Details, details and more details separate Huskies from Ducks

EUGENE  One of these years, Washington may again beat Oregon in a football game.

I'm pretty sure it will happen right after scientists cure cancer and peace is secured in the Middle East.

The Ducks' proverbial punching bag went down for the 11th straight time Saturday night, this time a 45-20 beat-down as part of a festive Homecoming weekend.

Twenty years after "The Pick," Kenny Wheaton returned to sign $150 jerseys and led the Ducks onto the Autzen Stadium turf via motorcycle pregame. Members of the 1989 Independence Bowl team, along with coach Rich Brooks, celebrated the 25th anniversary of Oregon's first postseason game in 26 years (there have been 20 since).

Then the Ducks went out and knocked the tar out of the overstuffed Huskies, just as they always do.

"Painful," Washington receiver Jaydon Mickens said. "Upsets me a lot. To lose to a team 11 consecutive years -- especially a rivalry -- is hard.

"We know Husky Nation really wanted that. We can tell their fans wanted it as well, with all the hoo-rah going on out there. We just have to get back to the drawing board, and we'll see them next year."

Washington doesn't just lose to Oregon, it plays dead.

Since the Huskies' last win over (using the term loosely) their Northwest rival, they have lost 11 games by an average of more than 25 points -- with spreads no fewer than 17 and by as many as 37 points.

Washington has some company in all of this. Over the last decade, Oregon has been the Boston Celtics of the 1950s, dominating the conference opposition.

Oregon has won eight consecutive games with Washington State and six in a row against Oregon State. The Ducks haven't lost to a Northwest conference foe in seven years, since a 38-31 overtime defeat against the Beavers in 2007.

What's more, Oregon holds win streaks against Arizona State (8), UCLA (6) and California (5).

But the Ducks' prime patsy has been the once-proud Huskies, who came to Eugene 5-1 and thinking they might be able to pull off the upset that would get them the lead story on SportsCenter.

No such luck. the Ducks covered 380 yards of first-half real estate in jumping to a 28-6 lead at intermission. Game pretty much over.

"They're as good as the score was, but I still feel like we could have beaten them," said Washington sophomore tailback John Ross, who had only two carries, for 32 and 12 yards.

Not in a month of Saturdays, at least not now. Oregon's program is too far ahead of Washington's.

"We don't have enough details taken care of," said first-year UW coach Chris Petersen, who beat Oregon twice while at Boise State. "You can see it.

"They've had it going for quite a long time. It's not any one phase of their program. Their recruiting is good. Their weight program is excellent. They know this offense and their defenses inside and out. That's what we have to get to eventually."

Oregon won the battle in first downs (29-20), total offense (554-317) and turnovers (zero to two for the Huskies). The Ducks rushed for 218 yards, led by fabulous freshman Royce Freeman (29 carries, 169 yards, four TDs).

"If you can't slow those guys down in the run game a little bit, it's going to be a long night, like it was for us," Petersen said. "They're very good running the ball, one of the top teams in the country. If you can't make them a little bit one-dimensional, it's going to be problems."

Oregon was two-dimensional behind the talents of Heisman Trophy hopeful Marcus Mariota, who was at his best, completing 24 of 33 passes for 336 yards and two scores with no interceptions. After back-to-back impressive wins over UCLA and Washington, the Ducks appear back as a national playoff contender.

"They're as good as anybody in the country," Petersen said. "This is an elite program. They do an unbelievable job. They have maybe the best player in college football.

"You have to play really good to hang with them. That's what you have to do -- play really well and have a chance down the stretch, and something might happen."

On Saturday night, the Huskies mostly appeared overmatched, with brief periods of competitiveness and determination thrown in.

"When you play an elite team like that, one side of the ball has to be able to step up and make something happen and give the other side a spark," Petersen said. "We got nothing going. We had too many three-and-outs. We didn't run the ball nearly good enough. When (the Ducks) get the train moving, they get you on your heels, and when your tackling is pretty shoddy, it makes it hard.

"So it's back to the drawing boards. Two steps forward, one step back."

It's getting harder to remember when Washington last beat Oregon on the gridiron. On Saturday night, the Ducks made sure it won't happen for at least another year.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Twitter: @kerryeggers