Oregon's Season Called a 'Bust' After Loss to UCLA

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

The Oregon Ducks entered the season as the No. 2 team in the country.

The Ducks’ hopes of making the College Football Playoff are on life support after suffering two losses before the middle of October.

Oregon was upset in Week 2 by Oklahoma State. The Ducks didn't look good in their opener against Boise State, winning by one touchdown. Head coach Dan Lanning's squad showed some promise in a 41-27 win over USC on the road (and without Dante Moore in the second half), but the goodwill from the win over the Trojans was quickly undone by a 17-15 loss to UCLA after a bye week. 

Paul Myerberg of USA Today called Oregon's season a "bust" after the loss to the Bruins. He argued that Moore's injury could wind up being an excuse for the loss, and the play of Dylan Raiola is concerning for the hype in 2027. He thought Raiola looked like an "overrated  five-star recruit."

The play of Raiola and Moore has been suspect through Oregon's first five games. However, the Ducks’ offense as a whole has been bad. The offensive line has performed poorly. Star receivers and running backs are fumbling the football.

It's a recipe for disaster.

Should the season be viewed as a bust if the Ducks don't make the CFP? Absolutely. Oregon convinced Moore and several key defenders to return to Eugene instead of going to the NFL in the hopes of seeing improved development and a chance to win the national championship.

There's no way to spin a winning season that results in a bowl game as anything less than failure for this team.

With that being said, the Ducks have the talent on the team to win out in their next seven games and maybe get a crack at the Big Ten championship or CFP. But Oregon must find a gear that's been lacking in every game sans the USC contest.

The defense, which struggled against Boise State and Oklahoma State, did its part against the Bruins, holding UCLA to 17 points. The offense has been the main problem with this team, and they won't beat Ohio State or Northwestern unless they start moving the ball and stop the turnovers.

Lanning is considered one of the better coaches in the country, and he'll have to earn that title through the rest of the season. As of now, it looks like the Ducks are sorely missing Will Stein, who has led a phenomenal turnaround at Kentucky.

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos