Nuss here. Ultimately whether the Cougs are able to hang in this game comes down to one thing: No Turnovers.
Period. End of story.
If we're able to hang onto the ball and really make Oregon's inexperienced quarterbacks work, we've got a shot to stay in this thing. But if we start throwing to the other team or putting the ball on the ground again, it'll be over quickly.
It might not matter, as our defensive line is banged up (never mind the fact that it was really terrible even when it was fully healthy), meaning Oregon -- with its outstanding running game -- ought to be able to score more points than us no matter what. But if we can take care of the ball, and if the Ducks can make some critical mistakes ... who knows?
After all, if Oregon State can beat USC ...