Given my contentious appearance on the Alabama-based Paul Finebaum show back in August—see previous post—I may have been obsessing about this season’s Pac-10/SEC crash course more than most.

But maybe no more than Kyle Sponseller, whose summer 2010 blog post (link also at bottom) I came across this week during my obsessive rounds for more Duck vs. Auburn info. I hope Sponseller had the wherewithal to plunk some Vegas futures money down on the Ducks back in August.

Sponseller’s predictions for the Duck season are uncanny. Check the date of the post (August 27, 2010) and behold his Nostredamian clairvoyance. Not only did he predict an undefeated season for Oregon, he forecast the season of blowouts that took everyone by surprise and predicted many scores with stunning nearness.

A few examples:

Sponseller’s August prediction: Ducks 63, New Mexico 3
Actual score: Ducks 72, New Mexico 0

Sponseller’s August prediction: Ducks 45, Tennessee 14
Actual score: Ducks 48, Tennessee 13

Sponseller’s August prediction: Ducks 48, Washington State 13
Actual score: Ducks 42, New Mexico 23

Sponseller’s August prediction: Ducks 38, Oregon State 21
Actual score: Ducks 37, Oregon State 20

The second-best part? He actually picked the Cal game to be the close one, picking the Ducks to win 24-21 (they won 15-13).

Yes, Sponseller missed a few details: he picked Nate Costa to win last summer’s quarterback battle, forecast a nail-biter against Arizona and figured Alabama to win the SEC.

Still, for a UO journalism student who hopes for a career in sports journalism (inasmuch as such a thing exists), he’s off to a crazy start.

Oh, yeah, the best part of his predictions? Oregon wins the national championship by beating the SEC champion 35-31 in Glendale, Arizona.

I’ll be on hand with the Duck crew to see it in-person this coming Monday.

Sponseller’s August 27, 2010 post:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/444888-2010-college-football-predictions-oregon-ducks-best-case-scenario