Oregon Football: Ranking 2020 opponents by toughness

The lone revenge game on the slate for Oregon, this Nov. 13 matchup with Herm Edwards’ Arizona State team is going to be a fun one. After a big win over the Ducks in 2019, as well as victories over Michigan State and Washington, the Sun Devils have shown that they can hang with some of the big boys in the sport.

This game will be especially big for the young Tyler Shough. Arizona State’s defense is stout against the run, ranking third in the Pac-12 and 26th nationally, and they’ll force Shough to beat them through the air. This November matchup will be a huge indicator of the growth, or lack thereof, in the young Duck passer.

In the last two seasons, Cal has been a tale of two sides of the ball. The offense has struggled, scoring just 28 points on only three occasions in their last 21 contests. The Bears finished last in the Pac-12 a year ago in scoring offense, passing offense, and total offense, and in the 100s nationally in scoring, rushing, and total.

Despite those poor numbers, Cal’s defense has made them an extremely tough out in recent years. Kenny Deng returns to anchor the unit from the middle linebacker spot after finishing second on the team in tackles with 119 a season ago. Additionally, experienced defensive ends Zeandae Johnson and Luc Bequette both received a sixth year of eligibility after injuries.

With eight returning starters on the defense, a trip to Berkeley could be a bear trap for the Ducks in 2020.