Colorado opened the game with an eight-play drive covering 69 yards but as so many others have learned before, ending drives with field goals is not good enough against a team that can score at the pace Oregon does. Sure, Colorado took a 10-7 lead in the first quarter, thanks to a 75-yard touchdown pass by Paul Richardson to D.D. Goodson, but Oregon scored 21 more points before the end of the first quarter and never really looked back en route to a 57-16 victory in Pac 12 play.
Marcus Mariota continued to roll up big numbers for Oregon. The Heisman candidate threw for 355 yards and five touchdowns and he rushed for two more. Byron Marshall led the Ducks in rushing with 122 rushing yards. De’Anthony Thomas not seeing the field at all Saturday due to an ankle injury. Health should be a bit of a concern for the Ducks though. After Mariota left the game, Oregon’s offense had three turnovers. This should illustrate just how important it will be to protect the offense’s best player.
Oregon looks to continue their march to a potential Pac 12 championship and BCS Championship berth next week when they play another road game. Oregon heads to Washington next week. The Huskies will be coming off a road game at Stanford, which is being played in prime time on the west coast. There continue to be only a handful of teams in the Pac 12 that could stand in the way of the Ducks. Stanford is one, and we will find out if Washington is the second. Two other teams to keep an eye on will be UCLA and Oregon State. Both also are on Oregon’s schedule before the Pac 12 championship game. UCLA has looked very strong this season and aside from an opening weekend upset, Oregon State has looked rather explosive on offense with quarterback Sean Mannion putting up big numbers.