Traditionally speaking, sports fans have a reputation for being somewhat unreasonable when it comes to following and rooting for their favorite teams. Fairly or unfairly, fan expectations are always high, and when the team you root for falls short of that standard, it can be a maddening thing.

However, on days like the one that is fast approaching for Duck fans this Saturday, WFOD encourages you to keep those expectations in check and make a conscientious effort to deny those urges to lash out at a failed 3rd down conversion, especially given the opponent and what’s at stake.

For those unaware, the Ducks face FCS opponent Montana inside Autzen Stadium Saturday night, and for all intents and purposes, the outcome is likely to be a lopsided victory in favor of the Ducks as they close out their non-conference schedule. Coming off last week’s 77-6 devastation of Nevada a week ago, it’s natural for fans to expect a performance this Saturday that closely mirrors the one from the week before.

That’s fine. Just don’t lose your mind if it turns out to be a 35-point victory instead of something even more emphatic.

With that dose of perspective in mind, WFOD looks ahead to Saturday and strains to provide you with Oregon’s keys to victory over Montana.

1. Maintain a business-like approach

Considering the confidence level the Ducks have seemingly achieved entering Saturday’s game against Montana, it would be easy for this team to sleepwalk their way through this game and exert minimal effort and enthusiasm in a march to victory. That can’t happen if the Ducks pride themselves on being a championship caliber team.

For the most part during his brief tenure as Oregon head coach, Mario Cristobal has done a nice job of having his teams keyed in and firing on all cylinders against opponents they should put away with relative ease. The Ducks will need to focus on continuing that trend against the Grizzlies who will enter the day 0-7-1 all-time vs. Oregon. With Stanford and the start of Pac-12 play just around the corner, the last thing the Ducks need to deal with is issues surrounding lack of focus. Maintaining a business-like approach and emphasizing the importance of execution will help guard against lackluster effort vs. Montana and keep this team mentally engaged as they prepare for the meat of their 2019 schedule.

2. Sprint out to an early lead and don’t look back

Going somewhat hand-in-hand with our first key is the goal of starting out fast against the Grizzlies. Last week vs. Nevada, the first quarter wasn’t exactly the prettiest for the Ducks, particularly on offense. The running game lacked verve and Justin Herbert lacked synchronicity with his receivers in the passing game. That was all quickly fixed once Herbert found tight end Jacob Breeland for a 66-yard touchdown pass late in the first quarter, as the offense kept the pedal to metal from that point forward. The objective should be similar against Montana this Saturday. The offense needs to be sharp and in sync, while the defense needs to once again tap into the energy they exhibited during last week’s stellar performance against the Wolf Pack. Building a convincing lead before halftime and giving your starters the opportunity to rest for the entirety of the second half should be the challenge Cristobal issues to his team prior to kickoff.

3. Stay healthy

Securing victory is obviously the primary goal in this game, but a close second to that is doing everything you can to avoid suffering significant injuries to your roster in a game in which there is very little to be gained. Health, or lack thereof, has been a real concern for the Ducks since before the season even began, as injuries to Oregon’s wide receivers – in particular – have created serious depth concerns in the lead up to conference play. Further injury to that unit or a rash of injuries elsewhere on the roster could have a negative ripple effect that impacts this team later in the season when they’ll be relying on their depth the most. Playing a clean game, getting up big, and providing yourself with enough cushion to rest your starters and avoid injury is all that matters Saturday.