Oregon did not even break into the national polls until late September and has risen to 11th entering Saturday's pivotal Pac-10 Conference game with No. 20 Arizona.

The Ducks (5-1, 3-0 Pac-10) are off to their best conference start in 43 years and have beaten USC, UCLA and Washington in the same season for the first time since 1948. The success has moved Oregon to a lofty seventh in the media poll, and it can no longer sneak up on an opponent.

"We realize now that as a top-10 ranked team people are looking at us, and they can make their season by beating us because of how we are ranked," Ducks coach Mike Bellotti said.

The next test is against Arizona (5-1, 3-0), another conference foe who has exceeded expectations.

The Wildcats have won their last four games, watching their point total increase in each contest. Arizona needed three overtimes to outlast Washington State, 53-47. Leo Mills rushed for 129 yards on 19 carries and scored a pair of touchdowns after regulation.

Arizona's winning streak is due in large part to a resurgence by quarterback Ortege Jenkins, who is completing 50 percent of his passes this season after a 3-for-21 start. Three of the wins have come in front of a patched-up offensive line that has often required Jenkins to use his scrambling skills.

The new offensive line has allowed seven sacks in four games after Ohio State teed off for eight on September 9.

Jenkins will be tested by the settings of cozy Autzen Stadium, among the more intimidating facilities in college football. The Ducks take an 18-game home-winning streak, the second-longest current run in the nation behind Florida State (3-2), into Saturday's game.

Arizona coach Dick Tomey is 0-4 in Eugene, the only Pac-10 locale where he has not won.

Saturday's winner will not only have the inside track in the Pac-10 title race but will also become bowl eligible. Arizona has never made it to the Rose Bowl and Oregon has not played in the game since the 1994 season.

Bellotti has installed an offense that generally favors the running game with Maurice Morris averaging 118 yards per game.

The Ducks also showed they can pass with Joey Harrington throwing for a career-high 382 yards and four touchdowns in last week's win over Southern California. Oregon is 8-1 since Harrington replaced A.J. Feeley as the starter late last season.

The Ducks' defense is led by linebacker Matt Smith, who has three of the team's eight interceptions.

Arizona leads the series, 13-12. The Ducks have won five of the last six, including a 44-41 shootout last year in Tucson.