Last Updated on September 29, 2010 4:33 am by Anthony Rome
Stanford vs. Oregon Preview
Eugene, OR – Oregon has pretty much had its way on both sides of the football this season. That’s also been the case recently at home against Stanford.
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These high-scoring and defensive-minded teams meet Saturday night, with the fourth-ranked Ducks trying to hand the No. 9 Cardinal another lopsided loss at Autzen Stadium.
Oddsmakers from online sports book BroburySports.com have made Oregon –7 point spread favorites for Saturday’s game against Stanford. Current NCAA Public Betting Information shows that 63% of more than 3,796 bets for this game have been placed on Stanford +7.
Oregon (4-0, 1-0 Pac-10) has defeated Stanford (4-0, 1-0) by an average of 26.8 points over the past four meetings in Eugene, dating to 2002. That’s a trend the Cardinal would like to end, but the Ducks enter this matchup as one of the top offensive teams in the nation.
They lead the FBS with an average of 57.8 points and are third in both rushing yards (321.8) and total yards (560.0) per game. Oregon is also no slouch on the defensive end, ranking third in the nation with 11.0 points allowed per contest.
The Ducks, though, are coming off their worst game of the season. After outscoring their first three opponents 189-13, they trailed 24-14 in the second quarter at Arizona State last Saturday before coming away with a 42-31 victory.
Oregon struggled on the ground, gaining 145 yards for its lowest total since rushing for 31 at then-No. 14 Boise State on Sept. 3, 2009. However, Darron Thomas threw for 260 yards and two scores, and the Ducks forced seven turnovers.
“You see that the defense came out in the second quarter and played an awesome game, helped us out on offense,” Thomas said. “We never had no doubt that we weren’t going to put up points.”
The defense did allow 597 yards, and with Andrew Luck leading the Cardinal and the nation’s fourth-ranked scoring offense into Autzen Stadium this weekend, Oregon coach Chip Kelly knows his team must get back on track.
“Obviously, they’re one of the top teams in the country and it’s going to be a dogfight,” said Kelly, who agreed this week to a contract extension through 2015 that is worth $20.5 million.
Stanford has taken a similar path to the top 10, with three lopsided wins followed by an impressive road victory. The Cardinal are scoring 48.0 points per game, and like Oregon, are playing well defensively by allowing an average of 13.8 – tied for 12th in the FBS.
They rolled to a 37-14 victory at Notre Dame last Saturday to move to 4-0 for the first time since 1986, despite Heisman hopeful Luck throwing his first two interceptions of the season.
“It will give me something to work on during the week,” said Luck, who was picked off only four times last season in his first year as a starter. “Not like I won’t have anything to work on, but something more.”
Luck passed for 251 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions as Stanford ended a seven-game skid to Oregon with a 51-42 win last Nov. 7.
That game was in Palo Alto, but coach Jim Harbaugh thinks last week’s win at South Bend will help his team get ready for the tough task of playing in Eugene.
“To win a ballgame, I mean, that is a great thing. Then to be able to go into another stadium, into a hostile environment, I mean, nothing makes you feel quite like a man like that does,” he said.
“So I think it will be good for our football team. But, you know, every week in college football is a new week and your season can turn on one week. Just important for us to move forward, get ready for Oregon, keep going with humble hearts, keep working.”
Harbaugh’s defense will try to contain running back LaMichael James, who is second in the nation with 475 rushing yards. James ran for 125 yards and a TD while catching four passes for 89 yards in last season’s meeting.
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