Pac-10 Blues Grow in Boise

And this is why the Pac-10 doesn't get any national love.

Throughout the summer, Oregon -- regarded as a legitimate contender for the Pac-10 title this season -- talked plenty of trash about getting payback against Boise State after being upset by the WAC champions in 2008.

But when the Ducks, ranked 16th in the preseason AP poll, had a chance to back up their words, they came up empty as 14th-ranked Boise State dominated from start to finish in a sloppy 19-8 victory in the season opener Thursday night in Boise, Idaho.

Just another blow to the Pac-10's shaky image.

Not only did the Ducks lose a key non-conference game, but as one of the top teams in the Pac-10, they were embarrassed by a non-BCS power for the second consecutive year.

Even Rodney Dangerfield would agree that the Pac-10 doesn't deserve any respect after this one.

"They came out talking a little bit thinking they owed us something," Boise State running back D.J. Harper said after the Broncos outgained Oregon, 361 to 152, and finished with 22 first downs compared to the Ducks' six.

"And we just came out and played our game."

Just imagine if Oregon had faced one of the better teams in the SEC on the road to open the season? It would have been ugly to say the least.

Probably the most discouraging thing for Pac-10 supporters is not that the Ducks lost, but how they lost. Boise State certainly did not play like a powerhouse, yet the Broncos made Oregon look like an unprepared, undisciplined team that lacked focus.

Quality programs with as many returning starters as the Ducks (five on offense, five on defense) do not get hammered by teams like Boise State before a national television audience. It just does not happen.

In many ways, Oregon's first-year Coach Chip Kelly seemed over-his-head matched up against his Boise State counterpart Chris Petersen.

Although the Broncos made more than their share of mistakes and kept the score close due to sloppy play, Petersen's team never lost composure and played brimming with confidence.

Before a sellout crowd of 34,127 -- which broke the Bronco Stadium attendance record because of the 1,500 bleacher seats added for the game -- sophomore quarterback Kellen Moore passed for 197 yards and a touchdown and Boise State pounded Oregon's defense with 164 yards rushing.

But the story of the night was how the Broncos' defense put a beatdown on Kelly's lifeless offense.

In the buildup leading up to the game, Kelly was billed as the Pac-10's newest offensive guru after the Ducks led the conference in scoring a year ago, averaging nearly 42 points per game behind versatile quarterback Jeremiah Masoli.

However, something must have changed in Kelly's transition from offensive coordinator to head coach, replacing current Oregon Athletic Director Mike Bellotti.

Kelly seemed to call plays as if he was operating a Playstation 3 video game against a teenager online.

Masoli and the Ducks' offense struggled most of the night and Oregon was held without a first down for nearly three quarters and finished with only 31 yards rushing.

"It is frustrating when you don't get a first down," Kelly said after the game. "It's frustrating. I don't know if you want to gauge it on a scale from one to 10. We were frustrated when we came in at halftime. But it's not a situation where you scrap what you do or you throw a fit and yell and scream and all those other things. A lot of it is they're a good football team."

Yes, Boise State does have a good football team, but not a great one.

The Broncos turned the ball over three times, missed two field goal attempts, botched on another and committed ill-advised mistakes aplenty ... and still dominated.

Even Boise State Coach Chris Petersen had to admit that the Broncos were far from their best.

"Typical first game," Petersen about Boise State, which improved to 65-2 at home since 1999. "A lot of sloppy football, but I thought our defense rose to the occasion and played great."

Adding to Oregon's woes was the "out-of-line" sucker punch delivered by running back LeGarrette Blount after the game.

Before kickoff, the American Football Coaches Association was able to get Boise State and Oregon to agree to team handshakes.

Everything went well as both teams cordially greeted each other before the game began, but by the time Boise State claimed victory, sportsmanship was the furthest thing Blount was thinking about.



Blount (who said before the game that "we owe that team a [butt] whoopin" as payback for the Broncos' 2008 victory over the Ducks) punched Boise State's Byron Hout in the jaw and dropped the smiling defensive end.

Hout had initiated the assault when he walked up to Blount and taunted him after the game ended. Petersen immediately grabbed Hout but it only gave Blount an opening as he landed a right-hand punch.

After a brief scuffle with teammates, Blount then had to be dragged off the field by coaches and security in order to keep him from attacking Boise State fans standing near the field.

"I just apologize to everyone that was watching this, ESPN, national TV, I just apologize to all of our fans, all of Boise's fans. It was just something that I shouldn't have done. I lost my head,'' Blount told reporters after the game. "I don't know what kind of disciplinary action coach Kelly has in store for me, but whatever it is, I'm ready to take it full force.

"A few guys wished me a good game, a few guys pushed me and I just kind of lost my temper.

"I couldn't have envisioned anything worse than this right here. I tell you what, that will never happen again. I will never lose my head again. I should have handled that situation a lot better than I did.''

Blount, who was tackled for a safety in the first half, did not have a good game as he finished with minus 5-yards rushing in eight carries.

He had a bad night. The Pac-10 might've had a worse one.