10-12-23 Emerald Media Group - Gamday

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10.12.23

Emerald Media

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Oregon prepares for redemption against rival Washington in their 115th game W H AT ’ S N E X T F O R O R E G O N S TATE A N D WA S H I N G T O N S TATE P G . 6 • T H E PAC -1 2 G AU N T L E T P G . 1 5 • N E W B I G T E N S Y S TE M W I L L C R E ATE L O N G E R T R AVE L T I ME S P G . 1 8

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ON THE COVER

Kenyon Sadiq avoids the tackle. The University of Oregon Ducks football team defeated the Portland State University Vikings in a home match at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on Sept. 2, 2023. (Eric Becker/Emerald)

The Oregon Ducks mascot dances during the third quarter. (Ali Watson/Emerald) T H U R S D AY, O C T O B E R 1 2 , 2 0 2 3

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WASHINGTON OFFENSE

OREGON OFFENSE PLAYER TROY FRANKLIN TRAESHON HOLDEN TEZ JOHNSON JOSH CONERLY JR. JUNIOR ANGILAU JACKSON POWERS-JOHNSON STEVEN JONES AJANI CORNELIUS TERRANCE FERGUSON BO NIX BUCKY IRVING KYLER KASPER KRIS HUTSON GARY BRYANT JR. GAAOPE LALOULU MARCUS HARPER II NISHAD STROTHER GEORGE SILVA PATRICK HERBERT TY THOMPSON NOAH WHITTINGTON

#

POS

YEAR

No. 11 No. 5 No. 15 No. 76 No. 54 No. 58 No. 74 No. 65 No. 3 No. 10 No. 00 No. 17 No. 1 No. 2 No. 75 No. 55 No. 50 No. 71 No. 88 No. 13 No. 6

WR-X WR-Z WR-F LT LG OC RG RT TE QB RB WR-X WR-Z WR-F LT LG/OC RG RT TE QB RB

JR SR/TR SR/TR SO RS SR/TR JR RS SR RS JR/TR JR SR/TR JR/TR RS FR JR RS JR/TR RS SO JR RS SR/TR JR/TR RS JR RS SO JR/TR

OREGON DEFENSE PLAYER

#

POS

BRANDON DORLUS POPO AUMAVAE CASEY ROGERS JORDAN BURCH JEFFREY BASSA JESTIN JACOBS MASE FUNA KHYREE JACKSON TYSHEEM JOHNSON EVAN WILLIAMS NIKKO REED COLE MARTIN JOHNNY BOWENS III TAKI TAIMANI KEYON WARE-HUDSON MATAYO UIAGALELEI JAMAL HILL CONNOR SOELLE JAKE SHIPLEY TRIKWEZE BRIDGES BRYAN ADDISON STEVE STEPHENS IV

No. 3 No. 50 No. 98 No. 1 No. 2 No. 4 No. 18 No. 5 No. 00 No. 33 No. 25 No. 21 No. 91 No. 55 No. 95 No. 10 No. 9

DE NT DT JACK WLB MLB SLB FCB FS BS BCB NB DE NT DT JACK WLB MLB SLB FCB FS BS

No. 22 No. 90 No. 11 No. 13 No. 7

YEAR

SR RS SR RS SR/TR SR/TR JR RS SR/TR SR SR/TR JR/TR RS SR/TR JR/TR FR FR RS SR/TR RS JR FR SR RS SR/TR JR RS JR RS SR RS SR

OREGON SPECIAL TEAMS

MATTHEW RIGNEY PA G E 4

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POS

YEAR

ROME ODUNZE JA’LYNN POLK JALEN MCMILLAN TROY FAUTANU NATE KALEPO PARKER BRAILSFORD GEIREAN HATCHETT ROGER ROSENGARTEN DEVIN CULP MICHAEL PENIX JR. DILLON JOHNSON DENZEL BOSTON GERMIE BERNARD KEITH REYNOLDS JALEN KLEMM JULIUS BUELOW LANDEN HATCHETT ZACHARY HENNING SAMUEL PEACOCK JACK WESTOVER DYLAN MORRIS WILL NIXON

No. 1 No. 2 No. 11 No. 55 No. 71 No. 72 No. 56 No. 73 No. 83 No. 9 No. 7 No. 12 No. 4 No. 89 No. 70 No. 77 No. 66 No. 58 No. 65 No. 37 No. 5 No. 8

WR-X WR-Z WR-SL LT LG OC RG RT TE QB RB WR-X WR-Z WR-SL LT LG OC RG RT TE QB RB

JR JR/TR JR RS JR RS JR RS FR RS SO RS SO RS SR RS SR/TR SR TR RS FR SO/TR FR RS FR/TR RS JR FR FR RS SO RS SR RS JR RS SO/TR

WASHINGTON DEFENSE

PLAYER

LUKE DUNNE CAMDEN LEWIS ANDREW BOYLE LUKE BASSO ROSS JAMES TEZ JOHNSON BUCKY IRVING

PLAYER

PLAYER

#

POS

BRALEN TRICE ULUMOO ALE TULI LETULIGASENOA ZION TUPUOLA-FETUI EDEFUAN ULOFOSHIO ALPHONZO TUPUTALA MISHAEL POWELL JABBAR MUHAMMAD DOMINIQUE HAMPTON KAMREN FABICULANAN ELIJAH JACKSON SEKAI ASOAU-AFOA JACOB BANDES FAATUI TUITELE VOI TUNUUFI RALEN GOFORTH CARSON BRUENER TRISTAN DUNN THADDEUS DIXON MAKELL ESTEEN VINCENT NUNLEY JAIVION GREEN

No. 8 No. 68 No. 91 No. 4 No. 5 No. 11 No. 3 No. 1 No. 7 No. 13 No. 25 No. 46 No. 55 No. 99 No. 52 No. 10 No. 42 No. 12 No. 9 No. 24 No. 28 No. 00

RS JR EDGE RS SR NT RS SR DT RS SR EDGE RS SR MLB RS JR WLB HUSKEY RS JR SR/TR LCB RS SR SS RS JR FS RS SO RCB SR/TR EDGE RS JR NT RS JR DT JR EDGE GR/TR MLB JR WLB HUSKEY RS FR SO/TR LCB RS SO SS RS SO FS SO RCB

WASHINGTON SPECIAL TEAMS

#

POS

YEAR

PLAYER

No. 45 No. 49 No. 98 No. 43 No. 92 No. 15 No. 00 No. 84

PT PK/KO KO/PK LS H/PT PR KR

FR SR RS SR/TR RS SO RS SO/TR SR/TR JR/TR

JACK MCCALLISTER GRADY GROSS JADEN GREEN JALEN MCMILLAN GERMIE BERNARD ROME ODUNZE DANIYEL NGATA

PT

GR/TR

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YEAR

#

No. 38 No. 95 No. 89 No. 11 No. 4 No. 1 No. 21

POS

PT/H PK/KPO LS PR KR PR KR

YEAR

RS SO SO JR RS SO SO/TR JR RS JR/TR

For a more in-depth chart on both teams, visit ESPN.com

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GAMEDAY

WHY THE ACC SAID NO TO OREGON STATE AND WASHINGTON STATE The ACC recently killed the Pac-12 with their move to add Cal and Stanford, but why did they leave two stragglers behind?

BY JACK LAZARUS • DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART market like Cal, Stanford and SMU. The road forward for OSU and Wazzu are unclear, but many different possibilities have been brought up.

The AAC had been in talks with the two schools, but it seems like that ship has sailed as the AAC does not intend to expand westward.

Another possibility would be a merger with the Mountain West, as it would make a lot of sense regionally but would drop these programs down a peg in regards to the major sports such as football and basketball.

They are currently in negotiations on how to make that happen, which would leave both parties very satisfied due to the Mountain West also losing some schools to conference realignment.

There is always the possibility that these schools go independent, but that would be the worst-case scenario. Oregon State and Washington State need a revenue sharing agreement to make enough money to keep their programs above water, and it would be very difficult to get that agreement done with their current standing. No major broadcasting company is willing to take that risk on two teams in desperate need for support.

Over the summer, the trend of conference realignment really took shape. As Oregon, Washington, USC and UCLA moved to the Big Ten, Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State and Utah moved to the Big 12.

This left Oregon State, Washington State, Cal and Stanford without a home for some time.

This was until Sept. 1 when the Atlantic Coast Conference voted to take in Cal and Stanford from the Pac-12, as well as Southern Methodist University from the American Athletic Conference.

From a financial perspective, the move made sense for both Stanford and Cal. The Pac-12 was not able to get a suitable media rights or revenue sharing contract finished in a timely manner to alleviate the stress that many of the members were feeling. The deal that was made would not have satisfied the majority of the teams that were previously members of the Pac-12 financially, so Stanford and Cal had no choice but to join the ACC. The deal they made with the ACC would be for a reduced portion of the earnings of the media rights agreement for a set amount of years. It was this part of the deal that convinced some teams to flip their decision from not allowing Stanford, Cal and SMU into the conference to accepting them.

In fact, SMU won’t gain any revenue from the media rights deal for up to nine years from now.

When looking at sports other than football, Stanford and Cal are some of the most successful college programs in the country. The Bay Area universities are two of the four most successful factories for Olympic athletes (the other two being USC and UCLA) and have some of the most expansive and wealthiest alumni networks in the world.

With regards to Oregon State and Washington State, those markets just didn’t seem valuable enough for the ACC, or any major conference, to tap into. They didn’t have any outstanding athletic teams, and on a nationwide scale, these aren’t schools that excel in any way at a high level. Not to mention, Corvallis, Ore, and Pullman, Wash, aren’t exactly the largest media markets. That’s not to say they don’t have successful sports teams, but they don’t offer any extra benefit to the conference, which is something that was a major reason the members voted to accept the schools they did.

Even now that the move has been decided on by the conference, there are still schools who are reportedly unhappy with the revenue sharing agreement that was made. Because of this, Washington State and Oregon State had no leverage on the ACC. They don’t provide any outstanding benefit and don’t exist in a major PA G E 6

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Whatever the case may be, these schools currently have no plans to cut sports or even funding of their sports programs. Oregon State currently fields 17 NCAA teams, which is just one team over the minimum limit to become a Division I program. Washington State is in the same boat, also sponsoring 17 NCAA teams, so cutting the sport isn’t a possibility being considered in Pullman either.

Cutting sports would mean a pseudo-death penalty for these programs because they wouldn’t have the glamor of a traditional Division I team and would struggle to attract top recruits and coaches, so they would never get back to the level they were at.

No matter what happens, both Oregon State and Washington State are the clear losers of conference realignment. Becoming a “power five” football school is a prestige that many universities can only dream of accomplishing, but having that stripped away because of factors outside of sport is the nightmare all schools dread.

The Stanford Cardinal football team takes the field. The No. 3 Oregon Ducks lost to the No. 5 Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, Calif. on Nov. 7, 2013. (Ryan Kang/Emerald)

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GAMEDAY

Oregon Ducks football took on Washington State University at Martin Stadium in Pullman, Wash., on Oct. 20, 2018. (Devin Roux/Emerald) Oregon Ducks football took on UC Berkeley at California Memorial Stadium on Sept. 29, 2018. (Devin Roux/Emerald) Moments after the game ends, the field becomes a sea of Beaver Orange cowboy hats. The Oregon Ducks travel up to Corvallis to face their in-state rival the Oregon State Beavers on Nov. 26, 2022, for their last game of the regular season. (Jonathan Suni/ Emerald)

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GAMEDAY

AROUND THE PAC-12: WEEK 6 What happened around the conference during Oregon’s off week?

The No. 8 Oregon Ducks (5-0, 2-0 Pac-12) were able to enjoy a nice off day this past Saturday as they prepare to play No. 7 Washington (5-0, 2-0 Pac-12), who also were off in Week 6, in Seattle next Saturday.

However, eight of the conference’s 12 teams were in action during Week 6 and there were still plenty of headlines from the Pac-12.

COLORADO OUTLASTS ARIZONA STATE IN 27-24 WIN The Buffaloes’ (4-2, 1-2 Pac-12) first conference win under head coach Deion Sanders was not a pretty one, but they got the job done. A last-minute field goal from Alejandro Mata sealed the dramatically low-scoring win for Colorado. The Buffaloes’ defense stepped up on Saturday after back-to-back games of allowing more than 40 points. Colorado only had 295 total yards of offense in the win, but snapped its losing streak as the Buffs look to prepare for their Week 7 game against Stanford (1-4, 0-3 Pac-12).

Saturday’s loss was one of the better efforts the Sun Devils (1-5, 0-3 Pac-12) have produced so far this season. They didn’t turn the ball over for just the second time all season, and the defense was able to limit one of the top offenses in the conference. But it’s still a loss and Arizona State will still be looking for its first conference win since Oct. 29, 2022, when the Sun Devils play No. 7 Washington in Week 8.

NO. 9 USC SURVIVES TRIPLE-OVERTIME DUEL WITH ARIZONA 43-41 Week by week, the Trojans look less and less like a true conference contender. USC started Saturday’s game off by falling behind 17-0 to the Wildcats — who were playing their backup quarterback for the entire game.

The Trojans were able to erase the deficit and go on to win, but it’s not unrealistic to think that USC might really struggle as its schedule gets harder. A road trip to play No. 21 Notre Dame (5-2) awaits the Trojans — now ranked No. 10 — in Week 8.

Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita looked good filling in for injured Jayden de Laura. Fifita threw for 303 yards and five touchdowns in the loss. The Wildcats defense, however, was unable to get even a single stop in overtime, and crucial

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(Eric Becker/Emerald)

BY BRADY RUTH • DESIGNED BY LIZ BLODGETT

penalties really hurt Arizona (3-3, 1-2 Pac-12). However, now having lost to Washington and USC by a combined nine points, the Wildcats could be a sleeper team to play spoiler as conference play winds on. Arizona will face No. 19 Washington State (4-1, 1-1 Pac-12) next Saturday.

UCLA UPSETS NO. 13 WASHINGTON STATE WITH 25-17 WIN The Bruins (4-1, 1-1 Pac-12) didn’t need to play their best ball to down Washington State on Saturday. Quarterback Dante Moore is still yet to establish himself as a true starting quarterback in the Pac-12 as he had a pair of interceptions. But, UCLA still got a win over a ranked team and has some momentum building as the Bruins travel to Corvallis, Ore., for a clash with No. 15 Oregon State (5-1, 2-1 Pac-12) next Saturday.

Aside from an 88-yard interception touchdown by Kapena Gushiken, the Cougars really lacked excitement in Week 7. Quarterback Cameron Ward underperformed, tallying just 197 passing yards and two interceptions during the loss. Now falling to No. 19, the Cougars will look to regroup against Arizona in Week 7.

NO. 15 OREGON STATE EARNS 52-40 WIN OVER CALIFORNIA The Beavers led for most of their game against Cal on Saturday, but a 17-point fourth quarter provided some cushion to close out the Golden Bears.

Oregon State’s defense allowed Cal to rush for 241 yards in the win, and could turn out to be a weakness later in the season. But if the Beavers keep scoring 38.5 points per game like they’re currently averaging, they could still be formidable.

Oregon State hosts UCLA in a top-20 ranked game next week.

At least Cal (3-3, 1-2 Pac-12) can be thankful for Jaydn Ott. The running back has been a bright spot for the Golden Bears this season with 556 rushing yards and five touchdowns so far this season. Unfortunately for Cal fans, the schedule gets no easier as No. 16 Utah (4-1, 1-1 Pac-12) awaits the Golden Bears next week.

(Eric Becker/Emerald)

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GAMEDAY

OREGON’S BIGGE AWAITS IN CLASH THE DUCKS PREPARE FOR THEIR 115TH MEETING WITH WASHINGTON

BY BRADY RUTH • TWITTER @BRADYRUTH10 • DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART

The Oregon Ducks and University of Washington Huskies clash during game 10 of the 2022 football season. The Ducks hosted the Huskies at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. on Nov. 12, 2022. (Ian Enger/Emerald)

The No. 8 Oregon Ducks (5-0, 2-0 Pac-12) and No. 7 Washington Huskies (5-0, 2-0 Pac-12) are set to face off in one of the biggest games in their storied history.

Two explosive offenses will collide in Seattle on Saturday in front of the eyes of the nation and ESPN’s College Gameday.

In what is sure to be each team’s biggest challenge so far this season — and there may not be a bigger regular season game for these programs all year — the upcoming game is shaping up to be one of the most exciting and high-scoring rivalry games in college football this season.

There’s no love lost between the Ducks and the Huskies, and both teams are sure to be fighting hard PA G E 1 0

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for a crucial win. There’s more than enough to talk about between these two teams — especially their quarterbacks — as Oregon looks to erase last year’s Washingtonfueled heartbreak.

HISTORY OF THE RIVALRY Oregon and Washington have played 114 times dating all the way back to 1900 (a game the Ducks won 43-0). The Huskies hold a 61-48-5 advantage in the all-time series, but Oregon’s had the upper hand lately, winning 15 of the last 18 meetings.

Washington’s biggest win came in a 66-0 beatdown in 1974, while Oregon’s most dominating effort came in 1973 when the Ducks bested the Huskies 59-0.

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The two teams have been evenly matched — especially recently. Of the 114 contests, 60 of them have been decided by 10 points or fewer (including each of the last four meetings).

The Ducks were victorious the last time they played at Husky Stadium with a 26-16 win. Oregon has won two straight in Seattle and look to extend the streak in the biggest game of its season thus far.

LAST SEASON’S HEARTBREAK Oregon fans, undoubtedly, are still dwelling on last year’s instant classic. A 37-34 upset win for No. 24 Washington over No. 6 Oregon brought the Ducks’ season crashing down around them.

Washington’s win — the fourth of now 12 straight overall wins the Huskies have earned — was a key factor in propelling second-year head coach Kalen DeBoer’s squad to its current top-10 ranking.

A true back-and-forth game just felt like one in which the team that scored last was going to win. That’s exactly what happened. Michael Penix Jr. connected with Taj Davis for a 62-yard score late in the fourth quarter to tie the game, and a later field goal sealed Oregon’s fate.

The loss sank the Ducks’ playoff hopes and any Pac-12 Championship aspirations. Oregon enters Saturday’s matchup again ranked in the top-10 as it looks to rewrite last season, silence Seattle and truly establish itself as one of

GAMEDAY

EST TEST SO FAR H WITH HUSKIES the best teams in the country.

EACH TEAM’S SEASON SO FAR Oregon and Washington both enter this game undefeated, and the two squads have already recorded some serious blowouts.

The Ducks’s season consists of an 81-7 win over Portland State University, a 38-30 victory against Texas Tech University, a dominating 55-10 effort over University of Hawaii and a pair of 42-6 wins over No. 19 Colorado and Stanford.

Washington, meanwhile, has bested Boise State University, the University of Tulsa, Michigan State University, Cal and Arizona by scores of 56-19, 43-10, 41-7, 59-32 and 31-24, respectively. The Michigan State game was a highlyanticipated game at the start of the season, but the Spartans’ firing of head coach Mel Tucker just days before the game turned the competition into an easy win for the Huskies.

Oregon’s wins over Texas Tech and Colorado stand out as the most impressive and challenging wins that either team has so far. The Ducks’ resume might be slightly more impressive, but make no mistake, Saturday’s game will be by far the biggest challenge either team has had to face in 2023.

Both teams had an offweek in Week 6, and the two squads have had two weeks now to prepare for each other. This marquee matchup happening so early in the conference season serves as a huge gut-check for both teams as they approach the gauntlet of their seasons.

But before Oregon or Washington can worry about their Pac-12 Championship Game aspirations, they have to get past one major obstacle: each other.

PLAYING TO THE STRENGTHS There’s no need to beat around the bush or try to find some creative area in which these two programs excel. It’s no secret that

both Oregon and Washington have incredible offenses.

With two potential Heisman candidates in Oregon quarterback Bo Nix and Washington quarterback Penix Jr., it’s hard to imagine Saturday’s contest resulting in anything but a shootout.

Penix Jr.

doesn’t have similar stats to some of the other Heisman contenders, but that’s partially due to him getting pulled in four of five blowout wins.

The Ducks’ defense looks steps above Washington’s, and head coach Dan Lanning’s play calling and gutsy decisions almost make it look like he has the ability to toy with his opponents.

Oregon’s main strength is its offense. But the Ducks, as a whole, are a unit.

A unit

major test to see if it can contain Nix and the Oregon offense. If the Ducks are able to effectively use their run and pass game against Washington, the Huskies’ defense could become a major liability.

Oregon absolutely has to minimize penalties on Saturday.

The Ducks are averaging 64 penalty yards per game. Although the undisciplined errors have been limited over recent weeks, Saturday’s game is not one that Oregon can afford to hurt itself in.

The team that makes fewer penalties and unforced errors will find a win in Seattle.

FUTURE OF THE PROGRAMS As the Pac-12 prepares for its imminent implosion, both the Ducks and Huskies have already found their new home: the Big Ten Conference.

Oregon and Washington made a pact: wherever one school went, the other would follow. And no university would leave the other behind. It was a brilliant move to ensure that two storied universities and programs would at least be together in the uncertain future.

It turned into a package deal that the Big Ten was thrilled to welcome. The conference got to add two great universities — as the Big Ten is known for only admitting schools that meet certain academic standards — as well as a storied rivalry.

The Big Ten has already released its football opponent schedule for the next five seasons and, sure enough, the Ducks and Huskies Ducks defensive end Brandon Dorlus (3) clashes with Huskies tight end Devin Clup (83). The Oregon Ducks hosted the University of are slated to play each Washington Huskies at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on Nov. 12, 2022, for game 10 of the 2022 season. (Ian Enger/Emerald) other in each of them, alternating between rooted in substance. games in Eugene and Seattle. already has 1,999 passing yards So, while Oregon’s 2023 football through only five games. He’s been season is full of opponents that may the subject of Heisman talks, and EXPOSING THE WEAKNESSES never be on the schedule again, for good reason. With weapons Washington remains a constant, like Rome Odunze and Ja’Lynn It’s hard to say Washington’s largely in thanks to a surprising Polk, limiting Penix Jr.’s offense defense has been much of a concern alliance between bitter rivals. serves as a very tall — and perhaps as the Huskies are winning games But there will be no friendly unrealistic — test. by 27.6 points on average, but it’s alliances on Saturday as two teams Oregon, on the other hand, far from the level the offense is on. with a hate-littered past clash in has looked like one of the most Washington hasn’t faced a highfront of the eyes of the nation. complete teams in the nation powered offense like it will with through its first five games. Nix the Ducks on Saturday, and it’ll be a T H U R S D AY, O C T O B E R 1 2 , 2 0 2 3

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NIX VS. PENIX COULD DEFINE OREGON VS. WASHINGTON

ALL EYES WILL BE ON THE TWO ELITE QUARTERBACKS IN OREGON’S UPCOMING GAME AGAINST WASHINGTON ON THE ROAD The No. 8 Oregon Ducks are about to play their biggest game so far this season against the No. 7 Washington Huskies. The newest installment of the historic rivalry will be a top-10 showdown in both teams’ final year in the Pac-12 before the two teams move to the Big Ten.

Bo Nix (10) throws a pass down the field. The University of Oregon Ducks football team defeated the Stanford University Cardinals in an away match at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, Calif., on Sept. 30, 2023. (Eric Becker/Emerald)

BY JOE MOORE • DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART

The matchup between the two teams will be held the Saturday after both teams had their bye week, meaning that both teams will come into the game with two weeks of practice and game planning for the contest. However, preparation can only take a team so far, and when it comes time for the game to be played, the clash could come down to one very simple matchup: Bo Nix vs. Michael Penix Jr. The two quarterbacks have both been the recipients of massive Heisman consideration so far this season as their respective teams have both started 5-0. Nix and Penix Jr. are looking to challenge another Pac-12 quarterback in reigning Heisman winner, USC’s Caleb Williams, for the crown.

It’s not often that two Heisman favorites get the opportunity to match up across from each other. But for Oregon and Nix, the game against the Huskies and Penix Jr. will be the first of three games against current top five Heisman candidates, adding in games against USC and Williams and Washington State and Cameron Ward that will come later in the season.

On paper, the counting stats seem to give the advantage to Penix Jr. His totals on the year so far include 1,999 passing yards and 16 passing touchdowns. Nix’s numbers come in lower at 1,459 passing yards and 15 passing touchdowns. However, that difference can be explained in a few ways.

Penix and the Washington offense rely almost entirely on the passing game. The Huskies average 446.4 yards per game in the air, good for first place in FBS by over 80 yards per game.

Their rushing game generates just 123 yards per game. In contrast to the air raid employed by the Huskies, the Ducks have the 10th ranked passing offense and eighth ranked rushing attack, with 330.6 yards and 227.2 yards per game respectively, for a much more balanced spread of play calling. The Huskies and the Ducks have Bo Nix (10) throws on the run. The Oregon Ducks football team defeated the Stanford Cardinal in an away match at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, Calif., on Sept. 30, 2023. (Eric Becker/Emerald)

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the most and second-most total yards per game so far this season, respectively. This incredible offense has led to Nix only playing one complete game so far this season. Nix’s numbers might be much higher than they already are.

The incredibly efficient Oregon run game has made it so that Nix does not have to do everything on offense for the Ducks so far this season. In stark contrast to that, Penix Jr. has been the fulcrum of the entire Washington offense due to his prolific passing abilities. The difference between how the two programs run their offense plays to the strengths of their respective personnel, but in Nix’s case, hurts his overall counting stats in the process.

Of course, the quarterback matchup will always be defined by the defenses they face. Oregon’s defense this year has been proven to be able to handle high level quarterbacks after its 42-6 dominant win over Colorado and the Buffs’ offense that has looked prolific most other weeks. Overall, the Oregon defense has allowed just 59 points so far this season, and just 12 points so far in conference games.

Washington’s defense has been less dominant.

Washington has allowed 92 points through its first five games, including 56 points in conference games against Cal and Arizona, who are a combined 2-4 in Pac-12 games. Oregon’s defense has proven better at slowing down high level offenses than Washington’s defense has throughout their first five games.

The matchup between Oregon and Washington will be the toughest game of the season so far for both teams, but both will have plenty of star power to fuel their attempts to overcome the other.

Whether Nix and the Oregon offense are able to prevail, or if Penix Jr. and the Washington offense prove able to continue with their incredible passing attack remains to be seen. Regardless of the outcome, the game seems poised to be an incredible matchup between two of the top Heisman candidates this year.

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GAMEDAY

THE GAUNTLET As the Pac-12 ramps up, the Ducks will face their toughest tests yet against a slew of ranked opponents

BY OWEN MURRAY • DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART As Oregon heads into Week 7 of the college football season, its story is just beginning to crescendo. The time? Now. The cakewalk? Over. The eyes of the nation? On Eugene. With the Ducks sitting at 5-0, and 2-0 in the Pac-12 after their bye week, it’s all getting serious.

The last eight games of the season have head coach Dan Lanning’s team facing six currently ranked teams, including the reigning Heisman winner, last year’s Pac-12 champions, Oregon’s eternal rivals for what could be the final time and this week’s visit to Seattle.

As Oregon’s final year in the Pac-12 races towards its conclusion, this is where mentality will be defined, mettle will be tested and champions will be crowned.

This is why fans watch sports.

First up is a crucial away trip to No. 7 Washington (5-0, 2-0 Pac-12), against whom last year’s season teetered on the precipice before falling short. It comes on the back of a bye week for both sides, through which the Ducks will have attempted to sustain the momentum that they gained in their 42-6 win over Stanford.

Not only is it a chance for the two top-ranked teams in the Pac-12 to go head to head, it’ll see two Heisman trophy contenders in Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr. face off. Both quarterbacks are expected to declare for the NFL draft following the season, and the final stretch will be their chance to boost their stock going into next April.

The week afterwards, Oregon will return to Autzen Stadium for the first time in nearly a month as they welcome the Huskies’ rivals. Pegged by many as a sneaky contender, Cameron Ward and No. 19 Washington State (4-1, 1-1 Pac-12) will look to drag the Ducks back toward the pack. WSU put the division on watch when they took down No. 15 Oregon State in their first top-25 matchup of the season, and could snag wins over both Oregon schools for the first time since 2018.

The following weekend’s matchups against a No. 16 Utah (4-1, 1-1 Pac-12) team whose potential is unknown, followed up with a potential ‘reset’ game against Cal (3-3, 1-2 Pac-12) come racing down the Ducks’ throats soon after.”. Last year, the Ducks managed a comfortable win at a similar point in the season, but as

the difficult games rain down upon the team, every game becomes a must-win if (as they argue) the Ducks’ goal is a playoff spot.

In that vein, what’s important to consider is dispelling the notion that a team that loses can’t make the College Football Playoff. It’s not so important whether a team loses so much as when it does so.

For the Ducks, it’s vital that they not drop one of their last three games — an always-powerful No. 19 USC (6-0, 4-0 Pac-12), a potential trap game away at Arizona State (1-5, 0-3 Pac-12) or the unpredictability of a visit from No. 15 Oregon State (5-1, 2-1 Pac-12) — for fear of falling down the AP poll faster than even their electric receiving core can remedy. In fact, if there’s one area that they can afford to come out second-best in, it’s almost undoubtedly this week’s College Gameday matchup. Though losing out to a direct Pac-12 and CFP rival is obviously undesirable, it allows for the chance to build back with a stretch of games that suddenly appear as an endless line of opportunities — and that’s the exact mentality that Oregon will look to hammer into every practice, drive and game.

A gauntlet of tests, as this stretch has become for Pac-12 teams, will examine not only the football ability, but the mental fortitude of a Ducks team that seems the most mature it’s been in years. It’s a program’s farewell to the Pac-12, it’s a statement of intent as they enter the Big Ten and it’s an opportunity to define an era. That doesn’t roll around too often, does it?

There’s few teams — and even fewer players — who can say with confidence that they had that level of impact upon a season. At such a junction in history as the college football landscape is faced with today, it’s nearly inevitable that somebody will seize the chance to write themselves into the history books. If they can pick their way through their final eight games, the Ducks might just find themselves standing on that precipice. All fans can do is watch.

Ducks running back Darrian Felix (22) pushes trough a tackle. Oregon Ducks football took on the USC Trojans at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Nov. 2, 2019. (DL Young/Emerald)

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GAMEDAY

NFL DUCKS’ PERFORMANCE OVER WEEK 5 Oregon has long been known for its considerable cast of alumni in the NFL, and this batch of Ducks is no different.

With 25 players rostered in Week 1, let’s check in on how our Pro Ducks are doing early on in the NFL season.

BY JOE KRASNOWSKI • DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART JUSTIN HERBERT Perhaps Oregon’s most notable alumnus, Herbert, a Eugene native and Sheldon High School graduate, has been nothing but terrific for the Chargers. Signing a record-breaking, five-year and $262.5 million dollar contract before the season to stay in Los Angeles, Herbert has picked up where he left off last year, totaling seven passing touchdowns to just one interception.

“He has one of the most unbelievable arms I’ve ever been around,” John Beck, Herbert’s personal quarterbacks coach said to The Athletic. “There’s just so many pieces all in one.” Now in year five, Herbert looks like the complete package behind center in Los Angeles.

CHRISTIAN GONZALEZ Despite being out for the year with a shoulder injury, Gonzalez, who was selected 17th overall by New England, had a stellar start to his pro career.

Being named the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Month in September, as well as adding his first career interception against the Dolphins in Week 2, Gonzalez will look to return next year to aid a struggling New England defense.

DEFOREST BUCKNER Duck fans remember Buckner for his fierce pass rush and run defense, and those strengths are

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still present at the NFL level. Currently signed to a four-year, $84 million contract in Indianapolis, Buckner’s dominance at the professional level has resulted in two Pro-Bowl selections as well as AllPro honors in the 2020 season. Through the first five weeks of this season, Buckner has tallied two sacks, three tackles for loss and a forced fumble.

KAYVON THIBODEAUX The Ducks’ most recent top-10 selection, Thibodeaux, has played well at the NFL level, adding four sacks early in the 2023 season. Despite his statistically strong start, Thibodeaux feels he has room to improve his play. “I feel like I haven’t played up to the standard I want to play at – whatsoever,” Thibodaux told NJ Advance Media.

Missing five games last year, Thibodeaux will look to remain healthy and help a struggling New York Giants team.

JEVON HOLLAND

ARIK ARMSTEAD Amid his ninth professional season, Armstead has been a key part of the No. 5 ranked San Francisco 49ers defense. Despite a slow start to his season, totaling just four total tackles so far in 2023, Armstead’s leadership stretches farther than his on-field performance. “That’s the professional he is,” teammate Javon Kinlaw told NBC Sports Bay Area of Armstead. “I respect him and have looked up to him from day one, wanting to be like him in so many different ways. He knows the game so well, how to execute. An all-around great football player. I’ve always said I want to be just like him,” Kinlaw said. On and off the field Armstead has proven to be a key contributor for the undefeated 49ers.

PENEI SEWELL

Ranking second amongst qualifying safeties with a 91.7 in Pro Football Focus — a commonly used grading system among football communities — Holland has been terrific early on this year for the Dolphins, totaling 31 total tackles as well as two forced fumbles. Seeing an increased role this year in Miami, Holland has stepped up for the Dolphins, who are now 4-1 and in first place in the AFC East.

A rock-solid contributor on the Lions’ toprated offensive line, Sewell has been tremendous in protecting quarterback Jared Goff. The Lions — one of the league’s up-and-coming teams — have been dominant at times on the ground and through the air, ranking sixth in total offense, largely due to the Sewell-led offensive line. “We were talking about grit. This dude’s [Sewell’s] got grit,” head coach Dan Campbell said to Sports Illustrated. “He plays dirty, he’s nasty, he gets after people.”

Oregon defensive lineman DeForest Buckner (44) attempts to block Georgia State quarterback Nick Arbuckle (4). Oregon Ducks football faced off against the Georgia State Panthers at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on Sept. 19, 2015. (Adam Eberhardt/Emerald)

Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert (10) admires the winning trophy. Oregon Ducks football took on Wisconsin for the 106th Rose Bowl Game at Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 1, 2020. (Maddie Knight/Emerald)

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CROSSWORD

WORD JUMBLE

Across

1 Stoppers 6 Facebook verb 10 Food writer Drummond 13 Southeast Asian capital 14 One-over-par score 15 Sargasso Sea spawner 16 *Period of connectivity that began in the 1990s 18 Maven 19 Paper cutters 20 Send via UPS or USPS 21 Billie Eilish’s “All the Good Girls Go to __” 22 *Place for navel gazers?

26 Actress Jessica who cofounded The Honest Company 28 Average booster 29 Sprang up 32 Firm: Abbr.

33 __ Lanka 36 *“Let me stop you right there” 40 Dead __ Scrolls 41 Iraq neighbor 42 Down-yielding duck 43 “McSorley’s Bar” painter 45 Fed. food stamper 47 *Power source for some superheroes?

50 Helen of Troy’s mother 54 The Grand Ole __ 55 Places for hoops and studs 57 “__ to Dirt”: Sharon Olds poem 58 Modern innovator, and what can be found in the answers to the starred clues 61 “Long,” in Hawaiian 62 Cola with a red, white, and blue logo 63 Sip 64 Inquire 65 Avant-garde 66 Dissuade

OBTOA UFLFF MRALOC ITNVEI Now arrange the circled letters to form the answer as suggested by the cartoon.

Down

32 Soda container 34 “Insecure” actress Issa 35 Leb. neighbor 37 Q.E.D. part 38 Sharp flavor 39 Lines of communication?

44 __ of the land 45 Dragon roll ingredient 46 Desertlike 47 Bucks 48 Beehives and some buns 49 Like the itsy-bitsy spider 51 Film critic Roger

52 Slow on the uptake 53 Starlike flower 56 Arrive at the airport safely 58 IRS form expert 59 She/__ pronouns 60 Fitting

ANSWERS

SUDOKU

THAT SCRAMBLED WORD GAME By David L. Hoyt & Jeff Knurek

1 Lure with false emails 2 Jousting weapon 3 Up to 4 Brings up the rear 5 Knight titles 6 Mucho 7 Three-time French Open winner Swiatek 8 Barrel of beer 9 Word with wash or wear 10 Said another way

11 Like a haunted house 12 Get to “I do” without the ado 14 Utterer of “Yogi-isms” 17 Gaming novice 20 Messy room 23 Glowing gas 24 “The Far Side” cartoonist Larson 25 Spotted 27 American __: veterans’ group 29 Commercial intrusions 30 Caviar 31 Racking up wins

Jumbles - TABOO, FLUFF, CLAMOR, INVITE CARTOON CAPTION - FOOT TRAFFIC

Unscramble these Jumbles, one letter to each square, to form four ordinary words.

©2023 Tribune Content Agency, LLC All Rights Reserved.

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GAMEDAY

The two teams wrestle for control of the ball. The Oregon Ducks hosted the University of Washington Huskies at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on Nov. 12, 2022. (Ian Enger/Emerald)

NEW BIG TEN SCHEDULING PROGRAM WILL INCREASE TRAVEL TIMES After the Big Ten announced the elimination of its East and West divisions, how will its new Flex Protect Plus program affect Oregon football and its athletes?

BY NINA-GRACE MONTES • DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART After Oregon football announced its conference matchups for 2024 through 2028, one thing that stood out was the road trip distance. This season, the team will travel 4,509 miles to play games on the road. Next season, all of that changes.

Oregon’s 2024 conference road trip distance is 12,618 miles with just one one-way flight to UCLA being less than 1,000 miles.

And that’s the same for all Pac-12 schools joining the Ducks in the new conference.

Washington will travel 16,573 miles over the course of the 2024 conference season. Both Los Angeles schools will each travel over 15,000 miles for their inaugural seasons.

Part of the reason for the long travels is because the Big Ten eliminated the East and West divisions starting in 2024. Instead of the best teams from each division facing each other in the conference championship game, the top two schools with the best conference records at the end of the season will play each other.

The conference elected to continue the nine conference game format through a Flex Protect Plus model. The model features a “combination of protected opponents and rotating opponents” to where each team will play “every other conference opponent at least twice — home and away — in a four year period,” according to the statement the Big Ten released.

When the Big Ten added the four Pac-12 schools, they faced some scheduling challenges when creating a fair and reasonable schedule.

The Flex Protect Plus program includes 11 protected rivalry games including University PA G E 1 8

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of Michigan-Ohio State University, MichiganMichigan State University, UCLA-USC and Oregon-Washington, too.

“Divisions are very difficult to balance because they’d have to be large,” Tony Petitti, the Big Ten commissioner, told The Athletic. “And secondly, if you’re playing nine conference games and you’re breaking into divisions, you’re playing so much against your own division that you’re not really crossing over. The inability to see other teams and really connect with the conference is not ideal. So, there’s a competitive aspect to it, but there’s also a lot of practicality.”

To be fair, the Big Ten has less than a year to fully prepare for its new members to join the league, which means there is less than a year to nail down cross-country travel and logistics in all of the sponsored sports. But in the interview with The Athletic, the practicality of the new system wasn’t explained.

Oregon now has to build infrastructure to accommodate its new network. It is being forced to invest in more resources for academics, nutrition and mental health. It’s great that the athletes will have this, but at what cost?

Travel alone isn’t the new concern, but the length of the trips in the aggregate is.

Without the divisions, travel schedules vary each year, causing inconsistency for the athletes for practice schedules, planning accommodations with professors and rest for their bodies and mental health.

UCLA announced that by the time the school is officially in the Big Ten, every athlete on campus will have breakfast and lunch made by nutritionists and dieticians served to them to

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make sure they are being fueled properly. All athletes were gifted noise-canceling headphones and Wi-Fi hot spots to do homework on planes on top of increased staffing for mental health and academic support.

USC has been putting a lot of effort into its sports science research and learning how to best optimize its athletes’ nutrition and sleep. USC has also been in contact with professional sports teams based on the West Coast who consistently travel across the country.

Oregon hasn’t publicized its plan to prepare athletes for the conference switch, but it’s likely to be similar to what the two Los Angeles schools are doing.

This new model eliminates division imbalance, which leads to title game blowouts that the Big Ten usually sees — three of the past 11 Big Ten Championships have been decided by single digits — and removes annual games that don’t need to be played. There’s a more robust schedule rotation and the opportunity to play in every Big Ten venue before graduation.

However, it doesn’t seem as practical as Petitti said. It seems like a great business decision for TV deals, ticket sales and investment for the fans watching from home, but what about the athletes? You can prepare for an opponent as much as possible, but long plane rides take a toll on your body. Stress from missing class and a lack of sleep also takes a toll on your body.

Being in the right space physically and mentally can change the outcome of a game. For a team that has to travel from Eugene to Michigan, Wisconsin and Indiana, next season, this new system doesn’t seem pragmatic.

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A debit card for Duck fans

Or visit MyOCCU.org/GameDayDuck

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