Old Tucson has a reputation as one of the west's wildest towns and given the back-an-forth nature of Oregon's recent flings with Arizona, nothing to change one's mind is expected Saturday when Oregon faces the Wildcats to open Pac-12 play.

 

Two years ago you will recall a last minute touchdown pass from Jeremiah Masoli to Ed Dixon sent the game into a pair of overtimes. Masoli's one yard keeper sent the Ducks on to the Civil War with home field advantage for the Rose Bowl.

 

But this fracas has deeper roots than that. The 1994 Rose Bowl team followed up Kenny Wheaton's "Pick" with a tense 10-9 win over Arizona  at Autzen, Josh Wilcox and Danny O'Neil teaming up for the decisive score.

 

In 2000 under the Autzen lights, Joey Harrington out gunned Arizona's Oretege Jenkins in a highly anticipated mid-season match-up, the 14-10 final belies the fireworks the game offered. Oregon used the win to springboard into the national rankings and the thick of the Pac-10 race. A three-way tie for the title sent the Ducks to the Holliday Bowl and what could reasonably be considered an era changing 35-30 win over the Texas Longhorns.

 

There certainly has been a heartbreak side to the series as well. None will forget the sight in 2007 of Dennis Dixon crumpled on the turf, ending Dixon's season and Oregon's #2 ranking.

 

Although Oregon held on for the win 28-21, Kellen Clemens suffered a similar fate in 2005.

 

And in 1998 a decent Akili Smith team was throttled 38-3, spoiling any possibility of a bowl bid a bit more prestigious than their eventual Aloha Bowl match-up with Colorado.

 

So what to expect this time in Tucson? That's a complicated question. The Wildcats looked horrible in their two losses, but both were to very good team; Oklahoma State and Stanford.

 

Since their opening loss to LSU, Oregon's been much more impressive albeit against the likes of Nevada and Missouri State.

 

The net result is that Saturday's tilt becomes something of a season defining game for both teams.

 

Offensively, the Wildcats are led by senior quarterback Nick Foles, "one of the best in the country" in Oregon head coach Chip Kelly's opinion.

 

Also highly ranked on Kelly's scale is Arizona's receiving corps, led by All Pac-10 selection Juron Criner.

 

Although in losing efforts, that combination has been particularly lethal against Oregon the past couple of seasons.

 

In their first three games, the Wildcats have relied extensively on their passing game. So far this year, Foles has tossed 126 passes and completed 95, for a sick 75.4% completion average, amassing 1,049 yards and seven touchdowns so far.

 

Criner missed one game with an appendectomy but still packs a 16.6 yards per catch average and caught a pair for touchdowns.

 

Oregon's secondary is forewarned.

 

Defensively, first Oregon must get pressure on Foles. DE Dion Jordan will be key coming off the edge, and expect defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti to turn Boseko Lokombo and Kiko Alonso loose on the blitz regularly.

 

Oregon's secondary will likely press Arizona's receivers at the line of scrimmage in order to jam up the routes and delay Foles quick release.

 

Complicating the issue is that Foles is 6'5", 240 pounds and Texas (Austin) tough.

 

The Arizona offensive line is young, so if Jordan and the defensive line can get Foles on the move and the linebackers can close, Oregon may be able to keep the passing game under wraps.

 

The youth on the offensive line has also limited the Wildcat rushing attack to a paltry 167 total yards and a per/carry average of just 2.6 yards. So it would seem the Duck defense will be able to pin their ears back and go but running back Keola Antolin is a legitimate threat to go the distance anytime he touches the ball.

 

The Arizona secondary was carved up ruthlessly by Brandon Weeden of Oklahoma State and Stanford's Andrew Luck 

 

Oregon quarterback Darron Thomas may have offered something of a preview of this week's game plan in the second half last Saturday against Missouri State. With the game well in hand but before Thomas gave way to back-up Bryan Bennett, Kelly took advantage of the opportunity to have Thomas air the ball out a bit. Back to back 40 yard plus completions and a 37 second scoring drive was the result.

 

Arizona's secondary is forewarned.

 

If Oregon is able to get LaMichael James untracked early and often, the game could turn their way convincingly. If left in the hands of the two quarterbacks the game could boil down to a combination of penalties, special teams and who has the ball last.

 

Kick off is set for 7:15.