I know a lot of folks are nervous about us playing UCLA next weekend, but I'm not for 3 reasons:

1. UCLA is good, but not as scary as some think. They have had the easiest schedule in the B1G so far. Cal is probably the worst team in the ACC, SDSU may be the worst team in the PAC12, Maryland and Purdue are the worst teams in the B1G. Granted, some of that observation is UCLA making the look bad in one of their 4 games, but still.

2. We play at home likely in some more traditional fall weather.

3. We've had our bye week to assess and implement the most significant changes we'll be able to make all season.

4. Lanning's defense is built to contain running QBs like Lameava

Obviously UCLA is on their bye week,is already comfortable that most things are working, and is therefore simply focusing for 2 straight weeks on beating us at our weaknesses. But I don't think that trumps the 3 points above.

I'm looking for us to beat the two touchdown spread and seeing some notable changes in players and execution.

Couldn't agree more. Ducks will be healthy and UCLA's just not that good. Moore or not the Ducks are not losing at home to UCLA.

Chesney and his tag-a-long group of coaches/players probably have some extra incentive, but we’ve already once seen his playbook and inclinations full bore. So, as long as Dan has now got our defense’s full attention and can keep it, we match up pretty good.

My only concern in this game is defensive scheme. I hope Oregon is smart enough to keep 5-6 in the box consistently to combat their strong run game. They need to make Nico try and beat them.

I'm probably a little more cautious about UCLA than you are, although I agree with the basic premise that Oregon should win this game.

The schedule is definitely the biggest reason to pump the brakes on UCLA hype. They haven't really been tested by an elite team yet. But I also don't think we can completely dismiss what they've done simply because the competition hasn't been great. They aren't barely beating those teams. They're averaging almost 45 points a game, nearly 500 yards of offense, and over 280 rushing yards. Going to Maryland and winning 54-3 got my attention regardless of how good Maryland is.

I also don't think the bye is quite as much of an advantage as it appears because UCLA has had the same two weeks to prepare. Oregon gets time to diagnose what went wrong against Oklahoma State and USC, but UCLA also gets two weeks to study those exact problems and figure out how to attack them.

Where I agree most is the matchup with Nico. Philosophically, Lanning's defense should be well equipped to deal with a mobile quarterback, and Oregon has actually been pretty good against the run so far. But UCLA worries me because it isn't just Nico scrambling around. Wayne Knight and that entire rushing attack force you to account for multiple threats, and that's where eye discipline, tackling and assignment football become huge. Given some of the defensive breakdowns we've already seen this year, I'm not ready to assume that part takes care of itself.

Autzen absolutely matters, and I expect Oregon to win. I'm just not sure I'm at the point where I'd call UCLA harmless because of its schedule. To me this is almost a perfect measuring-stick game. If Oregon comes out of the bye, cleans up the defensive issues and beats a 4-0 UCLA team convincingly, I'll feel a whole lot better about where this team is headed.

Go Ducks! 🦆