Oregon Football: 3 bold predictions vs. Auburn in season opener

3. Justin Herbert’s jersey will stay cleaner than Bo Nix’s

If you enjoy good play at the line of scrimmage, you need to tune into this game. Auburn has one of the greatest defensive lines with Nick Coe and Derrick Brown returning. However, Oregon has one of the best offensive lines in college football. On this side of the ball, the line will be the most exciting thing to watch.

However, I think Herbert’s jersey will stay relatively clean. I trust his offensive line, and he is smart enough to know what to do with the football when pressure comes. He might have to make some hurried passes out of bounds, but I don’t see the Tigers getting more than a couple of sacks.

The reason I expect Nix to be more hurried is because he is a freshman. Oregon’s defensive line isn’t necessarily elite, but it will take Nix time to get used to being in charge of a college offense. He can be elusive, but he’s not as mobile as a typical Gus Malzahn quarterback. I could see him holding onto the ball too long and making a few rookie mistakes early in this game.

Auburn also had a really bad offensive line last season. Jarrett Stidham has shown his talent already in the NFL preseason, and not even he could avoid getting sacked last year.

This won’t necessarily determine the game, but it is certainly something to watch. I expect Herbert to show poise against the Tigers, while Nix is more likely to end up in the dirt.