When this college football season began, few expected the Oregon Ducks to be among the nation’s elite teams. Oregon wasn't even among the the preseason Associated Press’ Top 25 poll.

But Quarterback Dennis Dixon has led a potent spread option offense that ranks among the best in the nation. As the Ducks have piled up points, they’ve also given fans exciting games to watch. There was a 39-7 win at Michigan in which Dixon threw touchdown passes of 85, 61 and 46 yards ... a second quarter at Stanford that tested the Ducks’ mettle before they went on to win 55-31 ... a close defeat against then-No. 6 California as receiver Cameron Colvin fumbled the ball near the goal line with under a minute to play ... a 24-17 home victory against USC that might have represented the passing of the torch from one Pacific-10 power to another.

Now, with the win over the Arizona State Sun Devils, the Ducks have ignited discussion of two possibilities: that Dixon will bring the Heisman Trophy to the Northwest for the first time since Terry Baker in 1962 and that Oregon will play in the BCS National Championship game.

Not so fast, the Ducks would say if asked. Three games to go, remember? ... Arizona ... UCLA ... and the Civil War with Oregon State.

It’s been a crazy college football season, so who’s to say what the next month will bring. But this is Oregon, the place with that motto that goes something like this: “We love dreamers.”