In one of the most-anticipated matchups of the season, the Oregon Ducks and Washington Huskies square off in a top-10 matchup with Pac-12, playoff, and Heisman implications all rolled into a single epic game.
Both teams are 5-0 and 2-0 in Pac-12 play so far, and both are coming in fresh off of bye weeks. Washington won an unexpected nailbiter against Arizona 31-24 last time they played, while Oregon dispatched Stanford 42-6 in their previous game.
What Channel Airs the Oregon-Washington Game?
Oregon @ Washington
- Start Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
- Channel: ABC
- Odds: Washington -3
- Over/Under Total: 67
This matchup is defined by the battle between two veteran quarterbacks in Oregon’s Bo Nix and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. Both signal-callers have been brought up in the first-round conversation and are firmly in the battle for the Heisman trophy. These two have different playstyles, making this game even more intriguing.
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Nix has favored targeting underneath frequently, with their offense keeping things largely constrained and emphasizing putting their playmakers in space. Nix is second in EPA on throws under zero air yards this season on 69 attempts and has been running the offense to perfection this season.
Penix has been largely bombs away and launching the ball down the field this season. Penix has 51 attempts over 15 air yards, the largest tally in the Power Five, and has the arm talent and touch downfield to hit these shots with ease.
Both teams boast plenty of NFL talent, but there’s a reason the over/under total is so high and keeps climbing. These two offenses are nothing short of stellar, in totally different contrasts. Oregon’s offense is led by its ground game, while Washington has been the best passing team in the country.
Oregon has been a superb rushing team this season. They lead the nation in rushing yards per attempt at 6.99 and are gaining 225.2 yards on the ground per game. Three different Oregon running backs, Bucky Irving, Jordan James, and Noah Whittington, have over a hundred yards rushing and multiple touchdowns this season. All three backs are averaging over seven yards a carry.
Leading them is perhaps the most unheralded back in college football in Bucky Irving. Irving is a threat to score every time he gets the ball with his burst in the open field and ability to break tackles, and he has been electric as a receiver in Oregon’s passing game.
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Perhaps Oregon’s most impressive offensive player is wide receiver Troy Franklin, who is second in the Pac-12 in receiving yards and touchdowns. Franklin is an excellent height/weight/speed receiver prospect, with his 6’2 frame and the ability to win downfield with ease.
Oregon’s offense will have to create against Washington’s defense. Led by two ferocious pass rushers in Zion Tupuola-Fetui and Bralen Trice, Washington’s defense will look to create havoc to knock Oregon out of rhythm. Tuopuola-Fetui and Trice have combined for 20 pressures and three sacks this season.
Washington is 44th in the country in rushing yards per game and allows 3.78 yards per rush, making this chess match an interesting one. However, they haven’t played a rushing attack quite like this one yet, and their tackling, as a unit, is still a question mark marring this team.
Washington’s secondary will be tested significantly by Oregon, another question mark on this defense. The Huskies are 89th in passing yards allowed per game and have been inconsistent from game to game.
Their defensive backs, anchored by junior cornerback Jabbar Muhammad and senior Dominique Hampton, have been excellent at breaking up passes but are giving up almost 12 yards a completion this season.
When Washington has the ball, expect plenty of fireworks on this side. Washington leads the country in passing yards per game by 81 yards behind the arm of Penix and an elite trio of wide receivers in Rome Odunze, Jalen McMillan, and Ja’Lynn Polk.
Where this game might be decided for the Huskies is in their ability to get their run game going. While they need to lean into their strength in the passing game, they can’t become one-dimensional against a stingy Ducks’ secondary.
Oregon, led by Alabama transfer cornerback Khyree Jackson, is fifth in passing yards per game and second in yards per attempt. The Ducks are largely playing man coverage and have been sticky, daring opponents to throw against them, and they will throw different rush looks in front of it.
Oregon’s pass rush hasn’t been much to write home about on an individual level, but they are well-coached and throw a bunch of different pressures and blitzes at opposing quarterbacks.
If Washington is going to win this game, their run game needs to help give them some balance, or else Oregon will tee off against the pass and keep firing away at Penix. Fortunately for them, Washington’s offensive line has been stellar this season, led by a stellar tackle duo in Roger Rosengarten and Troy Fautanu.
Both teams deserve to be in the top ten nationally, and both have their strengths in this game. With two different styles of play, expect plenty of scoring as both of these teams hammer away at each other.
