It's funny. Prior to the season, many fans were quick to suggest Oregon might be one of Utah's losses this season. We said as much because the Utes were rebuilding; the Ducks were supposed to be really good; the game was only three weeks in and on the road. Yet here we are, a few days out and now that mindset has dramatically changed.
Or has it?
With the Utes' lackluster performance last week, many fans seem resigned to a loss. Well many might be a tad bit of a hyperbole, since I haven't actually polled the fan base when it comes to this game. But i can't help but think a good number of Ute fans will expect a loss Saturday. Even if they think Utah can win.
I'm one of those fans. I predicted in my preview the Utes would lose. I didn't like making that prediction, but with what I've seen this season, I'm not entirely confident Utah can go on the road and win a tough game - even if Oregon appears more mortal than I may have expected prior to the season.
But I also think they can win. So I'm conflicted. This isn't a sure loss or even a likely loss. It's a game that probably splits slightly in Ducks' favor due to the fact they're hosting the contest. If the venue were Rice-Eccles Stadium, I'd probably give Utah the edge.
So am I right in lowering my expectations? Should I be more confident than I am? I mean, after all, the Utes have yet to lose a game. They are ranked and haven't looked horrible in their first two outings. But they haven't looked great, either.
Which puts my confidence in this game at about where I had it prior to the season starting. The Utes could win, might win, in fact, but I'm not sure they do.
WIth all that said, what is your confidence level heading into Saturday? Do you think it's better now than it was three weeks ago?
Monson: Is BYU better than Utah? Are you sure? - Salt Lake Tribune
Utah-Oregon Preview - NCAA Football - CBSSports.com Live GameCenter
AP Wire - Oregon | kgw.com | News for Portland Oregon and SW Washington
Oregon-Utah: Ducks working to get Ed Dickson into the offense more - Behind The Ducks Beat
Utah Utes: Half Full Or Half Empty? | Bleacher Report
Utes ready to go Duck hunting - ABC 4.com - Salt Lake City, Utah News
Deseret News | Utah Utes football: Win at Oregon helped Utah finish with top-10 ranking
Sports: Home | "Ducks, Utes eye close contest" | The Register-Guard | Eugene, Oregon