One third of the way through the season, Oregon is looking every bit the national powerhouse its No. 2 ranking would suggest. The Ducks are dotted throughout the national leaderboard in several statistical categories. Among them:

No. 1 in rushing offense

(332.50 yards per game). That is nearly eight yards per game more than the next closest team, Navy, which averages 17 more carries per game than the Ducks. If the Ducks continue at this pace, it will be the eighth consecutive time they have led the conference in rushing and the seventh time they have finished in the top 10 nationally.

Tied for No. 1 in fumble recoveries

(eight). The Ducks are tied with Middle Tennessee and North Texas. Rodney Hardrick and Alex Balducci lead the team with two recoveries while Boskeko Lokombo, DeForrest Buckner, Wade Keliikipi and Rahim Cassell have all added recoveries. Tony Washington leads the team in forced fumbles with three while Taylor Hart has added two.

No. 1 in rushes of 20 yards or more

(19). The Ducks are also No. 2 in rushes of 40 yards or more (6).

No. 2 in scoring

(59.8 points per game). Baylor leads the nation at 69.7 and UCLA is third at 52.7. The Ducks have scored 50 or more points in all four games, the first time in school history they have accomplished that four consecutive games. Next up is Colorado, which allowed 44 points to Oregon State last week.

No. 2 in turnover margin

(2.5). Houston leads the nation with a 2.75 margin, with 14 takeaways and three turnovers. Oregon has 12 takeaways and two turnovers (fumbles by Thomas Tyner and Chad Delaney).

No. 3 in punt returns

(24.78), trailing only Kansas State and Boise State. The Ducks’ average was boosted last weekend against Cal, thanks to Bralon Addison, who returned two punts for touchdowns - one 75 yards and one 67 yards. Addison leads the nation in punt returns, with six for 219 yards, a 36.50 average.

No. 3 in sacks allowed

(3). Another tribute to Steve Greatwood’s offensive line. Only Nebraska and Navy (which rarely passes) have given up fewer sacks.

No. 4 in scoring defense

(10.8). The Ducks are tied with Washington for fourth and trail Louisville (6.8), Baylor (7.7) and Maryland (10.3). The Ducks have allowed only two touchdowns in the first half.

No. 4 in yards allowed per play

(3.82). This is the statistic that defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti looks at the most. The Ducks are on the field more than any other defense in the nation, so naturally they are going to give up yards. But when averaged out against how many plays they face, the Ducks defense shows their true mettle.

The links:

Oregon graduate assistant

this week.

before.

for his special teams performance.

The Daily Emerald looks at

.