The biggest game of the college football season took place in mid-October when the Oregon Ducks traveled to their neighbors in the Pacific Northwest to take on the Washington Huskies. That game delivered in every way, shape and form, with the Huskies edging out the Ducks by a final score of 36-33 thanks to a game-winning touchdown pass by Michael Penix Jr. to Rome Odunze.
Hopefully, the world is ready for the sequel this Friday. These two meet again in the Pac-12 Championship game in what will ultimately be a de facto College Football Playoff game.
The Huskies were ranked fourth in the College Football Playoff rankings last week, but will surely climb after Michigan took down Ohio State. Oregon wasn't far behind, coming in at sixth. But if the Ducks win this game, they will likely take Washington's spot in the College Football Playoff rankings and become playoff-bound.
The stakes could not be higher in this game. The winner goes to the Playoff in the final game of Pac-12 competition. For those that are fans of an expanded playoff, they're getting a de facto playoff game this week the same way they got one last week when Michigan and Ohio State squared off. For a game of this magnitude, some bold Oregon predictions are in order.
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Troy Franklin accrues at least 150 receiving yards
Troy Franklin won't be the most acclaimed wide receiver to take the field in this game. That would be Washington's Rome Odunze, just named one of three finalists for the Biletnikoff Award, given annually the top the wideout in the country. But the college football world needs to take notice of Franklin if it hasn't already.
Franklin actually racked up more receiving yards this season than Odunze, finishing with 1,349 yards to his Washington counterpart's 1,326. Franklin had 77 receptions on the season, with 14 of those going for touchdowns. Franklin also put up at least 100 yards in a game this season eight times out of 12 tries.
Troy Franklin has put up at least 150 yards in a game only once in 2023, but that just so happened to be against the Washington Huskies earlier this season. Washington's secondary has been prone to big games by wide receivers this season, too. Stanford's Elic Ayomanor went for 146 yards and a touchdown on nine receptions against the Huskies. USC's Tahj Washington totaled 122 yards and a touchdown on eight eight receptions versus Washington. Washington State's Josh Kelly also caught eight balls against the Huskies and went for 106 yards and a touchdown.
Those guys are very good players themselves, but they haven't done what Franklin has done over the course of the 2023 season. And Franklin is playing alongside a Heisman contender at quarterback in Bo Nix, who is shattering every opponent he comes up against. Franklin should have himself another big game this week.
Oregon beats Washington by at least two touchdowns
Oregon lost its matchup with the Huskies the last time these two played, but it wouldn't be hard to make the argument the Ducks were the better team. Heck, they were winning up until that touchdown from Penix to Odunze gave the Washington the late lead after Oregon failed on a fourth-down conversion to ice that game.
Washington has largely struggled since that game, too. All but two of their games have been decided by one possession, and one of those (the USC game) required a touchdown with 2:20 left to make it a two-possession game. Meanwhile, Oregon has won every game after that loss to Washington by two scores. Instead of going on the road, they will play in a neutral site environment. Oregon is clicking on all cylinders. That should continue on Friday.
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