It really feels like the college football season just began and the Oregon Ducks were struggling to seal the deal against Idaho. But the Ducks — and the rest of the college football world — have come a long way from early September, and Oregon has just one regular season game to go before an important postseason.
The Ducks’ Week 14 opponent doesn’t have a great record (6-5), but this week’s game still holds a lot of weight. Oregon is hosting the Washington Huskies — their top rival — who they haven’t beaten since 2021. Oregon Head Coach Dan Lanning has never won against Washington, so a win on Saturday would be a big milestone for him.
The Huskies have taken a major step down this year from their run to the National Championship game last season, but they’re skilled enough to challenge Oregon if the Ducks aren’t careful. Below are my three keys to an Oregon victory this Saturday.
Run the ball well
The only Big Ten team with a better pass defense than Ohio State is the Washington Huskies. Allowing just 160.5 passing yards per game, it’s not easy to pass on the Huskies. Oregon will be the best passing offense Washington has faced, but it will still be easier for the Ducks to get things done on the ground — which the Huskies are the fourth-worst Big Ten team at defending. I’d like to see Ducks’ RBs Jordan James and Noah Whittington combining for 20-25 carries on Saturday.
Pressure Will Rogers
Washington quarterback Will Rogers is one of the worst quarterbacks in the Big Ten when pressured by the opposing team, completing just over half of his pressured throws. The Ducks have prolific pass rushers in their front seven who will need to have a big game. If Oregon can get to Rogers early and often, it will be arduous for the Huskies to move the ball.
Prevent Big Plays
Oregon’s defense had been good all year at bending without breaking, and against the Huskies this week, preventing the big plays will be paramount. One of Will Rogers’ biggest strengths is his deep ball, and an easy way for Washington to stay in this game will be long-bomb TDs. If the Ducks can keep everything in front of them, and keep up their QB pressure, they’ll succeed in this game.
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