Last Updated on November 2, 2010 9:21 pm by Anthony Rome
Washington vs. Oregon Preview
EUGENE, OR – After running over one of the biggest potential obstacles standing in the way of a perfect regular season and a spot in the BCS title game, Oregon now faces a team expected to give significantly less resistance.
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Although little suggests a Washington team struggling defensively and playing without its star quarterback can pull off the upset at Autzen Stadium, the top-ranked Ducks will prepare just the same, knowing their championship dreams are on the line.
Oddsmakers from online sports book SBGGLOBAL.com have made Oregon –35 point spread favorites for Saturday’s game against Washington. Current NCAA Public Betting Information shows that 90% of more than 3,745 bets for this game have been placed on Oregon -35.
Oregon (8-0, 5-0 Pac-10) held on to the top spot in the poll for a third straight week and moved into first place in the BCS standings following last Saturday’s 53-32 road win over then-No. 24 Southern California.
The Ducks trailed in the third quarter for just the second time all season – falling behind 32-29 less than 4 minutes after halftime – before quickly regrouping to score the game’s final 24 points.
“We have a tendency to wear people down,” coach Chip Kelly said. “I’m not into statements. I’m just into winning games.”
The Ducks have four games left on the schedule, and winning out would likely put them in the national title game. The toughest game remaining appears to be against No. 13 Arizona at Autzen Stadium on Nov. 26, but the team won’t overlook the other contests.
“We know that every week is going to be our biggest week from here on out,” said Pac-10 player of the week Jeff Maehl, who caught three touchdown passes at USC. “If we come out and lose a game, our shot at the national championship is totally out the door. We keep that in mind, and we know we’ve got to match the other team’s intensity.”
That could be tough because the Huskies (3-5, 2-3) showed little fight in last Saturday’s 41-0 loss to then-No. 13 Stanford.
Washington entered the fourth quarter with just 54 yards of offense and finished with 107 – the program’s fewest since managing 102 yards at Oregon in 1973.
“We obviously hit rock bottom,” coach Steve Sarkisian said.
There’s a chance Sarkisian could have a similar feeling after facing the Ducks.
He’ll be missing quarterback Jake Locker, considered a Heisman contender before the start of the season. Locker has a broken rib and will be replaced by freshman Keith Price, who will make his first career start.
On the other side of the ball, the Huskies allow 34.1 points per game to rank 106th in the FBS, and they’ll be facing an Oregon offense which leads the nation with 54.9 points and 572.9 yards per game.
The Ducks, who amassed 599 yards versus USC, are led by a balanced attack featuring quarterback Darron Thomas and running back LaMichael James.
Thomas, tied for first in the Pac-10 with 21 touchdown passes, threw for 288 yards and matched a season high with four TD passes against the Trojans. James, second in the nation with 1,210 rushing yards, ran for 239 and three touchdowns last weekend – his third 200-yard game of the season.
“They controlled every possession, that’s what it seemed like,” safety Nate Fellner told the Huskies’ official website. “We’ve got to show this was kind of a fluke.”
That probably won’t be easy, considering last week’s staggering performance against USC was ordinary for the Ducks.
Oregon also has had little trouble scoring against the Huskies, averaging 42.0 points in winning six straight in the series since a 42-10 loss in 2003. In the Ducks’ 43-19 win at Washington last season, James rushed for 154 yards and two TDs on 15 carries.
The Huskies could turn to the ground game in an effort to keep Oregon’s offense off the field – and to take pressure off Price – but Washington leading rusher Chris Polk has been held to 82 yards on 27 carries over the last two weeks.
Price has seen spot action this year, throwing nine passes in five games. He did throw a touchdown pass in his one attempt in a 32-31 win over then-No. 18 USC on Oct. 2.
“He’s got a real confidence about himself right now,” Sarkisian said. “It’ll be a great challenge for him, and a great challenge for us.”
The Huskies have lost their last eight games against top-ranked opponents since defeating Minnesota 17-7 in the 1961 Rose Bowl.
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