Oregon football looks for statement win against Auburn in Week 1

Oregon football has high hopes in 2019, and it will look to make an early statement in Arlington against Auburn on Saturday night.

The last time Oregon Football met Auburn on the gridiron was in the 2010 BCS National Championship Game, with the Tigers escaping with a controversial 22-19 victory that has inspired much debate in the near-decade since.

Both teams enter Saturday night’s primetime matchup in Arlington with big hopes in 2019. Thanks to a ton of returning talent and a blue-chip laden recruiting class, Oregon is the preseason favorite to win the Pac-12, and might represent the conference’s best hope of getting a team into the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2016.

Mario Cristobal’s first season with the Ducks ended with nine wins, but much more is expected in 2019. Justin Herbert’s decision to return to school instead of entering the draft, where he was widely expected to be a top-10 pick, was an unexpected boost for Oregon. With all five starters back on the offensive line, and a pair of dynamic running backs in CJ Verdell and Travis Dye, the Ducks should have a dynamic offense.

On the other side, Gus Malzahn has bet on himself at Auburn, agreeing to a reduced buyout to maintain his post on the Plains for at least one more season. Most observers view him as a sitting duck, and expect this to be his final year with the Tigers. But Malzahn is always at his best with his back against the wall, and there’s plenty of talent on the Plains to think Auburn could make a push in the SEC.

The Tigers are loaded on the defensive front, and have a ton of talent at the skill positions. Their success will come down to how quickly true freshman quarterback Bo Nix can mature. If the former five-star recruit is the real deal, then Auburn could compete with Alabama in the SEC West and potentially be a contender in the College Football Playoff race.

Here’s how you can watch Saturday night’s matchup between the Ducks and Tigers.

Date: Saturday, Aug. 31
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Arlington, Texas
Venue: AT&T Stadium
TV: ABC
Live Stream: WatchESPN

Keys to Victory

This game likely comes down to the battle in the trenches, particularly when Oregon has the ball. The Ducks have one of the nation’s best and most experienced offensive lines, headlined by four seniors and stud sophomore Penei Sewell. They’ll face a stern test against an Auburn defensive line that is as good as any unit in the country led by defensive tackle Derrick Brown, who, like Herbert, turned down an opportunity to be a high draft pick in order to return to school.

Can Oregon win the battle up front and open up running lanes to maintain offensive balance? Or will Auburn dominate and force Herbert to have to throw more than the coaching staff would be comfortable with?

On the other side, with Auburn starting a true freshman at quarterback, can a young, but talented, Oregon defensive front manufacture pressure and force Nix into mistakes? Malzahn will look to keep things simple and get the ball out of Nix’s hands quickly, but if the Ducks can keep Auburn off schedule by putting them in third-and-long situations, then Nix could be forced to push the ball down the field and an experienced Oregon secondary could force some turnovers that swings the game.

Betting Odds

Odds courtesy of Bovada

Point Spread: Auburn -3.5
Over/Under: 55

Prediction

This might be the most evenly-matched game of the weekend. Both teams have a ton of talent, and the strength of each team will be going head-to-head when the Ducks have the football. I expect Auburn’s defensive line to get the better of Oregon’s offensive line in a few key situations, and that might ultimately be the difference in the game. I think this is a true toss-up, though, and could easily see either outcome. To play it safe, give me Auburn to win, but I’ll hedge my bets with the Ducks covering the 3.5 point spread.

Final Score: Auburn 34, Oregon 31