ESPN insider: Wildcats can hang with Oregon offensively

So you’re saying there’s a chance?

Despite being listed as a 23-point underdog going into Saturday night’s Pac-12 conference road opener against No. 3 Oregon, at least one college football expert seems to believe Rich Rodriguez and the upstart Arizona Wildcats have a shot if their offense is clicking on all cylinders at Autzen Stadium.

“If you like offense, Oregon and Arizona is going to be the game you want to watch,” said ESPN college football analyst Mark May on the Burns & Gambo Show. “Both teams are going to go up-and-down the field like a track meet, because neither has a defense and they just play offense.”

Rodriguez has only three games under his belt in Tucson, but the Wildcats appear to have already mastered his up-tempo offensive scheme. In three home wins, Arizona is seventh in the nation in passing (357.7 yards)and 12th in points (46.3) per game.

“I’m just surprised as to what Rich Rodriguez has done in such a short period of time,” said May. “You look at the way they are scoring points, and it feels like they are getting more and more confident. This is going to be a great test for them, because everyone believes they are going to get blown out by Oregon. I see it more like a 55-47 or 55-42 game.”

Arizona is currently ranked No. 22 in the AP poll and has not won in Oregon since Nov. 2006.