Oregon’s key to victory against Utah in Pac-12 showcase game

Oregon experts look at the Ducks’ best path to victory against Utah.

We’re talking to our friends at Ducks Wire about the biggest Pac-12 game in Week 9, the Oregon-Utah clash in Salt Lake City.

What is Oregon’s biggest key to victory? Here’s what our Ducks Wire experts said:

Don Smalley: Stopping the Utah run and running the ball themselves. There’s no way Utah’s offense can keep up if the Utes are made to throw the ball on a regular basis.

Zachary Neel: The Ducks have to turn red zone trips into touchdowns, not field goals, versus Utah. With the Utes’ defense as good as it is, the Ducks likely won’t be living in plus territory all game. So when they do manage to get into the red zone, they can’t afford to walk away with three points, which is something they’ve struggled with this year. Oregon is 32-for-37 in red zone scoring, which is just 51st in the nation. Moreover, they’re just 27-for-37 on TD success rate in the RZ. That needs to be better.

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