Pac-12 Conference action concludes on Saturday with the #13 Oregon Ducks (3-1, 1-0 Pac-12) battling the Stanford Cardinal (1-2, 0-2 Pac-12) under the lights. Stanford pulled out a thriller last season in Palo Alto, beating the Ducks 31-24 in overtime.
The kickoff for the conference contest is at 11 p.m. EST inside Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. Oregon is a 17-point betting favorite, and the over/under total is 62.5 points.
What to Know – Stanford Cardinal
Stanford has had one of the toughest schedules to start the season with back-to-back games against Top 25 teams. The Cardinal have dropped Pac-12 contests to Stanford and Washington, with their lone victory against Colgate in the season-opener.
Junior quarterback Tanner McKee looks to follow up a solid performance last week with another against the Ducks. McKee tossed three touchdown passes in the defeat, also surrendering one interception. This season, the starter is completing 67% of his passes for 814 yards, six touchdowns, and four interceptions.
Running back E.J. Smith, the son of Hall of Fame NFL rusher Emmitt Smith, was off to a hot start out of the backfield before suffering an undisclosed injury that will keep him out for the remainder of the season. Backup Casey Filkins steps into the starting role for Stanford.
In the passing game, McKee does his best to find wide receiver Michael Wilson. Wilson leads the team with 13 receptions for 288 yards and four touchdowns. Wideout John Humpreys is next in line with seven catches for 122 yards and one score.
What to Know – #13 Oregon Ducks
The Ducks opened up the season with a tough 41-10 beatdown at the mercy of the defending National Champion Georgia Bulldogs. Since that loss, Oregon has won three in a row, including a win last week over Washington State in their conference opener.
Auburn transfer Bo Nix took over the starting quarterback role for Oregon in the offseason. Nix has played well, throwing ten touchdown passes and rushing for three through the first month of play. Nix is completing a career-best 72% of his throws.
Oregon employs a two-headed rushing attack between Bucky Irving and Noah Whittington. Irving has carried the ball 38 times for 265 yards and a touchdown, while Whittington adds 35 touches for 178 yards and one score.
Wide receiver Troy Franklin leads Oregon, hauling in 20 receptions for 339 yards and two touchdowns. Chase Cota adds 14 receptions for 163 yards, and tight end Terrance Ferguson is a prime target in the Red Zone, with four of his 12 receptions going for touchdowns.
The Pick is In
Oregon and Stanford have a rich history between each other, with the Cardinal claiming four of the last six matchups. Stanford’s offense has injuries on the offensive line, and with Smith out, it’s another blow for the Cardinal. Nix and the Ducks’ offense will be able to take advantage of Stanford’s defense that is surrendering 30.3 points per game.
The Pick: #13 Oregon Ducks -17
