The Oregon Ducks will try to keep their Pac-12 title hopes alive when hosting the Washington Huskies on Saturday. Here is everything you need to know before watching the game.
Washington will enter the game as a 3-point favorite over Oregon, but if the recent trend repeats itself this weekend, the Huskies may run away with this game.
Over the past two seasons, the Huskies have beaten the Ducks by a combined 84 points. While it doesn’t look to get out-of-hand this year, the Huskies are still the better team heading into the game.
Washington is led by star quarterback Jake Browning, but the ground game has carried them during their five-game winning streak. Over the past five games, the Huskies have out-rushed and out-gained every opponent they’ve faced. Senior running back Myles Gaskin is one of the top backs in the Pac-12 and has lived up to the hype by rushing for 554 yards and 5 touchdowns. Browning and Gaskin shouldn’t have any problem getting things going offensively, but the Washington defense will have a tough task going up against a high-powered Oregon offense.
Last weekend, Oregon secured a 42-24 statement win against No. 24 ranked Cal. Quarterback Justin Herbert has been impressive this season and has racked up 1411 yards with 15 touchdowns. With the hot start comes the hype and Herbert has quickly gotten his name in the Heisman conversation but has not played well enough to be considered a true contender. If Oregon plans to reverse the recent trend against Washington, it will be on Herbert to show out against a strong Washington defense.
This will be the game to watch for Pac-12 fans across the country and should have a lasting impact on the conference title race. Here is everything you need to know about Saturday’s game.
How to watch and bet on Washington vs. Oregon
Date: Saturday, October 13
Start Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Eugene, OR
Stadium: Autzen Stadium
TV Info: ABC/ESPN2
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Betting Odds
Points Spread: Washington -3
Money Line: Wash -150, Oregon +130
O/U: 58.5
Keys to Victory
Washington – The Huskies are riding a five-game winning streak after losing a close game to Auburn to start the season. Washington is led by a legit top-15 defense, which has held opponents to 16 points and 313 yards per game. The secondary has been able to shut-down opposing quarterbacks but will be tasked with slowing down one of the best this weekend. However, the one weakness on the defensive side of the ball has been pressuring the quarterback and if they are unable to disrupt Herbert, he has all the tools to tear you apart. If the Huskies can make Herbert uncomfortable and keep the Oregon offense in check, Jake Browning and company should have no problem finding the end-zone against the Ducks defense.
Oregon – Over the past decade, Oregon has been known for its zone-read offense, but that is no longer the case. The Ducks have made the switch to the pistol and has seen great success out of the formation thus far. Quarterback Justin Herbert had a shaky start to the season but has completely turned it around over the past three games. The Washington defensive line is one of their few weaknesses, so the Oregon offensive line should look to dominate the trenches and allow the Ducks to control this game with the pace of their offense. If Herbert is given the time to dissect the Washington defense, the Huskies may be playing from behind from the start.
Prediction
Washington will not be able to repeat the outcomes they produced over the past two seasons against Oregon. Autzen Stadium will be rocking and the Ducks offense will lead the team to a tight victory over the Huskies.
Final Score: Oregon 37 – Washington 34