Oregon vs. Washington Prediction: Can the Ducks Shock Michael Penix Jr., Huskies?
The top-two ranked Pac-12 teams square off on Saturday afternoon when No. 8 Oregon visits No. 7 Washington. Can the Ducks Shock Michael Penix Jr. and the Huskies? Ben Rajavuori shares his Oregon vs. Washington prediction and pick.
Ben Rajavuori - October 13, 2023, 4:37 PM EDT
7 minOregon vs. Washington Prediction: Can the Ducks Shock Michael Penix Jr., Huskies?
The top-two ranked Pac-12 teams square off on Saturday afternoon when No. 8 Oregon visits No. 7 Washington. Oregon took USC's spot in the rankings after Week 5, and with USC nearly losing to Arizona in triple overtime, both of these two teams look much stronger at this point in the season. With the two top teams in the conference playing one another, this game clearly means a lot for playoff implications, as the winner will have a major win added to their resume. This game could be the one that sends one team to the playoffs when it's all said and done at the end of the season, and it is appropriate that the line is only 3.5 points in this contest in Washington's favor as the home team.
Oregon vs. Washington Date, Time, and Where to Watch
- Date: October 14, 2023
- Game Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
- Where To Watch: ABC
Oregon vs. Washington Prediction
This matchup has been brewing in both team's minds for a while, given that both are coming off a bye week. Both teams last played on September 30th, meaning they have plenty of rest coming into this game. Both teams also played lower-tier Pac-12 teams, with Oregon beating and covering against Stanford and Washington beating but not covering against Arizona. Both games were most likely lookaheads for the respective teams to this matchup of the season.
For Oregon, this is the toughest game on their schedule this season. Their next hardest game is at home against USC, but with this being a road game for them, this is the biggest test on their schedule and the one that will be judged when selection time comes for the CFP. For Washington, this is arguably also their toughest game, as they do play USC on the road in the first week of November, but it is a road game, while this is a home game. Still, even if Washington loses that game on the road, if it is their only loss and they beat Oregon in this game, it may be enough to get them in. Enough about hyping up just how great this game is, let's get to who actually wins.
Both offenses are obviously elite in this matchup. Washington ranks first overall with 569 yards of offense per game, while Oregon is second in the nation with 557 yards of offense per game. Michael Penix of Washington is currently the betting favorite to win the Heisman at +220, while Bo Nix of Oregon is third in Heisman odds at +600. This is an offensive matchup you can only dream of, and we will be seeing both quarterbacks playing in the NFL soon.
However, where the advantage lies in this game is with defense. Oregon has the sixth-ranked defense in the nation, only allowing 1278 yards of offense through five games. Washington has played a slightly harder schedule, even though not by much, but they have failed to pressure opposing quarterbacks and have only registered six sacks on the season. Oregon has 18 sacks, and they may make life hard for Penix in this game.
Their secondary is also graded higher. In a game that feels back-and-forth offensively, I like Oregon's defense to be the difference, and they also happen to be getting points in this matchup. Bo Nix started in the SEC at Auburn, so he is no stranger to rowdy stadiums, and he will not be affected by the atmosphere in Washington. I love getting the points with Oregon here.
Oregon vs. Washington Pick
Pick: Oregon +3.5 -120 is currently the best odds. Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds
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