Oregon football's Week 9 matchup could be that of a de facto Pac-12 Championship elimination game when they face the Utah Utes. That means that whoever wins this bout could be playing in the conference championship game come the end of the regular season.
Both the No. 8 Ducks and No. 13 Utes are currently sitting at 6-1, with each suffering their lone loss within the conference. However, the Ducks' three-point loss to Washington isn't quite as lopsided as the Utes' 14-pointer against Oregon State. Nevertheless, this could have huge implications not only on the Pac-12 Championship but the College Football Playoff.
Oregon football is coming off a close victory from last year's contest in Eugene, winning 20-17 but lost the previous two, one being for the Pac-12 title. The Ducks will have to travel away from the comforts of Autzen Stadium for this year's matchup, going into a much more hostile environment at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City. The Utes have one of the best home-field advantages in the country, where they've won their last 27 games with fans in the stands.
This will be the last time for the foreseeable future these two will be playing one another as Oregon heads to the Big Ten, and Utah goes to the Big 12 next season. Who will have the last bit of bragging rights before heading off to greener pastures? Let's get into some Oregon football Week 9 predictions.
*Watch college football LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Bucky Irving takes over the game, rushing for 120 yards, receiving 30, and scoring two touchdowns
Since the Washington game, Bucky Irving, the talented Oregon football running back, has seen quite the uptick in production, becoming the lead rusher with 127 and 129-yard games. He also has four total touchdowns in the last two games.
It feels that to win this game on the road, Oregon is going to have to show they can effectively run the ball — even though that could pose quite a challenge. The Utes' football team defense is allowing 2.9 yards per carry and only 80.8 rushing yards per game, according to Team Rankings. Irving is averaging a whopping 7.5 per carry.
Irving is a dynamic player who can do things as a runner and a receiver. Expect him to have a big day.
Utah's Bryson Barnes gets brought back down to size by Oregon football's defense, throwing for under 200 yards and 2 interceptions
What Utah quarterback, the former walk-on and former pig-farmer, Bryson Barnes was able to do in his heroics last weekend to bring the Utes football team back to beat USC can't be denied. Barnes threw for 235 yards, three touchdowns to one interception but also rushed the ball for 57 yards and another touchdown. But that was against a weak USC defense that has yet to figure out any sort of identity, can't tackle, and surrenders points at will.
It will be a much more formidable defense that Barnes will be facing when he meets the Ducks on Saturday. Oregon's defense ranks top-15 in sack percentage, while also averaging a takeaway a game. However, they are allowing opponents 245 passing yards per game.
Still, the Ducks will be trying to force Barnes to make plays by hoping they can stop the run, which they rank 9th in the country in yards per game as a defense.
Bo Nix throws for only one touchdown and 230 yards
Making his 55th start this coming Saturday against Utah football, Ducks' quarterback Bo Nix might have a challenging day. The Utah defense is one of the tougher defenses in the country, who just held former Heisman winner Caleb Williams last week in the LA Coliseum without his first passing touchdown in 21 games.
Again, the ground game may be the way the Ducks look to gain an advantage in this game, especially if the Utes can limit Nix throwing down the field. Don't expect a staggering day statistically from Nix, where he may not throw for over 230 and only one touchdown. But he could make some plays running the ball.
Oregon football beats Utah football at home to stay alive in Pac-12 race
One of the more intriguing aspects of this matchup is that of the head coaches. You have Dan Lanning, who is only 37 years old and leading a high-profile program such as Oregon in his first head coaching tenure. On the other side, you have Kyle Whittingham, the 63-year-old grizzled veteran who's been at Utah since 1994 as a defensive line coach. There's simply not a more experienced, trusted head coach in the country.
Could that be what this game ultimately comes down to? Experience? Perhaps. However, it's just hard to count out Oregon football. If you're an Oregon fan, you're hoping that those fourth-down decisions from the Washington game were valuable learning experiences for Lanning and that he'll take that and others into account to knock off a tough Utah team at home.
The Ducks football team pulls off what may be considered quite the upset in Salt Lake City to continue their push for the Pac-12 title game.
Follow Us
Subscribe