We’ve reached Week 12, and the college football season is nearing its end. This weekend, the Oregon Ducks will play their final road game of the season down in Tempe, Arizona, the home of the Arizona State Sun Devils. The Sun Devils are 3-7 (2-5 in conference play) and aren’t having their best year. This game shouldn’t test Oregon too much, but the Ducks do have a history of dropping games to mediocre Arizona State teams late in the season.
In the big picture, Oregon is in a good spot right now. While the Ducks would definitely benefit from certain teams losing this week, they are still in a position to control their own destiny, but that begins with a definitive win over the Arizona State Sun Devils this weekend.
Below are my picks for the three most important things for the Ducks to do to be successful on Saturday.
Lopsided time of possession
The best way for Oregon to take this game out of Arizona State’s reach is by keeping the ball in the Devils’ hands. It’s as simple as the Ducks’ defense getting off the field quickly and the offense sustaining drives that end in points, leaving the Sun Devils will be too tired and short on time to make a push. On offense, this likely means a lot of running the ball and picking up a consistent four to five yards per carry.
Disciplined defense
Oregon’s defense has been impressive all season, and I’d argue we might be watching one of the greatest Duck defenses ever. But, since the Utah game, there have been several miscues on the defensive end of the ball. With Oregon State on the horizon, and the Pac-12 Championship hopefully not much further, this week’s game is the last opportunity to address the causes of those defensive mistakes. If Oregon’s defense can tackle securely, commit few penalties, and lock receivers down on extended plays, they’ll be in a great spot heading into the last week of the season.
Control the big plays
Every Duck fan remembers losing to the Sun Devils on a long-bomb TD to Brandon Aiyuk the last time Oregon went down to Tempe. If Arizona State has any shot in this game it will come from plays like that. So, if Oregon can shut down plays like that — and perhaps dial up some long bombs of their own — they’ll be in great shape to win.
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