EUGENE, Ore. – After moving up to No. 6 in this week’s College Football Playoff rankings, Oregon will put its eight-game winning streak on the line Saturday night when it hosts Arizona. The Ducks can clinch the North Division title and a spot in the Pac-12 Championship Game with a victory.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN LINE: Oregon -27
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Although Oregon is almost a four-touchdown favorite, the Wildcats will have their full attention. Arizona embarrassed the Ducks, 44-15, last year in Tucson, a loss that still stings some Oregon players. “I think that’s the only game in the coach (Mario) Cristobal era where we haven’t been competitive whatsoever,” left guard Shane Lemieux told Oregonlive.com. “We went out there and it was really bad. It was really bad for our university, really bad for our team.” The two teams both have had two weeks to prepare for the contest with Arizona coming in off a 56-38 home loss to Oregon State while the Ducks won 56-24 at USC.
ABOUT ARIZONA (4-5, 2-4 Pac-12)
Kevin Sumlin wouldn’t tip his hand on who his starting quarterback will be, saying that he would let practice performance be the key factor in deciding between senior Khalil Tate, who has started eight of the nine games, or freshman Grant Gunnell, who started a Sept. 28 victory over UCLA. Tate has completed 125-of-201 passes for 1,637 yards and 12 touchdowns with eight interceptions while Gunnell has completed 83-of-125 passes for 1,061 yards and nine touchdowns with just one interception. Linebackers Colin Schooler (63 tackles) and Tony Fields II (62 tackles) lead a defense that ranks 126th nationally in scoring, allowing an average of 37.3 points per game.
ABOUT OREGON (8-1, 6-0)
Senior quarterback Justin Herbert has completed 200-of-288 passes (69.4 percent) for 2,329 yards, 24 TDs and two interceptions and leads an offense that ranks 12th in the nation in scoring with an average of 38.2 points per game. CJ Verdell ranks fourth in the Pac-12 in rushing with 765 yards on 118 carries (6.5 avg.) and has scored five TDs while Jaylon Redd leads the receiving corps with 39 catches for 352 yards and seven scores. Sophomore safety Jevon Holland and freshman Verone McKinley III both have four interceptions to lead a Ducks defense that leads the nation with 17 picks.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Oregon leads the series with Arizona 26-17, including a 14-5 advantage in Eugene, but has lost three of the last five meetings.
2. Arizona is one of four FBS teams along with Utah, SMU and Vanderbilt to have a 6,000-yard career passer in Tate (6,001) and a 3,000-yard career rusher in J.J. Taylor (3,108).
3. Oregon has scored a touchdown in 28 of its last 32 quarters.
PREDICTION: Oregon 55, Arizona 17