Tag: oregon ducks

Oklahoma up to No. 7 in AP poll

No. 7 Oklahoma (10-1, 7-1) escaped their final home game of the season with a win, hanging on against TCU 28-24.

The Sooners are back in the race. 

No. 7 Oklahoma (10-1, 7-1) escaped their final home game of the season with a win, hanging on against TCU 28-24 to clinch their spot against Baylor in the Big 12 title game. Oregon and Penn State weren’t so lucky, as the Sooners vaulted ahead of both following their second losses of the season.

Brendan Radley-Hiles last-minute interception sealed the win, as the Sooners controversially earned a first down on the next drive to slip away with the win. 

Previously No. 6, Oregon was downed by unranked Arizona State. the Ducks couldn’t recover after falling down 21-7 in the fourth quarter, eventually losing 31-28, dropping them to No. 13 and out of the playoff race. 

In a top-10 matchup, No. 2 Ohio State defeated the ninth-ranked Nittany Lions 28-17, ending their playoff chances and putting them at No. 12.

Texas A&M attempted to mount a comeback over Georgia, but fell short 19-13, dropping them out of the top 25. 

Next week, Oklahoma takes on No. 21 Oklahoma State, who beat West Virginia 20-13, in Stillwater in the final game of the regular season. 

Baylor, who handled Texas 24-10, will face Kansas before their rematch with the Sooners in the Big 12 Title game.

 

Oregon’s 31-28 loss to Arizona State opens College Football Playoff door wide open for Oklahoma

Chaos is what was needed and chaos is what Oklahoma got. Oregon’s 31-28 loss to Arizona State has opened OU’s CFP hopes wide open.

Chaos is what was needed, and chaos is what No. 9 Oklahoma (9-1, 6-1 Big 12) got.

While leading Big 12 Conference opponent TCU 28-24 with under two to play, No. 6 Oregon has fallen to Arizona State 31-28.

Justin Herbert threw two interceptions in the Duck’s loss.

Arizona State quarterback Jayden Daniels threw for 402 yards and 3 touchdowns in the Sun Devils’ upset over Oregon.

With an Oklahoma win, they will move at least one spot in the College Football Playoff rankings.

The Ducks let up 535 yards of offense and won despite committing 12 penalties for 90 yards. The Sun Devils kept the Ducks off the field, holding on to the ball for 36 minutes and 25 seconds to Oregon’s 23 minutes and seconds of possession.

The Ducks’ is half of what the Sooners need to happen in the PAC-12. Utah needs to lose a game either next week or to Oregon in the PAC-12 Championship for Oklahoma to have a better shot to get into the CFP.

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Prospects for Jags fans to watch: Oregon QB Justin Herbert

If a new front office comes to Jacksonville, look for the team to keep their eyes on top QB prospect Justin Herbert out of Oregon.

Just three weeks ago, the Jacksonville Jaguars were entering a division rivalry at 4-4 before heading into the bye week. Since, they’ve been blown out two consecutive weeks by their AFC South foes, leading to a lot of frustration among fans — and rightfully so.

Many of those fans are calling for the firing of the front office and coaching staff. While that discussion is for another article, I am here to discuss what could happen if that were to transpire.

If the Jaguars were to let go of their front office and coaching staff, the Jags would have to be looking at a new quarterback in the draft. Usually, when a team hires a new general manager and head coach, a new quarterback soon follows. It would be naive to think any differently for Jacksonville. While the team may be out of range for Louisiana State gunslinger Joe Burrow, they certainly may end up in the range for Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert.

Herbert is a lot of fan’s dream quarterback, checking off just about every box one could have. Herbert brings A+ arm strength and athleticism to the table to go along with his 6-foot-6, 245-pound frame. In many ways, Herbert is comparable to Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz. That type of size, arm talent, and athleticism is a rare combination and is why many have drooled over this particular Oregon Duck.

In a crucial final year for the senior quarterback, Herbert has only further solidified himself as an elite prospect. The PAC 12 passer has gone on an absolute tear, leading the Ducks to a 9-1 record and a possible playoff bid. Herbert has completed 70% of his passes on the year, throwing for 2,662 yards, 28 touchdowns, and just three interceptions. With numbers like that, it will be interesting to see if Herbert can lead the Ducks to the playoffs.

Academically, Herbert also checks several boxes and currently has a 4.0 GPA, majoring in biology at Oregon. He has been brilliant on and off the field and also has proven to be a terrific teammate. Simply put, fans wouldn’t have to worry about him off the field.

What does the 6-foot-6 Duck bring to the table as a prospect, though, you ask?

Herbert possesses a lot of desirable traits from an NFL standpoint. As previously mentioned, his arm talent is atop the list. With the Jags having vertical threats like DJ Chark Jr., Herbert would fit right in and could give the Jags’ offense more explosion.

In my opinion, Herbert has the strongest arm in his class and it is easy to notice watching the young signal-caller.

WHEW! That’s a throw some quarterbacks in the league can’t make. Meanwhile, Herbert makes it look easy, not only displaying his arm strength but his accuracy, too. This is the throw that teams will ask prospects to make during workouts and senior days. It appears Herbert will have no trouble making these high difficulty NFL throws and making them look effortless.

At 6-foot-6, 245 pounds, Herbert brings toughness to his game as well. He’s shown the ability to stand in the pocket despite taking some shots in the process.

Herbert is big and strong and shows off his grit on this play above, taking a nice lick before delivering an absolutely beautiful pass to move the chains. One of my favorite characteristics of Blake Bortles was his toughness and Herbert will bring a similar level of selfishness and toughness that many covet and respect. Whether playing through injuries or giving up your body for a play, Herbert will go above and beyond to help his team win.

Lastly, Herbert shows the ability to improvise and make plays when things break down. While he is massive, Herbert is a threat outside of the pocket. He can take off running or extend a play as seen below.

If I had to pick one play to display Herbert as a prospect, it would be this play. The combination of his improvisational skills, arm talent, and ball placement are all on display, showing why he has been such a big name in the scouting world for so long. He may be hindered by his surrounding talent at Oregon, but if a team supports Herbert, he no doubt can become a franchise quarterback. In most classes, Herbert would be the top quarterback.

If he is on the board when Jacksonville is on the clock, I would expect the new front office to take a good, long, hard look at this Duck. At the end of the day, his talent may just be too good to pass up.

Georgia, Alabama miss out on 5-star linebacker

Georgia football, Alabama and a few other SEC schools missed out on a commitment from 5-sta LB Noah Sewell.

Georgia, Alabama and a few other SEC contenders missed out on securing a commitment from a five-star linebacker on Friday night from the class of 2020.

Noah Sewell, the nation’s No. 2 inside linebacker out of Orem, Utah, tweeted his commitment to Oregon after winning the Utah 5A state title game on Friday.

Sewell, a 6-2 266 pound linebacker, is a monster of a player who is too small for the defensive tackle position but too big for a defensive back. Once he slims down a bit and adds some more speed, he will be a huge difference maker for Oregon for years.

Sewell comes from a football family. He has three brothers who currently play college football; one is an offensive tackle at Oregon, one is a linebacker at Nevada and the other plays safety at Utah.

Sewell visited Georgia on September 21st for the Bulldogs’ game vs Notre Dame.

 

Week 13 Ohio State football rooting interests

What should Ohio State football fans root for this weekend? Let’s break it all down, from the SEC to the Pac 12.

Before we get into our third-to-last Rooting Interests of the season, we have to point out exactly what scenarios we are dealing with. With so few weeks left in the season, we can be more precise about the scenarios we’re pinning down. For example, Ohio State has no reason to care if it loses the Michigan game (unless the Buckeyes also lose a second game). Go 12-1 with a Big Ten title and a loss to Michigan, and the Buckeyes are in. So there’s no need to discuss that. Therefore, when looking an Ohio State’s potential rooting interests this week, recognize that we’re looking at what keeps the Buckeyes in the Playoff if they lose to either Penn State, or against Minnesota or Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game.

So, with that conversation out of the way, let’s look at the games. Miami of Ohio’s win over Akron was awful, and probably hurt Ohio State in some of the fancier SOS metrics. That shouldn’t matter much. Nor should Georgia Tech’s win over N.C. State, though it does make Clemson’s weak resume even worse.

As we get to the weekend, don’t bother looking at the SEC games. This is the penultimate week of the regular season, which is now officially called SEC Cupcake Week (trademark pending). The SEC West teams face opponents like Western Carolina, Samford, Abilene Christian, and Arkansas. Texas A&M beating Georgia won’t hurt the Buckeyes, but it does also help Alabama’s resume a bit. Missouri taking out Tennessee won’t mean much, but it would lock Alabama into beating a maximum of two P5 teams with winning records.

If Ohio State wants to stay ahead of Oklahoma (or Baylor, but I think that’s locked in already), root for the Big 12’s overall profile to look weaker. That means West Virginia upsetting Oklahoma State, and Kansas taking out Iowa State if possible. Kansas State losing to Texas Tech probably helps as well. And, of course, either Oklahoma or Baylor losing would go a long way to making this conversation moot; both losing would end the Big 12’s Playoff hopes.

In the ACC, it’s better if Pitt beats Virginia Tech, because that would strengthen Penn State’s overall profile. Virginia losing to Liberty seems unlikely, but would further weaken Clemson’s resume if Virginia reaches the ACC Championship Game by winning next week. Syracuse beating Louisville and Duke beating Wake Forest would also hurt Clemson’s resume. Any gain that Alabama might get from a Duke win is easily offset by what Clemson loses. Then again, Clemson is very likely going 13-0, so it might be too late to root against its resume.

And, of course, there is the Pac 12 to discuss. Washington and USC losing will wipe at any chance of multiple ranked wins by the Pac 12 champion, but at this point it looks like the Buckeyes might need a loss by either Utah or Oregon (or both) to feel safe about staying in front of a Pac 12 champion.

At night, Cincinnati gets a national spotlight against Temple. The Bearcats have really struggled the past few weeks, and they need to impress if they want their ranking to move back up. Also in the AAC, it’s probably a little better if SMU beats Navy, but that doesn’t matter too much. Lastly, keep an eye on Conference-USA. FAU should have no trouble with UTSA, but if the Buckeyes want three nonconference opponents that win their conferences (or divisions), Marshall has to lose a game. That means either this week at Charlotte or next week at home against FIU. Neither of those upsets is impossible, but they are upsets.

Next… Who to root for in Big Ten games

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Oregon at Arizona State odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s Oregon Ducks at Arizona State Sun Devils betting odds and lines, with college football analysis, picks and best bets.

The Oregon Ducks (9-1, 7-0 Pac-12 North) and Arizona State Sun Devils (5-5, 2-5 Pac-12 South) meet Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET. We analyze the Oregon-Arizona State odds and betting lines, while providing college football betting tips and advice on this matchup.

Oregon at Arizona State: Three things you need to know

1. The Ducks look to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive and cannot afford to be tripped up against the Sun Devils, or against Oregon State in the Civil War.

2. Oregon enters 4-1 against the spread in the past five Pac-12 battles, while the Sun Devils are 0-3-1 ATS in the past four league outings.

3. The Ducks rank 14th in the country with 37.8 points per game (PPG), and they’re 10th in the land defensively, yielding just 14.8 PPG.

Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM!

Oregon at Arizona State: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 2:30 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Oregon 34, Arizona State 13

Moneyline (ML)

The moneyline is just not worth the risk. Oregon (-667) is too expensive, and Arizona State (+445) just doesn’t have the consistent offensive attack to stay with the high-octane Ducks.

New to sports betting? A $10 wager on Oregon to win outright would return a profit of $1.50.

Against the Spread (ATS)

OREGON (-14.5, -105) is the play here, although I’d feel a lot more comfortable buying the line down under two touchdowns or playing this game as part of a large teaser.

Arizona State (+14.5, -115) is just 1-4-1 ATS in the past six at home, and 2-5 ATS in the past seven at home against the Ducks. Oregon is 8-3-1 ATS in the past 12 meetings overall in this series, too.

Over/Under (O/U)

The UNDER 52.5 (-110) is the play, going 12-4-1 in Oregon’s last 17 games on the road and 7-1 in its past eight on a grass surface. The Over is 4-1 in Arizona State’s past five overall, but the Under is 5-2 in the past seven following a non-cover in its previous outing.

Get some action on this game or others, place a bet with BetMGM today. And for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Week 12 CFP Implications: Static at the top, chaos at the bottom

Looking at the national College Football Playoff picture after Week 12, a few things are becoming very clear. Let’s start at the top.

This past week, all 25 teams ranked by the CFP selection committee were in action. With so many games, a trend that has been slowly developing over the year came to full fruition.

We haven’t seen many upsets at the top of the game this year. And while we have seen some matchups of Top 15 teams–mostly involving Auburn or Michigan–we have yet to really see top teams get upset, or matchups between serious contenders. (Yes, we have had a few, most notably Alabama-LSU, but there have been far fewer than in most years.) That will change over the final few weeks of the season, whether due to scheduled matchups or conference championship games.

While there haven’t been many upsets at the top of the rankings. We’ve had plenty at this bottom. This past week, three of the committee’s teams ranked 19-25 lost, plus a pretty weak display from Cincinnati, for the second time in three weeks. Don’t be surprised if the committee drops the Bearcats a little after this performance.

What that leaves us with is essentially a two-tier ranking system. And while we can subdivide each tier further, the breakdown of the tiers will be very important.

The Top 17 teams are basically locked into those spots. LSU, Ohio State, Clemson, Georgia, Alabama, Oregon, Utah, Minnesota, Penn State, Oklahoma, Florida, Auburn, Baylor, Wisconsin, Michigan, Notre Dame, and Iowa will be the Top 17 teams from here on out. A shocking upset could knock one of these teams out, sure, and Baylor could fall out on its own by losing two of its final three games (to Texas and then again in the Big 12 Championship Game). Other than that Baylor case, though (and assuming no one does something crazy like lose to Northwestern or an FCS team), these 17 teams will be ranked the rest of the way, no matter what, and will like be the Top 17 the rest of the way.

From 18 on down, though, is anybody’s guess. We could see AAC teams stay in, though they’ve been less impressive as the season has gone on. Also, Cincinnati and Memphis still have to face each other. Appalachian State and Boise State can stay ranked by winning out, but one more loss will end any rankings the rest of the way. Maybe SMU slides back in this week.

After that, though, what’s left? What teams are we looking at to be ranked in the back section of the Top 25? Pitt, Virginia, and/or Virginia Tech could slide in, though Pitt plays Virginia Tech this week, and Virginia faces Virginia Tech next week, so only one of those three, at most, will likely be ranked by season’s end. Are we looking at Iowa State, with as impressive a four-loss resume as we’ve seen in a while?

17 teams have basically locked up their year-end rankings, with two weeks left in the regular season. The other eight spots in the Top 25, though, are entirely up for grabs. Who does this help most? Quite clearly, the Pac 12.

Next… How this helps the Pac 12

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Arizona-Oregon odds: Ducks are four-score favorites at home

Previewing Saturday’s Arizona Wildcats at Oregon Ducks sports betting odds and lines, with college football matchup analysis and picks.

In Week 12 of the 2019 college football season, the Arizona Wildcats (4-5) will travel to Autzen Sta.dium to play the Oregon Ducks (8-1). Below, we analyze the Arizona-Oregon odds and betting lines, while providing college football betting tips and advice on this matchup.

Arizona at Oregon: Three things you need to know

1. Arizona has won just five of the last 19 meetings between these two teams.

2. Oregon has won eight straight games after losing to Auburn in Week 1.

3. Oregon has covered the spread in four of the last six games.

Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM!

Arizona at Oregon: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 10:45 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Oregon 52, Arizona 20

Moneyline (ML)

As you would expect, Oregon (-2500) is a massive favorite at home in this Pac-12 matchup. Arizona (+1100) just doesn’t have the offense to keep up with the Ducks, but they especially don’t have the defense to stop QB Justin Herbert and the Oregon offense. Expect Oregon to win easily Saturday evening.

New to sports betting? A $10 wager on Oregon returns a profit of $0.40.

Against the Spread (ATS)

OREGON (-27.5, -115) is a four-touchdown favorite over its Pac-12 rival. Oregon has covered the spread in four of the last six games, due to its outstanding defense that is allowing just under 16 points per contest. Combine that with a likely first-round pick at quarterback, it’s not hard to see them covering this massive spread.

Over/Under (O/U)

The total for this Pac-12 matchup is set at 68.5, which seems high considering just how dominant Oregon’s defense has been this season. However, Oregon’s offense is explosive enough to score 50 or more points, so expect the OVER (-115) to hit late in this contest.

Get some action on this game or others, place a bet with BetMGM today. And for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @Marcus_Mosher and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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