For Oregon to make a successful return to the national stage for the first time since 2014, the Ducks must overcome their chief shortcoming in this recent era of mediocrity.
The world outside Autzen Stadium has not been kind to the Ducks, whether they are the Ducks of Mark Helfrich or Willie Taggart or Mario Cristobal.
It has been a world of inadequacy and incompetence. A world of defeat and, often, bludgeoning.
Oregon’s record in road/neutral site games:
2016: 1-5 (losses by 10+ points: three)
2017: 1-5 (only victory: Wyoming; losses by 10+ points: three)
2018: 3-3 (losses by 10+ points: two)
Total: 5-13
The 2016-17 marks are poor by any measure; the ’18 record is hardly championship caliber.