Duck Stuff: Morning Mud

• Chip Kelly talks with reporters after practice yesterday. Video courtesy of KEZI.

• Kevin Gemmell highlights "what to watch in the Pac-12" this week with the Oregon-USC game on the top.

1. Game of the year? Will USC-Oregon live up to all of the hype? This one doesn't smell nearly as sweet with a two-loss USC squad, but there are still playmakers up the ying-yang on both sides of the ball, including the four Pac-12 players getting votes in the ESPN.com Heisman poll. Here's hoping the hype is justified. Then again, last year's Oregon-Stanford game had similar hype and it was a total letdown. USC, however, is a much higher-profile program than Stanford, so even a two-loss USC team versus Oregon is significant.

• Jtlight @ATQ believes the Oregon defense will make the difference on Saturday and have the chance to prove to the nation just how good they are. Good read.

• Indications point to all hands being on deck against USC which is very good news.

• Bob Clark wonders if penalties will be a factor this weekend.

• Ted Miller says it has been a season of surprises for Marcus Mariota and Matt Barkley.

• Ken Goe wonders if the Ducks control their own destiny when it comes to the BCS.

• Kevin Gemmell and Ted Miller both predict an Oregon victory against USC.

• Rob Moseley notes Ifo Ekpre-Olomu is smarter and more experienced in this go around with USC.

Ekpre-Olomu had to grow bigger and stronger, and get faster. He had to get smarter, too, a process that continues at Oregon, where experience has helped Ekpre-Olomu blossom from a tentative freshman into one of the Pac-12’s best big-play cornerbacks.

GO DUCKS!