There’s No Letdown for Ducks in 42-13 Win Over Idaho

If Oregon was at all suffering from a hangover after its close loss to Wisconsin a week ago, Idaho proved to be the perfect tonic.

Joey Harrington threw four touchdown passes and Maurice Morris ran for two more as Oregon rolled over Idaho, 42-13, for its 16th consecutive home victory.

Oregon (2-1) scored six touchdowns and totaled 450 yards, as Harrington completed 14 of 21 passes for 173 yards. He left the game after the Ducks’ first series of the second half, when he found fullback Josh Line open on a post pattern for a 28-yard touchdown strike to put the Ducks up 42-7.

“After last week, it was like a funeral around the practices,” Line said about morale after the Ducks’ 27-23 loss to then-No. 5 Wisconsin. “Guys were just walking around shaking their head. But the coaches did a great job of getting our spirits up and back to where it should be.

“We came out and performed today and UCLA better be ready next week.”

Keenan Howry proved to be Harrington’s favorite target, catching five passes for 101 yards and two touchdowns. Morris ran for 76 yards on 14 carries in the first half and was replaced by Allan Amundson in the second half.

“I feel like our offense made a big leap today,” Oregon Coach Mike Bellotti said. “We’ve had our chance to make some tune-ups, and now it’s for real from here on out.”

That starts next week, when the Ducks open their Pac-10 season against UCLA, which handed Oregon its last home loss, a 39-31 defeat on Oct. 11, 1997. The Bruins were ranked No. 14 before upsetting third-ranked Michigan, 23-20, at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.