Who here watched the Oregon/Boise State game on September 3rd?  Yeah?  Me too.  After a long summer, it was nice to see the pigskin fly again, blue turf or no blue turf.

And how awful did Oregon look in that game?  Something like 17 total yards in the first half.  150 for the game. Bad turnovers.  Head scratching play calls.  And, of course, LeGarrette Blount.

The next game was nearly just as bad for Oregon, as they needed the defense to score twice to beat now 1-3 Purdue, 38-36.  The Ducks were reeling and staring at 1-3 with the next to games against two ranked teams.

Then, a spark.  After forcing #18 Utah into a 3-and-out on their first possession, Oregon’s Walter Thurmond returns the punt 78 yards for a touchdown, and the Ducks are off and running.  They beat the Utes 31-24, and then go on to demolish #6 California 42-3 the following week.

After beating two cupcakes, Boston College was demolished by Clemson in week #3.  To the tune of 29 yards rushing and 25 yards passing.  For the game.  New head coach Frank Spaziani wasn’t the most popular guy in Boston, and a game against now perennially solid Wake Forest loomed.

Then, a spark.  A 50 yard first quarter touchdown pass (nearly eclipsing the previous game’s total in one play) pushed BC on to a 27-24 win, and now College Gameday is headed to Chestnut Hill for this weekend’s BC/FSU matchup.

What am I getting at?  Not what you’re thinking.  I’m not about to say that with one big play, we can turn this season around and get back on track towards January.  This team has too many glaring issues to just expect them all to go away.  But…

Oh how we need a spark.  Oh how we need the offense to snap out of it’s funk.  Our longest play from scrimmage in the Missouri and Ohio State games?  The 24 yard completion from Juice to Jarred Fayson in the first half of the Missouri game.  Since then?  Nothing.  No Dufrene through a gap and he’s off to the races.  No the defender fell down and Jenkins doesn’t have anyone within 15 yards of him.  No punter outkicked his coverage and Fayson got the corner.  Nothing.  Sure, we had some big plays against Illinois State, but that barely counts.  The guys from my rec-league softball team, were we to put on some pads, might be able to run off left end against Illinois State.

This is greedy, I know, but I want something big.  And I’m looking at you, Rejus.  Two years ago, Penn State drove right down the field on the opening possession and kicked a field goal.  Then, a spark.  KO return for a touchdown, a frenzied crowd, and a 27-20 win.  I’d like more of the same, please.  Maybe not a KO return, but would it be too much to ask for still on his feet… STILL ON HIS FEET?

A friend reminded me that we were pretty close to two of these plays against Ohio State.  The pass to Benn was likely a touchdown had Chekwa not interfered, and the pass to Duvalt was inches away from being a score had he found a way to get his toe down.  So we’re close.  And there have been a few running plays where we were a single missed WR block from a really big play.  At some point, the thing has to turn in our favor, right?  Right?

So the main thing I’m focused on this weekend: the big play.  Something to get the crowd in to it.  Something to get the players on the sidelines fired up.  Something to get the synapses in Juice’s brain to fire, delivering the message of “see, we CAN move the ball against a good defense”. We need to reverse this negative momentum in the worst way, and breaking something off would be the best way to do it.

That, or three defensive touchdowns.  Either or.