Washington vs. Oregon in Eugene, OR
It is hard to decide what would be worse for the PAC 12. Either not getting a team into the CFB Playoff or having one of its teams make the field and be destroyed. Washington is probably the best team in the Pac 12 but that is a dubious honor.
Based on current national rankings, with Washington No. 7 and Oregon No. 17 in the Coaches Poll, this game might have Playoff implications. What makes the rankings skewed are the early season estimations of Stanford and Auburn. Neither team is elite. Which means Washington and Oregon are now overrated.
Still, the Huskies and the Ducks have a big game. The loser becomes an also-ran. Both teams have tremendous quarterbacks, Jake Browning for Washington and Justin Herbert for Oregon. Herbert will have a challenge with the Washington secondary, led by three quality defensive backs, JoJo McIntosh, Byron Murphy and Taylor Rapp.
Washington has dominated the Ducks the last two seasons. Saturday should be different. The game will be tight but Washington has the edge with (at least statistically) the nation’s third-best scoring defense. If the Huskies can get pressure on Herbert, Washington wins. If not, Herbert could find enough openings for the Ducks to pull off an upset. To do so, Oregon’s mediocre defense must also consistently pressure Browning. Look for the best defense to be the difference.
Bama Hammer Lead Writer, Ronald Evans: Washington 27 – Oregon 21