TCU?

Auburn came really close as well.

Never said LSU won because of Lee. He did what they asked him to do.

also nothing about the domers being the only ranked team to lose to a non-ranked team. How lame is that?