Oregon football: 3 bold predictions for season-defining game vs Huskies

Oregon Ducks lean on defense in expected offensive blowout

The Ducks’ defense is in for a challenge of epic proportion when they take on Michael Penix Jr. and the high-octane Huskies offense. Washington leads the country in total yards of offense per game with 569.4 yards on average. If that wasn’t enough, they are third in the country in points per game this season, putting up an average of 46 points per game entering Week 6.

This defense is up to the task, however. They’ve managed to hold their opponents to just 11.8 points per game this season, good enough for sixth-fewest among all college football teams. To date, this Oregon defense has kept the red-hot Colorado Buffaloes to just six points in front of a sold-out Autzen Stadium back in Week 4. In fact, the Oregon football team has held four of their five opponents this season to 10 points or fewer. They gave up 30 points in an outlier to Texas Tech in Week 2.

Much of the credit for this staunch defense has to go to two of the team’s stud defensive backs, Tysheem Johnson, Khyree Jackson, and Evan Williams. Combined, this trio has registered 63 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 6 defended passes, and two interceptions.

And this Oregon football team is no stranger to competing against star quarterbacks, just look at what they did to Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders. The Ducks handed Sanders his worst performance as a Power 5 quarterback, limiting him to a season-low 159 passing yards and one touchdown to pair along with seven sacks.

The edge has to go to Oregon and their defense in this matchup. They’ve proven they can stop opposing offenses week in and week out this season and against more talented teams than what Washington has seen thus far.