The battle of the Pac-12 undefeated teams sees Washington vs Oregon on October 14, 2023. Eighth-ranked Oregon Ducks travel to Seattle to take on the seventh-ranked Washington Huskies. Oregon has won 15 of the last 18 matchups. Last year, Washington came out on top against the Ducks 37-34 in a shootout. Saturday’s anticipated matchup has been a decade in the making. In preparation, we look back at what led us to what many think can be the best game of the season.
Look at the Last 10 Years
Each team has won a Pac-12 championship, been to a Rose Bowl, and has a playoff berth between them. Despite recent success, both teams struggled to meet failed expectations. After the 2021 season, both teams needed a reset. Washington was 4-8, which resulted in the firing of their head coach. At that point, Oregon lost head coach Mario Cristobal to his alma mater, Miami. After their departures, it was the perfect opportunity to do that.
Washington vs Oregon Coaching Decisions
Washington was the first to make a coaching decision. They hired Fresno State’s head coach, Kalen DeBoer. DeBoer had winning records everywhere he went, but he coached at lower levels. Oregon soon followed. They hired a coach fresh off a national championship. Dan Lanning came from Georgia’s defensive coordinator. Lanning is young, and some questioned how much control he had over Georgia’s defense.
Both coaches lacked notoriety and are not flashy names. Fans were skeptical of the up-and-comers. Despite the skepticism, both coaches soon brought culture to their respective teams. Two of the top quarterbacks came in from the transfer portal followed in that same offseason. Success followed. Fans came on board.
Washington vs Oregon Quarterbacks
Washington’s Micheal Penix Jr. and Oregon’s Bo Nix quarterbacks are similar. Both quarterbacks needed as much of a fresh start as the programs did. Penix struggled while at Indiana. This resulted in season-ending injuries each of his years there. He wanted to go to a program that could showcase his talent. This led to him leaving the Big Ten. It is a conference known more for smash-mouth, ground-and-pound football.
Penix
Deboer saw Penix’s potential firsthand. Penix’s 2019 career at Indiana was under DeBoer, his offensive coordinator. Indiana had the third-ranked offense in the conference. Penix’s precise decision-making and fast delivery were invaluable. They brought a different element to the Huskies’ aerial passing offense. They were led by Deboer and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb. The reunion led Washington to an 11-2 season. They saw three wins against ranked opponents. The culmination was an Alamo Bowl win against Texas.
Nix
As for Oregon, Bo Nix also felt a change of scenery was the best thing for his career. Nix, a former legacy QB at Auburn, felt the immense pressure of playing for the school his father starred at. He played for many coaches and had to compete against Alabama and Georgia every season. After the 2021 season, Nix was ready to make the change. Unlike the pair in Washington, there was no clear front-runner from Nix’s next landing spot. Like Penix, he wanted to revive his career in an offense that best utilized his talents. He decided on Oregon.
Nix and coach Lanning did not have a prior relationship. The SEC was the only commonality the two shared. Despite the lack of familiarity with the coaching staff, Oregon had a history with Nix. Oregon is the team he made his primetime college debut against. Before last season, it was the best game of his career. Nix fought back, down 21, to beat an 11th-ranked Oregon team led by Justin Herbert. Last year, Nix proved that stepping out of his dad’s shadow was a great decision. He reinvented who he was as a quarterback and led Oregon to a 10-3 season.
Foregoing the Draft
It was a season filled with wins and Heisman considerations. Both quarterbacks decided to forego the draft. They returned for their senior season and a shot at a Pac-12 championship. The decision had a domino effect on both teams’ players, who played another year for the programs. With an explosive year, they may be two of the highest-rated senior quarterbacks in next year’s draft.
According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, there will be 34 NFL scouts in attendance. Thamel said,
“That’s more scouts than teams.” They will be there to watch both offenses. The key matchup will be Washington’s offense vs Oregon’s offense in a battle of who can score the most points.
The over-under is at 67 points.
Both teams only have one game each where they have scored under 40. They have many 40 and 50-point games between them, with Oregon opening up the season scoring 81 points. Oregon has the number one scoring margin. With 39.8 points and scoring 51.6 points per game, they rank second in the nation. According to ESPN:
“Washington would rank in the top half of the country in scoring just using its first-half scoring average (30.2 ppg) … Both teams combine for 97.6 points per game, which is the highest for teams that are 5-0 since 2008.”
The Huskies and the Ducks rank first and second in gaining the most yards on offense. The Huskies look to gain most of their yards through the air with their #1-ranked passing offense. Rome Odunze, Jalen McMillan, and Ja’Lynn Polk lead a motion-heavy pass offense. They are one of the most explosive trio of receivers.
Michael Penix Jr. and the Receiving Corps Behind the Country’s Most high-power Offense
Kyle Bonagura’s article, “Michael Penix Jr. and the Receiving Corps Behind the Country’s Most high-power Offense,” expands on this. It delves into how Washington convinced star receivers to stay. The breakout that followed was noteworthy. The offense utilized their talents to the full extent.
“They made a strong case for the best trio of receivers in college football last season with a combined 195 catches for 2,937 yards with 22 touchdowns, perhaps rivaled only by Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka and Julian Fleming (185/2,947/30).”
Odunze is ranked in the top five for receiving yards with 608 yards. McMillan ranks in the top three in the Pac-12 with 103.7 yards per game. Washington’s Germie Bernard is a Michigan State transfer. Last year, he saw firsthand what the Huskies offense is capable of during his time as a Spartan. He has emerged this season with 17 catches, with McMillan and Odunze being nicked up. After a bye week, both receivers should be ready to go.
Oregon’s defense looks to slow Washington down. They have the second-best defense in the conference. They are in the national top ten, only giving up 255 yards per game.
Against the pass, the Ducks are first in the conference. They are the national fifth, only giving up 153 yards per game. Oregon has to continue to get yardage on the ground with Bucky Irving. He leads as the eighth-best rushing attack in the country. This opens up play-action opportunities for Nix. His favorite targets are wide receiver Troy Franklin and tight end Terrence Ferguson.
Washington vs Oregon – What to Expect
Which team will keep riding their excellent coaching staff? Will Heisman contenders at quarterbacks make it? How will explosive offenses remain undefeated for a shot at a Pac-12 championship? Will we see another college football berth? Follow University Foot-ball to find out.
by Tarohn Finley
