It's a waste to create a list today of all the things we don't yet know about the 2016 Oregon Ducks football team. We don't have time for that with Nebraska next week. So I'll start here -- anyone think the Ducks are ready for a big game?

I don't.

But here come the Huskers anyway.

Oregon beat hapless Virginia 44-26 on Saturday night. The Cavaliers may take offense at the "hapless" slap. In my defense, I walked past the Virginia radio booth at the beginning of halftime and one of the radio honks in there declared within earshot of the visiting Athletic Director's box, "It's over." Nobody fired the guy. A few minutes later, one of the Cavaliers assistant coaches grabbed an oversized popcorn cup and attempted to fill the thing with ice water. There was a wet trail all the way to the coaches box.

But enough with the Virginia highlights.

Ducks running back Royce Freeman was electric, piling up 207 rushing yards against Virginia. Dakota Prukop was excellent, making all the right plays, especially on "Third and Lane County" against the same Cavaliers defense. Prukop threw for 331 yards and three touchdowns. Third down and 36-to-go wasn't a big issue for the Ducks. But even after a 2-0 start and two blowout victories, Oregon remains an untested and unknown entity.

"There are so many things offensively, defensively and special teams we need to work on," Ducks coach Mark Helfrich said.

Glad he said it. Because it's true. Nobody outside of our state (or the Ducks schedule) is talking about Oregon, thinking about Oregon, or wondering if the Ducks can matter in the national conversation. Maybe that bothers you. Maybe you figure this is a rebuilding season. But in today's college football, you're either waxing or waning as a program. And even as we can all tell one era of innovative, successful Oregon football last season, we're eager to see if another can quickly spin out of it.

Nebraska stands smack in the way of that. Huskers coach Mike Riley would like very much to unlace Oregon's early season next week and send the Ducks back to Eugene wondering if they're still a Top 25 program.

"The next one, being who they are and what they mean nationally, and where we want to go, this is exciting," Riley told reporters after beating Wyoming 52-17 earlier Saturday. "The players even said it in the locker room after the game. 'We got to put it all together.' We're going to play a good team. It will be a great game."

Notice Riley never said the word, "Oregon." He never mentioned, "Ducks," either. But everyone knows what the former Oregon State coach is talking about, and thinking about. Because we've arrived not only at a moment of truth in Riley's early tenure in Lincoln, but also one for the Ducks.

Whether he'll admit it or not, Oregon has to be part of the reason Riley left Oregon State for Nebraska. He lost seven straight to Oregon before leaving for Lincoln, coaching with fewer resources, less talent and inferior facilities. On Saturday, Riley's team played in front of 89,895 fans at Memorial Stadium.

That was the warm-up act for Oregon.

Let's not forget Oregon is a football program with two appearances in the national title game since Jan. 2011. The Ducks still own 145,000 square feet of well-documented Brazilian hardwood. They have a "cryo-chute" recovery pool and a special relationship with Nike. UO even had Sports Center anchor Neil Everett serve as the honorary Autzen Stadium public address announcer on Saturday night, barking the pregame introductions. But what the Ducks do not have is a place at the table nationally right now.

No, not after beating UC Davis.

No, not after putting away Virginia.

But if the UO could win a big game at Nebraska, maybe even in impressive fashion? That might do it, and more importantly, a big victory and a 3-0 start would serve notice that Oregon isn't going to go quietly into the Pac 12 Conference abyss this season.

But a Ducks loss in Lincoln next week?

A loss, especially a bad one at Nebraska, would unwind a lot of progress.

"It's a big one," Riley said of the game.

The Ducks don't look ready for a big one. We've now seen them suit up twice against inferior non-conference opponents. Same costume. Same result. But if you trust this act, you're not watching closely enough. It's why I have reasonable doubt about their ability to win on the road next week.

UC Davis scored 21 second-half points against Oregon in Week 1. Virginia was inept running the ball against Richmond in its opener, but ran for 193 yards on Brady Hoke's defense in Week 2. The Cavaliers had 28 first downs. The Ducks look promising on offense and awful on defense. Both things are cast against poor competition.

It's like watching a painter work on a napkin. The art looks good. But it's not canvas, and nowhere near ready to hang on a wall. So what is it really? Answer: A cool looking napkin. But you'd never frame it.

Right now, Oregon's offensive unit is running circles around inferior opposition, waiting for the defense to catch up. Prukop talked about having an "extra second" to wait for a receiver to break open against Virginia. Think about that. Nebraska's secondary wears black Adidas T-shirts under their pads with padlocks printed on them.

"Lockdown U," Nebraska's secondary is calling itself.

Oregon's defense needs an identity, quick.

Virginia beat the Ducks 6-0 in the fourth quarter on Saturday. Oregon beat UC Davis 14-7 in the same quarter. That's a 14-13 margin combined. Nebraska's two opponents (Fresno State and Wyoming) were outscored 50-0 by the Huskers in the fourth quarter.

So who looks more prepared to play a big game?

I'd love to be wrong here. I'd love for the Ducks to stop missing tackles on defense, and play with their pad level lower against Nebraska. I'd love to see the Ducks defenders shed blocks and make big plays. I'd love to see a team that is prepared for the biggest test of the rest of its season. But it's just not there. Not yet.

-- @JohnCanzanoBFT