It’s impossible to ignore the details of last year’s game between the Ducks and Cardinal, especially when looking ahead to Saturday’s renewal of a Pac-12 North division rivalry that has only taken serious root within the last decade.

Ask any Duck fan who they believe Oregon’s most hated rival is, and likely more than 90 percent will answer with “Washington.” A similarly resounding, but different, result would be just as likely delivered if you were to ask any Duck fan which Pac-12 team has served as the program’s biggest tormentor since the turn of the century.

Indeed, it’s not hyperbole to say that the Stanford Cardinal have acquired a talent for not only torpedoing the Ducks’ season, but doing so in dramatic fashion.

In 2001, behind an incredible performance off the bench from backup quarterback Chris Lewis, tremendous special teams play which included a punt return for a touchdown and two blocked punts, and yes, Teyo Johnson, Stanford would use a 21-point fourth quarter to hand the 5th-ranked Ducks their only loss of the season, denying them a shot at their first appearance in the national championship.

In 2009, on the legs of Toby Gerhart (223 yards and three touchdowns) and the arm of Andrew Luck (12-for-20, 251 yards, two touchdowns), the Cardinal won a wild shootout over the 8th-ranked Ducks in Palo Alto, which nearly cost the Ducks a chance a shot at a Rose Bowl berth.

In 2012, a missed block from De’Anthony Thomas, a controversial touchdown ruled in favor of Stanford’s Zach Ertz, and a missed 41-yard field goal attempt from Alejandro Maldonado to win the game at the end of regulation (Maldonado’s second painstaking miss in a big game in as many years), prevented perhaps the greatest team in Oregon history from marching to Miami to play Alabama for the national championship.

A six-point loss to the Cardinal in Palo Alto in 2013, and last year’s gut-wrenching defeat, round out the Duck despair at the hands of Stanford the past two decades, but they serve as shining examples nonetheless of the emotional anguish that this game has habitually doled out, often to the profound dismay of Oregon fans.

With all that angst still very much top of mind, the Ducks will no doubt look to guard against any incidents of history repeating itself in their trip to The Farm this weekend. As Pac-12 play is set to begin, WFOD examines the biggest questions surrounding the Ducks entering Saturday.

1. Has Oregon moved past its recent road woes?

The answer to this question won’t be had until the Ducks have had at least a few more games under their belts away from Autzen Stadium. Recent history, however, has proven to be rather unkind to Oregon in road scenarios. In fact, since 2016, the Ducks are 4-12 in true road games and just 3-5 away from Autzen Stadium since Mario Cristobal took over as head coach. In short, Oregon has appeared ill-prepared mentally to handle the adversity that so often comes with playing on road, as slow starts and a litany self-inflicted mistakes have generally been hallmarks of the Ducks’ road woes of late.

That, however, seemed to take a noticeable turn in the right direction for Oregon a few weeks ago vs. Auburn in Arlington. Though the Ducks failed to capitalize on a number of prime opportunities to extend their first half lead over the Tigers, they did play with a greater measure of confidence in what was technically a neutral site game tinged with an overwhelming presence of burnt orange and navy blue inside AT&T Stadium. The outcome for the Ducks may have ultimately ended in heartbreak, but it should have also demonstrated to this team that it is plenty capable of winning big games in hostile environments. Saturday’s environment inside Stanford Stadium will be anything but hostile, though that should only serve to embolden this team as they seek their first Pac-12 victory of the season.

2. How much will last year’s loss serve as motivation?

If blowing a what could have easily been a 24-point lead late in the third quarter at home last year against the opponent you are set to face Saturday doesn’t motivate you, than nothing will. Coaches and players inside the Oregon program have largely avoided talking publicly about exacting revenge and purging the lingering taste from last year’s game, but behind closed doors, you can bet that that is at the forefront on the minds of everyone inside the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex. The key, of course, is not abandoning preparation and focus in favor of over-emotion and a detachment from the task at hand. In the past, as outlined, Stanford has proven to be the wrong opponent to have lapses in focus and execution against. And while the Cardinal don’t currently resemble the team they were a few years ago, or even last year, they’re still a well-coached team with talent that is worthy of all your respect. The Ducks will be motivated, but how they end up channeling that motivation is the real question.

3. Is this the week that Juwan Johnson finally makes his Duck debut?

This question could have easily appeared on every edition of “Burning Questions” in the build up to each of the Ducks’ games thus far this season.  The truth is, it seems to be truly unknown as to when Juwan Johnson will make his debut in an Oregon uniform. After reportedly dealing with cramps late in fall camp, Johnson ultimately became an official scratch the day of the Auburn game, as the Penn State grad transfer was said to have “re-aggravated” a calf injury that was bothering him during camp. Since then, Johnson has been week-to-week, though was said to be “day-to-day” Wednesday per Cristobal.

Based on Cristobal’s public comments, it sounds as if this is the closest Johnson has been to being ready to take the field, but completing that final step in his recovery has seemed to be rather elusive. Oregon’s receivers have fared rather well in spite of his absence and the absence of their injured counterparts, but Saturday’s game will be their toughest test since facing Auburn in Week 1.