This Friday, No. 3 Oregon (11-1, 8-1 Pac-12) will have a shot at redemption when it faces  No. 8 Arizona (10-2, 7-2 Pac-12) in the Pac-12 title game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif on Dec. 5. The Ducks will be looking to snap their two-year skid against the Wildcats with a playoff bid and a conference championship on the line.

Here are the biggest takeaways from Mark Helfrich’s Sunday press conference:

Different game, bigger circumstances

Following the Ducks’ convincing 47-19 win in the 118th Civil War, Helfrich admitted that his team acknowledged the ‘coulda, woulda, shoulda’ feeling after dropping to Arizona earlier this season. 

Said Helfrich: “That’s the thing about college football, it’s so different, your team is so different almost on a weekly basis and certainly this many months literally removed from that game we’re different, they’re different, so it’s a different situation.” 

There is no doubt that both teams are at their best and that should provide somewhat of a clean slate as they play for the Pac-12 crown.

“They look pretty good,” Helfrich said. “There’s a couple guys that were in recently that were out, there were a couple guys who didn’t play as much as they did earlier in the season, obviously that’s a similar situation with us, guys growing and developing in their roles, guys either aren’t healty or get healthy.” 

Oregon not denying revenge factor

There was a mixture of reactions among the Oregon players after receiving the news that they would face the Wildcats in the Pac-12 title game. But that doesn’t mean that they are outright denying a sense of revenge as they attempt to have the final word against a team who has caused plenty of agony in recent years.

Said Helfrich: “I don’t know. I think that maybe helped transition that gray area between previous opponent and next opponent a little bit faster. If that channels in, like I’ve said many times, whatever you can use to channel preparation, we’ll take it” 

Regardless of what they say, the Ducks will undoubtedly be looking to flip the script in one final showdown.

The odds

One of the hardest things to do in college football, let alone any sport, is beat a team twice in the same season. Helfrich however, whole heartedly believes that every matchup holds different circumstances.

Said Helfrich: “I’m for it in this case. Who knows? The thing about college football, again, it’s a different team on a weekly basis … our team’s different, their team’s different, some of the bullet points of your program are going to be the same, some of the things you believe in are going to be the same. It will be a unique game. Somebody will do something early that changes the dynamic of the game and you go from there.” 

We’ll see if the odds really are in the Ducks’ favor this Friday.

Here is the full press conference.

Follow Hayden Kim on Twitter @HayDayKim