George Shaw. Ahmad Rashad. Gary Zimmerman. Akili Smith. Joey Harrington. Dion Jordan.

This select group represents the only six Oregon gridiron stars to be selected in the top five of the NFL draft. Jordan joined the elite fraternity this April, beginning another chapter in his storybook of a football career. Drafted by the Miami Dolphins, the defensive end has overcome a position change, a severe injury and an accident that almost cost him his life.

He has instantly flourished. After performing as Oregon’s top reserve lineman in 2010, Jordan became a full-time starter his junior season and has never looked back. An impressive career at Oregon coupled with a brilliant NFL combine led to his high selection.

“Of course that was a very special day for myself and my family and everybody else,” Jordan said. “I was happy when everything was all settled because that’s kind of a drawn-out process. You hear a lot of things throughout the process. But there’s nothing like it — when you hear your name called and walk onto the stage and shake the commissioner’s hand.”

Being a member of the Dolphins reunited Jordan with former Oregon teammate Josh Kaddu, who is now in his second year with Miami. Jordan said Kaddu helped him get acclimated to the NFL.

“Oh man, that’s my guy,” Jordan said of Kaddu. “I was able to come in and not be here by myself, have somebody who understood what it takes and what the ropes were and how things work in this organization. Just being able to reunite with one of my best friends and teammates at Oregon, I never thought it would happen. Things work in mysterious ways. I’m happy that I’m out here with him.”

Being part of a storied NFL franchise is different than playing for a collegiate program — Jordan says the main difference is the hype and responsibilities that come with professional football.

“It’s our job now,” Jordan said. “More responsibilities put on your head, everybody’s watching you what you do. At Oregon there’s no other teams or no pro team or anything really around us out there so we had a lot of eyes on us in Eugene also. But everything is kinda just amped up a little bit and it’s exciting.”

In high school, Jordan suffered from second and third degree burns in a freak accident that nearly took his life.

“It’s a tremendous blessing just to be able to continue doing what I love,” Jordan said. “I took (my life) serious. Everyday I stepped out on the field or whatever I was doing, I knew that as long as I put forth the effort everything else would take care of itself, and it kind of did. I just kept that mindset and didn’t take anything for granted.”

Jordan also played through a torn labrum, which later required surgery, for much of his senior season. So far it hasn’t created much of a setback early on in his pro career. His playing time has been limited, but he was able to record his first career sack against Cleveland in his first regular season game.

“I kind of took time out to myself to go out there pregame and just take my time and just look around the stadium,” Jordan said of his professional debut. “The atmosphere was loud, especially out there in Cleveland. I just took time to soak everything in.”

Despite his busy life in the NFL, Jordan says he still watches his alma mater take the field and wants to attend a game this season in Eugene.

“They put on a show,” Jordan said, laughing, referring to Oregon’s game against Tennessee. “That’s one of my goals, to get up there and see my guys in action. I’m going to make sure I put that effort in to try and get up there.”

The most recent college football AP poll was released Sunday morning after another exciting weekend around the nation.

The top five remained unchanged, with Alabama staying as college football’s number one, receiving 55 first-place votes, one less than last week. Oregon is second and picked up the other five first-place votes, gaining one from the previous poll. Clemson, Ohio State and Stanford round out the top five.

Georgia moved up three spots to number six after defeating LSU in a wild back-and-forth game. The Tigers slid to 10th following the loss. Louisville and Florida State remain seventh and eighth, respectively, and Texas A&M moved from 10th up to ninth.

The middle of the rankings provided the most movement. Oklahoma moved up three spots to 11th after beating Notre Dame on the road, knocking the Irish out of the top 25. UCLA and South Carolina swapped spots in the polls after the Gamecocks narrowly escaped unranked Central Florida. Miami (FL), Washington and Northwestern all moved up one position and are ranked 14th-16th at 4-0 apiece. Baylor and Florida both moved ahead two spots to 17th and 18th, while Michigan moved down a ranking after its bye week.

Texas Tech had the biggest upward trend, from 24th to 20th thanks to its win over Texas State, bringing the Red Raiders to 4-0 this year. Oklahoma State slid the furthest, dropping from 11th all the way to 21st after losing to unranked West Virginia.

Arizona State is back in the top 25 at number 22 on the heel of a dominant win over USC. It’s followed by Fresno State and Ole Miss, which suffered its first loss of the season to Alabama but remain in the polls. Maryland is 4-0 and in the top 25 for the first time since January 2011 according to the Testudo Times. The Terrapins have a huge game next weekend against ACC rival and No. 8 Florida State. Wisconsin joins Notre Dame as the lone teams knocked out of the top 25.

The matchup between Oregon and Cal isn’t the only Pac-12 game this weekend. There are four other conference tilts on Saturday, each between fairly balanced teams in a wide open Pac-12. Here’s a preview of the other action.

Colorado (2-0) @ Oregon State (3-1) 

12 p.m. PT Pac-12 Network

The undefeated Buffaloes look to stay unbeaten against the heart-attack Beavers, who have won three straight after being upset in week one by Eastern Washington, who plays in the FCS. Oregon State’s last two wins were dramatic, as they blew a 17-point lead against Utah before winning in overtime two weeks ago and staged a comeback win against San Diego State last weekend. Oregon State and Colorado both have prolific passing games, ranked third and seventh, respectively, in passing yards per game in the nation. Colorado has the country’s seventh-best rushing defense, which becomes moot against OSU’s pass-heavy offense, led by Sean Mannion and Brandin Cooks, who lead the country in passing yards and receiving yards, respectively.

Arizona (3-0) @ No. 16 Washington (3-0)

4 p.m. PT Fox

Two undefeated teams square off at the newly renovated Husky Stadium, where Washington is 2-0 this season. The Wildcats have cruised to victory in their first three contests and have put up elite rushing stats with their four-headed running game. They also rank third nationally in points per game (8.7), but will be tested by UW, which has a superb rushing attack of their own, led by Bishop Sankey. Two great running teams with stingy defenses should be an interesting spectacle Saturday evening.

No. 5 Stanford (3-0) @ Washington State (3-1)

7 p.m. PT ESPN/WatchESPN

The fifth-ranked Cardinal haven’t been overly impressive in their first three games but present a balanced offensive attack that may have to lean on the running game this weekend. The Cougars have allowed the second-fewest passing yards per game (118.3) and have yet to yield a passing touchdown while forcing six interceptions. WSU beat their lone ranked opponent thus far and has a strong passing game led by Connor Halliday, who is sixth in the country in passing yards (1,288).

USC (3-1) @ Arizona State (2-1)

7:30 p.m. PT ESPN2/WatchESPN

The Lane Kiffin-led (for now) Trojans have been disappointing offensively through four games this season, scoring 22.3 points per game (96th nationally). They do however have a stout run defense, which ranks third in the country in rushing yards per game (59.25). That shouldn’t be a problem for junior quarterback Taylor Kelly and the Sun Devils, who like to air it out to the tune of the country’s eighth-best passing game.

Matthew Knight Arena and Oregon athletics will launch Fan Scan Friday night at the volleyball game between No. 21 Oregon and No. 2 Washington, Oregon’s most highly anticipated game of the season thus far. Fan Scan is an interactive app in which fans can scan QR codes on the back of seats to participate in contests, promotions, and look up real-time stats as well as scores from around the country. More information is available here.

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Aaron Hernandez’s fiancee Shayanna Jenkins was indicted for perjury in relation to the death of Odin Lloyd, who Hernandez has been charged with murdering. Five people have now been charged in the case. Carlos Ortiz, an associate of Hernandez, was also charged with perjury. Another associate, Ernest Wallace, was charged with accessory to murder and plead not guilty. Hernandez’s cousin Tanya Singleton was indicted for conspiracy to commit accessory.

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For the 11th time, Tiger Woods was named PGA Tour player of the year. Even though Woods didn’t win a major this season, he won five tournaments as is ranked as the number one golfer in the world. His five wins are more than anyone else on the tour, with three victories being the second most.

You won’t see them in the box score, on highlight reels or at the Heisman Trophy ceremony. Most are relatively unknown and don’t get as much credit as they deserve. But the members of Oregon’s offensive line have the ability to ultimately determine the success or failure of every given play.

The Ducks’ front five have contributed to an offense that’s finished each of the last three seasons ranked in the top five nationally in rushing yards, total yards and yards per game and either first or second in total points. Marcus Mariota has been sacked just twice through three games this season, tied for second in the country.

Returning starters Jake Fisher, Tyler Johnstone and Hroniss Grasu are joined by veterans Hamani Stevens and Mana Greig, who have all been integral parts of the o-line over the years, with Grasu starting all 30 games of his Oregon career. As the center and most experienced player, Grasu is naturally the group’s leader, but offensive line coach Steve Greatwood says the rest of the starters have also stepped up as leaders.

“He’s not the only one,” Greatwood said on Grasu being the leader of the offensive line. “We’ve had a lot of great leadership emerge. Tyler Johnstone, Jake Fisher, Mana Greig, Hamani Stevens have all really stepped up their game — not only (technically) but in a leadership position. It’s been a collective effort.”

Johnstone echoed Greatwood, saying the unit has remained relaxed and comfortable with each other with the key being horizontal leadership and an open line of communication.

“Everyone kind of has their role,” Johnstone said. “Hroniss is a great leader. He’s not a very talkative guy, but he’s a great leader. Everyone kind of just looks out for each other, we have a bunch of horizontal leadership along the offensive line. If I was running slow, maybe Jake Fisher will be like, ‘Tyler, pick it up a little bit,’ and I won’t get upset at that because I’ll do the same thing to Jake Fisher or Hroniss. Everybody can tell everybody anything. Nobody feels like they have to stay quiet because they’re not necessarily the leader of the group.”

While the fast-paced, high-octane Oregon offense is a more recent development, superb offensive linemen have a rich history at Oregon. Five former members of the Ducks’ o-line are currently playing in the NFL, including Pro Bowl center Max Unger of the Seattle Seahawks. Ducks’ offensive linemen are also represented twice in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Dave Wilcox played on both lines for Oregon in 1962 and 1963 and was elected to the Hall of Fame after an 11-year career with the San Francisco 49ers. Gary Zimmerman is widely considered one of the best tackles in NFL history and was enshrined into the hall in 2008.

Duck ball carriers have rushed for 1,066 yards on 126 carries so far this season — a national best 8.5 yards per tote. The team’s 17 rushing touchdowns also leads college football, while their 355.3 yards per game is a close second. Running back Byron Marshall understands the importance of a superior offensive line to compliment a premiere running game.

“It helps a lot,” Marshall said. “They just have a good chemistry, so you know the holes should be there when they’re supposed to be. Just trust it, it’s a process and I trust all five of them.”

Marshall added that the group continually puts in overtime when it comes to practice.

“I think it’s great really. You can just tell how much work they put in. They’re always in there before practice starts and after practice ends, doing some extra work just getting everything down.”

Johnstone and Greatwood also emphasized the importance of work ethic and the role it’s played in the success of the line and the team.

“Work ethic,” Greatwood said. “It’s the mantra for the whole team each and every day. We gotta take one step to being better than our former selves. Thus far I’ve been very, very pleased with the guys taking that attitude and running with it.”

Oregon and California’s Pac-12 debut Saturday night in Autzen Stadium is just three days away. Much has been made of the Golden Bears’ air raid offense, which has accumulated 1,316 total passing yards and 101 points through three games.

Freshman quarterback Jared Goff has thrown for 1,306 yards thus far, ranking him fourth in college football. California’s offense will be unlike anything Oregon has seen this season, and head coach Mark Helfrich says that while that will change some things defensively, the fundamentals need to remain the same.

“These guys are going to make you defend the entire field in a quick game,” Helfrich said. “They’re gonna make you defend the entire field in runs and screens. They’re gonna take shots down field. The whole package is different. You still have to gang tackle, pressure the passer, run to the ball — all the fundamentals of our defense are unchanged.”

Oregon forces the ninth most pass attempts per game nationally (42), holding opposing quarterbacks to a 92.08 rating (13th). California is expected to throw the ball upwards of 56 times on Saturday; that’s their average pass attempts per game this season, a close second in the country to Southern Methodist University.

“Every offense is different in its rhythm,” Helfrich said. “How they throw the ball, when they throw the ball, the zones that they attack you in. Take them versus a play action seven-step drop team. Their routes are totally different, and so to a certain extent maybe it’s more guys in the rush, more guys in coverage, changing that up.”

Ball security has been a non-issue this season for Oregon. Ball carriers have fumbled twice throughout three games, with the good guys recovering both. Helfrich says regardless of how often fumbles happen, ball security is always a major focus.

“There’s no off-day for coaching ball security,” Helfrich said. “Whether it’s decision making, how we do things on defense to try to create turnovers, how we try to secure the ball as either a receiver or ball carrier — it’s a fundamental, like trying your shoes or brushing your teeth. You have to do it every single day the right way. Sometimes your natural reaction is to be loose and that’s one of the things you have to teach guys; how to fall down, how to get up while maintaining perfect ball security.”

Cal has forced two fumbles this season.

Fresh off the first bye week of the season, Oregon football got back to business Monday, beginning preparations for its Pac-12 opener against California this weekend.

“Today was a really good effort,” Mark Helfrich said following practice. “Everybody had a little spring in [their] step, hopefully that’s an indication of being fresh.” The Ducks had a shorter week of practice last week and let the players take time to rest and recover, something Helfrich stressed as important.

“Any time you can get big guys just some time off of banging, whether it’s their shoulders or their pecs or their hands, running as much as our big guys do it feels good,” Helfrich said.

The Golden Bears are 1-2 on the season but are better than their record indicates, losing to ranked opponents Northwestern (No. 22) and Ohio State (No. 4). Freshman quarterback Jared Goff has led Cal through the air with 1,306 passing yards, good for fourth in college football and has thrown 168 passes (56 per game). Helfrich said although the secondary will get it’s work in against Goff and Cal, it’s an 11-man effort on defense.

“I’m sure a little bit,” said Helfrich when asked if the secondary is excited to face up to 60 pass attempts. “I think our guys are excited to play period. And we want it that way. I’m sure there’s a little added dimensions if they know there’s gonna be some live balls, at the same time that just goes back again to, do your job. Don’t do something out of system, out of character. To create a big play [is] not your job.”

Oregon’s secondary, and entire defense for that matter, has excelled through three games this season, allowing a total of three touchdowns. Helfrich said he couldn’t pinpoint their personality, saying everyone has been successfully working together to make the unit effective.

“They’re a tough group,” Helfrich said. “I think they’re playing really well collectively. Part of that is because Wade Keliikipi’s putting pressure on the quarterback and Derrick Malone did his job. It’s not Ifo [Ekpre-Olomu] locking one guy down so to speak, but all 11 guys doing their job.”

Offensive line coach Steve Greatwood spoke of Cal’s defensive line, expressing similarities between it and Tennessee’s defensive line.

“They’re big, talented, they’ve got a lot of returning guys,” Greatwood said. “Their tackles are big, physical kids. [Viliami] Moala and [Deandre] Coleman both played against us last year – big physical guys, hard to move. Their ends are talented so we’re gonna have our work cut out for us.”

There are first times for everything: The first day of school. First kiss. First car. The list goes on. For many University of Oregon students, this fall will bring many more exciting firsts, one of those being their first Ducks sporting event.

Both Autzen Stadium and Matt Knight Arena are outstanding landmarks. They house some of the premiere collegiate athletic teams in the country — Autzen in particular has gained recognition as one of the loudest and most difficult places to play for Oregon opponents.

Stand up

Sporting events can drag on for hours, but true fans will stand the whole time. Standing lets you get more involved in the game, give high fives and participate in chants. Besides, if you don’t stand you won’t be able to see anything over the thousands fans who are standing, and you’ll just look silly.

Participate

The numerous chants and traditions at Autzen Stadium will take a few games to master, but the easiest way to learn is by experience. Some take precedent, such as learning the fight song and taking part in “Shout” to start the fourth quarter. You might have to venture a little out of your comfort zone at first, but nobody will judge you. In fact, you’ll look like more of a goon if you think you’re too cool to join in.

Don’t boo your own team

Football is a physically demanding sport to play and playing in college — let alone at Oregon — is a daunting and pressure-filled task. Players are going to mess up. They’ll miss tackles and drop passes and miss important kicks, but that’s not an excuse to shower them with boos. They’re your fellow students, so give them a break.

Know who has the ball

It happens every game. Some inattentive fan will go wild when a touchdown is scored … by the other team. Obviously a part of Oregon games are spent socializing, but at least have enough awareness to realize when your team got scored on. Your selfie will get plenty of likes on Instagram — it doesn’t need to get posted right away.

Nobody cares how much you think you know

There’s always that one fan who disagrees with and questions every call the coaches make, being sure to let everybody know about it. Listen, they’re on the sidelines and the court for a reason, so let them do their jobs and trust them. They do pretty exceptional work on a regular basis. Concentrate on your own enjoyment and let the game unfold in front of you.

Above all, enjoy yourself

Football games aren’t for everyone. But seeing how students at Oregon are privileged to have a venue like Autzen Stadium, take advantage of it and take the time to go to a game and have fun. Get into it, high five random people next to you, yell until your voice is gone, celebrate afterwards and reminisce.

Oregon pitcher Darrell Hunter was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA on Thursday, meaning the senior can return to play for the Oregon baseball team this spring. Hunter missed two seasons due to a concussion he suffered in 2009, which has caused him to suffer through seizures. As a reliever last season, Hunter went 2-0 with a 3.42 ERA.

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The Kansas City Chiefs improved to 3-0 on the season in Andy Reid’s return to Philadelphia. Reid’s Chiefs defeated Chip Kelly’s Eagles 26-16, giving them one more win than they had all of last season. Reid coached the Eagles to eight division championships and a Super Bowl appearance in 14 seasons and was greeted with a warm ovation from the Philadelphia faithful.

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Future Hall of Fame pitcher Andy Pettitte officially announced his retirement … again. The lefty hurler retired in 2010 but re-joined the Yankees last season and says he will call it quits following the end of the year. Pettitte has a 10-10 record this year and has helped New York climb into playoff contention at 80-73, 3.5 games out of a wild card spot with nine games remaining. Pettitte has 255 career wins, most among active pitchers and 42nd most all-time.

Ever wonder where your favorite Oregon football players ended up after finishing their careers at the university? Here are six guys who were standouts during their time in Eugene:

Dion Jordan

Oregon’s standout defensive player was the third overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft by the Miami Dolphins and already registered his first career sack in week one against the Cleveland Browns. Dion Jordan suffered a mild shoulder injury, which has yet to keep him out of any games. He’s also helped the Dolphins to their first 2-0 start since 2011 along with fellow Oregon alum Josh Kaddu (2008-2011).

Kiko Alonso

Former Oregon linebacker Kiko Alonso was selected in the second round by the Buffalo Bills and hasn’t missed a beat, doing a little bit of everything at middle linebacker. Alonso has started each of Buffalo’s first two games so far this season and has already racked up 19 combined tackles, a sack, an interception and he’s forced and recovered a fumble. With a rookie quarterback in E.J. Manuel, the Bills have been and will continue to be an exciting team to watch. Alonso is joined by former Oregon defensive back and two-time Pro Bowl selection Jairus Byrd (2005-2008).

Kyle Long

Transferring to Oregon for his senior season, Kyle Long was relatively unknown due to the short duration of his stay and his position as an offensive lineman. Long was selected 20th overall by the Chicago Bears and is their starting right guard. His father, Howie, was a well-known NFL defensive end for 13 seasons and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Kyle’s brother Chris currently plays defensive end for the St. Louis Rams. Long’s journey to the NFL is a rare feat. He played at Saddleback Community College for two seasons despite being a two sport All-American in high school and originally accepting a baseball scholarship to Florida State.

Kenjon Barner

Fan favorite and one of the greatest running backs in Ducks history, Kenjon Barner plays for the Carolina Panthers after being selected in the sixth round of the NFL draft. An ankle injury has held him out of the team’s first two games. With fellow running back and Oregon alum Jonathan Stewart set to miss the next four weeks with an ankle injury of his own, Barner is listed second on the depth chart behind De’Angelo Williams and should make his NFL debut when healthy.

Carson York

An offensive lineman with NFL potential, Carson York suffered multiple knee injuries and was forced to end his football career. York is currently a graduate student at the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication.

John Boyett

After an extremely successful career at Oregon was cut short due to an injury, safety John Boyett was drafted in the sixth round by the Indianapolis Colts. He led the Ducks in total tackles in his freshman and junior seasons and was a starter until he suffered an injury week one of 2012. Boyett ran into legal trouble and was waived by the Colts, making him a free agent.