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

Bo Nix cements legacy and uplifts Oregon Ducks over Washington Huskies

This is the game Bo Nix and the entire Oregon football team had circled on their calendar: a chance to get some revenge after getting upset at home last season against Penix and the Huskies.

This is the kind of game that Bo Nix came back to Oregon for— big games against big teams with high stakes. The last time Nix faced a team ranked No. 7 or better was in Week 1 of the 2022 college football season when the Ducks got roasted by Georgia in Atlanta 49-3. Nix went on a personal crusade after that game, helping Oregon rattle off eight consecutive wins, including wins against No. 12 BYU and No. 9 UCLA.

But, it was Penix and the Huskies that stopped the Ducks in their tracks last season, derailing what appeared to be a team headed to the 2022 College Football Playoffs. Here it is, nearly a year later with the same sort of script at play.

Last season, against Washington, Nix threw for 280 yards, 2 touchdowns, and ran the ball 10 times for 55 yards and a touchdown. They’ll need that caliber of performance, or perhaps even better than that to top these Huskies.

Nix, focused as ever, confident as ever, is ready to push through and keep the Ducks on a path of riches. A win against No. 7 Washington will give him a marked boost in the Heisman trophy race. Most books have him, Michael Penix Jr., and last year’s winner, Caleb Williams all in a three-man race for the coveted trophy.

A win will also ensure the Ducks continue their revenge tour, keeping their hopes for a College Football Playoff invitation alive one more week before facing a gauntlet that includes games against No. 10 USC, No. 15 Oregon State, No. 16 Utah and No. 19 Washington State in four of their final six games. Work will still need to be done, but a loss to Washington means they’ll have to get some outside help to make it to the conference championship game and eventually the Playoffs.

With the recent play of Nix, there’s no reason to doubt that he won’t rise to the occasion. The seasoned vet is putting up big numbers, having thrown for 1,459 yards and 15 touchdowns while completing better than 80% of his passes.

Against a Washington defense that’s giving up 365 yards of offense this season, Nix should have the opportunity to show the college football world that he’s the best player in college football this season.