.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
Oregon's hopes for a BCS title may have ended with a season-opening loss. The same could go for the Heisman Trophy aspirations of LaMichael James.
The Ducks dropped 10 spots to No. 13 in the Top 25 and will try to recover in their home opener Saturday against a Nevada team that went 13-1 a season ago.
Oregon had expectations of returning to the BCS title game after falling to Auburn last season. Instead the Ducks faltered against an SEC opponent again as then-No. 4 LSU posted a 40-27 victory last Saturday at Arlington, Texas.
"It's one game and this is a long, long, long season," coach Chip Kelly said. "We talk about it all the time as being a 12-round fight. We're down. We didn't get knocked out in Round 1, but we lost Round 1. These kids will come back to work."
James carried 18 times for 54 yards and a touchdown in a performance reminiscent of his 13-carry, 49-yard effort against Auburn. He had gained at least 70 yards over each of his 22 games prior to these last two.
The lack of a running game forced Darron Thomas to set career highs with 31 completions and 54 attempts to go with 240 yards passing.
Kelly made reference to LSU having "a little bit different athlete" compared to his squad, a statement that reinforced doubts whether the teams comprising the newly formed Pac-12 can compete with college football's upper echelon.
"We just got to get back to the drawing board and get better," James said. "I think we were prepared physically. I think we held up just fine in the beginning. I don't think we were ready mentally.
"We have a lot of underclassmen and people who've never played in a college football game. It was difficult."
Many Ducks said afterward that they missed suspended star cornerback and punt returner Cliff Harris. The All-American was caught going 118 mph while driving with a suspended license with Thomas as a passenger.
It's not clear whether Harris will return Saturday as Oregon tries to win its home opener for the 18th time in 19 years.
"As I told them in the locker room, you guys better get ready for Round 2 because Round 2 is 13-1 last year with a six-point loss at Hawaii and a coach (Chris Ault) who is in the Hall of Fame," Kelly said. "We better get ready to play."
Nevada will be the last FBS team to open its season and is in search of an eighth straight victory after tying a school record with its 13 last year. The Wolf Pack have 14 starters returning, although quarterback Colin Kaepernick is not among them.
Kaepernick, a San Francisco 49ers second-round pick, threw for 82 touchdowns and ran for 59 as a four-year starter. He was named Western Athletic Conference co-offensive player of the year along with Boise State's Kellen Moore last year.
In his place is fifth-year senior Tyler Lantrip, who has thrown 23 career passes.
"Tyler Lantrip is a guy that grew up with Kap," Ault said. "He knows the system, he understands what we're trying to do, how we're trying to do it. He's 6-foot-4, he's 220 pounds, he's not as fast as Kap but he can run the football."
Nevada was third in the FBS in rushing a season ago with 292.2 yards per game, one spot ahead of Oregon's 286.2. With Kaepernick gone, that could change.
"The offense we are going to run will look very familiar," Ault said. "We're adding some wrinkles to it as we've done every year. Tyler will throw the ball a little bit more than we did last year."
The Wolf Pack will have to replace two 1,000-yard rushers in Kaepernick and running back Vai Taua. Senior Lampford Mark and junior Mike Ball are expected to shoulder more of the load.
Nevada will play its first four games on the road.
"We can't change the schedule," Ault said. "It's there, it's reality and it is tough and challenging."
Oregon has taken the last five meetings with Nevada, winning 31-23 in 2003 in the last one.
