Colorado facing long odds against No. 2-ranked Ducks

boulder » Trap games are always popular targets for wiseguys in Las Vegas. Take a flyer on an overmatched opponent that might sneak up on a ranked power looking ahead to a big showdown.

In Oregon’s case, however, overmatched foes— even teams merely unranked— are just so much weekly smorgasbord. The No. 2-ranked Ducks (4-0, 1-0 Pac-12) come to Folsom Field at 4 p.m. Saturday against Colorado (2-1, 0-1) as 39½-point favorites.

If you think Oregon has one eye on Seattle, where it plays 15th-ranked Washington nextweekend, take a look at the Ducks’ recent history. Then wince.

Oregon has won 31 consecutive games against unranked teams. Since the beginning of the 2010 season, Oregon has won those games by an average score of 52-17. Only twice — a 15-13 win at California in 2010 and a 44-41 double-overtime win at Arizona in 2009— has Oregon not won by double digits.

In other words, the Ducks have the killer instinct of famished coyotes. Don’t expect first-year coach Mark Helfrich to take it easy onthe school where he was Dan Hawkins’ offensive coordinator from2006-08.

“That’s just kind of our way,” Helfrich said on this week’s Pac-12 coaches call. “We certainly talk about schemes. If we had to block (a certain player), we’d talk about blocking for a second, then we’d just

worry about our deal, our preparation, our enthusiasm and our effort.

“If you take a deep breath and a sigh because you’re playing a supposed team that you’re going to beat and then have to ramp it up for a team that’s supposedly better than you, you’re not going to maximize your opportunities for success.”

Colorado, meanwhile, hasn’t beaten a ranked team since a 34-30 win over No. 17 Kansas in 2009. Since the start of the 2004 season, the Buffs are 3-31 against teams in the top 25. The last two games against Oregon have been mercy killings: 70-14 last year and 45-2 two years ago.

These Buffaloes can minimize damage with a little competence on special teams. The Ducks’ uber return man, De’Anthony Thomas, is out with a sprained ankle. It hasn’t mattered much. Keanon Lowe is averaging 28.3 yards on three kickoff returns, and in last week’s 55-16 bashing of Cal, Bralon Addison had punt returns of 75 and 67 yards for touchdowns.

The Ducks have been licking their lips watching Colorado on tape. The Buffaloes are dead last nationally in kickoff return defense at 34.7 yards per return and 111th in punt return defense (15.7).

In its 44-17 loss at Oregon State last week, Colorado also fumbled two kickoff returns.

“We’ve got to take care of it,” first-year coach MikeMacIntyre said. “I understand that, andwework those drills all the time. But covering, punting it, covering it down, covering their good returners, all the things that we did with it, pinning them down there … I think we did a good job on that situation.”

This, however, is a different Oregon. This is a different animal.