Oregon using last season's loss to UW as motivation ahead of Top 10 showdown with Huskies

In the week leading up to No. 8 Oregon's marquee showdown with No. 7 Washington in Seattle, players and coaches from both programs haven't attempted to downplay the significance of the occasion. “I’m starting to get to the point where I don’t even want to use "O", just in general," UW receivers coach JeMarcus Shepard told Mike Vorel of the Seattle Times this week. The feeling is mutual for many of Oregon's players, who know all too well what a loss at the hands of their regional rival would mean for the outlook of their season — and what a win would mean for the long-term trajectory of the program. Saturday's matchup at Husky Stadium will mark the first time in the history of the storied rivalry that the Ducks and Huskies have met while both ranked inside the top 10 of the AP Poll. It will be the biggest game of the Dan Lanning era thus far. It will serve as an opportunity for Oregon to entrench itself in the conversation for a spot in the College Football Playoff.