It seems that no matter what is expected of Utah in a given year, what injuries it incurs or who its starting quarterback is, the Utes always find themselves in the thick of the Pac-12 race.
And with this being the final one, it's only fitting that Kyle Whittingham's team is right there again, one of four one-loss teams in conference play along with the Ducks as the season heads into the final stretch.
No. 8-ranked Oregon (6-1, 3-1 Pac-12) travels to Salt Lake City to take on No. 13 Utah (6-1, 3-1) at 12:30 p.m. PT on Saturday (on FOX).
It doesn't need to be said that this is a must-win for the Ducks, and our Duck Sports Authority staff covers all angles of the matchup and delivers predictions in the weekly staff roundtable.
What is Oregon's biggest concern heading into this game?
Brandon Gibson: "After the scare at the end of the Washington State game, I’d say my biggest concern heading into this game is running back health. Oregon has a couple of promising looking freshmen in Jayden Limar and Dante Dowdell, but you definitely don’t want to have to push them into action as depth against Utah. Utah is currently ranked No. 5 in the NCAA in rushing defense and should provide the stiffest challenge for Oregon’s powerful offensive line and rushing attack. As long as Bucky Irving and Jordan James can stay healthy, we’ll likely land somewhere between the Ducks' rushing average and the Utah rushing yardage allowed, but Oregon will need to rely on the passing game quite a bit in this matchup. Despite the reliance, Oregon will need the rushing game to get going, as it will be key to getting Nix the time to throw and could be key in the closing moments of a close game."
Scott Reed: "There are two things that concern me. The first is the tendency for Oregon to start slowly on the road this season. This is not limited to good teams or even mediocre teams; the Ducks have had slow starts against Texas Tech, Stanford and a little bit against Washington. But the last one gives reason for some hope as I thought Oregon played better against Washington in the first quarter than they had in their prior road games this season. The reality is that this Utah defense will be the best Oregon sees this season (unless it makes the College Football Playoff) and the offense cannot afford a slow start in Salt Lake as that is going to give more energy to a crowd that hardly needs it. The other concern is exactly the same as Brandon stated: running back health. While I do not expect the Ducks to get 200 on the ground, they will need experience in the backfield and Bucky Irving’s receiving out of the backfield will be a big part of the game plan. If he is close to 100 percent, then the duo of he and Jordan James should be able to do enough on the ground to keep the offense moving. If not? Then the Ducks are going to need a true freshman (or two) to step up in a hostile environment. That is a lot to ask of two running backs who have combined for just 25 carries and 128 yards in their college careers."
Aaron Heisen: "Toughness. No matter who Utah’s quarterback is, one thing that remains constant is the Utes play with a grit unlike any team in the Pac-12. Under head coach Kyle Whittington, that’s always been the standard. Last year, the Ducks matched it and eked out a 20-17 victory at home over Utah. But two years ago, the Utes overwhelmed the Ducks, ambushing them to the tune of two blowout victories — one in Salt Lake and another in the Pac-12 championship game in Las Vegas. This Oregon team is constructed differently than those two and in many ways it's built for a game like this — one that will be decided in the trenches. This season, the pass rush has been one of the Ducks’ strengths and it will be vital to make Utah quarterback Bryson Barnes unsettled from the start."
Of the remaining games, where do you rank this matchup in terms of difficulty and importance?
Scott: "Given the loss at Washington and the goals of this team, I consider each game of the same importance. The margin for error if the Ducks want to make the College Football Playoff is gone and every game is a must-win moment to get to the playoffs. This will likely be the most difficult regular-season game remaining for two obvious reasons. First, after this game, Oregon plays three of its final four games in the friendly confines of Autzen Stadium. The one road game is against an Arizona State team – though it has shown great pluckiness – that is still a 1-6 team who averages just 17 points per game and struggles to move the ball effectively. The second issue is that this will be the toughest defense Oregon faces. To do so in a hostile environment is going to present challenges and there is a sort of pressure on Oregon here to win out – and that means getting past the two-time defending Pac-12 champion."
Brandon: "I’m at a bit of a toss-up on whether Utah on the road or Oregon State at home will be the most difficult game remaining on the schedule. Although Utah might be the more talented defense, the offense hasn’t found itself (playing USC’s defense doesn’t count), but it has the very friendly confines of Rice-Eccles Stadium. With Oregon State, the Beavers are playing at a different level this season and will be looking for blood come Friday, November 24th. Oregon State is a very solid team, and thanks to its current status in the Pac-2, I’d expect it to come out on all cylinders. Oregon is fortunate to have this game at home and will likely need its A-game to keep the Beavers at bay. At this time, I’m going to give the game formerly known as the “Civil War” the nod for top spot, but Saturday’s game is a very close second. You may notice that I left USC visiting Autzen out of the competition, and that is primarily because USC is regressing so far and doesn’t have any semblance of a defense.
"As far as importance goes, and as the coaches will always tell you, Utah is the most important game of the season. Beyond the usual coach speak, the Ducks also have the eyes of the nation on them once again and will need a good showing against Utah to stay in the hunt for the CFP and to show it future competitive ability in the Big Ten. This will be the Ducks' second game covered by ESPN GameDay, and the winner of this stays alive in the hunt for the Pac-12 title game. On the other hand, dropping a game later to OSU (or anyone else remaining) would be a definite blow to the program, but not nearly as visible as the competition this weekend."
Aaron: "This is the most difficult game the Ducks have remaining on their schedule. This is no slight to USC or Oregon State, but both those games are in Autzen stadium and there is a stark contrast in comfortability when the Ducks play on the road versus at home. That was evident in their last few matchups with Utah. A win at home and two losses on the road or in neutral sites. To that point, the venue doesn’t bode well for the Ducks. While Oregon won’t face as prolific of a quarterback as USC and Oregon State have, it’ll face the most well-oiled and well-coached team of the three."
