Pac-12 Football 2017: 5 teams on upset alert in Week 7
By Zach Bigalke
Stanford and Oregon was among the biggest rivalries in the country for a short while, as the two schools annually competed for the Pac-12 North title in the aftermath of expansion. The winner of the contest won the first four Pac-12 championship games. Stanford won the league in 2015, as Oregon knocked the Cardinal out of College Football Playoff contention.
This year Stanford hosts the Ducks in the Bay Area as a 10.5-point favorite. While Oregon struggled to defeat against now-No. 8 Washington State last week, the Cardinal offer a much more winnable opportunity for the Ducks. Justin Herbert is out with a fractured collarbone, but Oregon still has a formidable backfield chock full of rushing talent.
After a rough start to his college career, freshman Braxton Burmeister gets more receiving talent back this week. Both Dillon Mitchell and Charles Nelson return from injury for the new quarterback’s second career start. Against a struggling Stanford defense that ranks 90th in rushing defense and 100th in passing yards allowed, the Ducks could generate another blowout.
On the other hand, Oregon’s defense ranks second in the Pac-12 as the group allows fewer than 100 yards per game on the ground. If they can bottle up Heisman contender Bryce Love, the Ducks have a great shot at putting Stanford on upset alert this weekend.