The college football season is long. Memories, however, can be short.
The Oregon Ducks, fresh off a dominating performance against UCLA, are a perfect example. The Ducks easily covered a spread that grew to a touchdown by kickoff, handling former head coach Chip Kelly and an offense ripe with weapons.
It was a season-changing performance for a team that has quietly marched up the AP Poll over the past two months. (They checked in at No. 8 on Sunday.) As if you needed a reminder that early conclusions can be dangerous, this was yet another reminder.
In Week 1, the Ducks were helpless against Georgia. A trendy 16-point underdog against a team rebooting much of its roster, Oregon was throttled 49-3 by the defending national champions. Quarterback Bo Nix, fresh off his transfer from Auburn, threw two dreadful interceptions.
The season felt lost shortly after it started.
Fast forward to Saturday. Nix, fresh off another five-touchdown game, is now 30/1 to win the Heisman and has a realistic shot at being a finalist. I am floored at how much better he has looked, and his numbers (25 TDs, 3 INTs) stack up with other quarterbacks currently under consideration.
As for Oregon, well, things are different now. Since that loss, Oregon has covered the spread in all but one football game. After scoring only three points in the opener, the offense has scored at least 40 points in every game since.
Oregon’s national championship odds are now 40/1, ahead of USC (50/1) and behind very few.