After a brutal 3-3 midseason stretch, Oregon has a chance to right the ship and salvage the season. While a Pac-12 Championship berth seems unlikely, the Ducks will be looking to win out and qualify for a bowl game.
Oregon (5-3, 3-2 Pac-12) took another step in the right direction by surviving a triple overtime bout against Arizona State on Halloween weekend. Thanks to some late game heroics, and questionable calls, the Ducks took the 61-55 victory.
While Oregon looks to be trending upwards, the same can’t be said of this weekend’s opponent. California (5-3, 2-3 Pac-12) stumbles into Eugene on a three-game losing streak, marring its early season success. The high-powered Golden Bears offense has struggled as of late and their defense has given up points, leading to a 97-69 point differential over the losing streak.
Here are the matchups to watch for on Saturday:
Oregon front seven vs. California offensive line
The key to slowing down Cal is preventing the passing attack from gaining rhythm, so the Ducks should look to bring pressure and force quarterback Jared Goff into throwing before he is ready. Oregon has one of the best sack rates in the conference, despite showing a reluctance to send extra bodies on the blitz to help the defensive line. One player who fits the bill is outside linebacker Tyson Coleman, who was named the defensive player of the game against ASU after recording nine tackles, one sack and forcing a fumble.
Oregon running backs vs. California linebackers
Oregon ranks sixth in the nation in rushing yards per game, averaging 283.5. For Cal, the key will be containing the ground game and forcing the Ducks to win through the air. This will most likely be accomplished through the play of the linebackers — a group that has a lot of depth and talent for the Golden Bears. Hardy Nickerson leads the way as the middle backer, delivering punishing blows while making smart adjustments on the fly. This year, Nickerson has 53 tackles, including a season-high 13 against the Trojans. Look for the Ducks ball carriers to avoid the middle of the field and try to escape Cal on the edge with their speed.
Players to watch:
Oregon:
Vernon Adams Jr.
Adams is coming off one of his best performances last week, where his ability to escape inside the pocket earned him the nickname “Houdini.” Against ASU, he threw for 315 yards and four touchdowns, and even those numbers don’t do him justice.
Tyree Robinson
The Oregon secondary is slowly climbing into the region of serviceable play — where it can make stops and prevent the opposing passing attack from running rampant across the field. One of the big reasons for this transition is the play of sophomore cornerback Robinson. His size, length and growing ability to anticipate quarterback’s throws has helped him become one of the stars on the Oregon defense. On the season, he has 38 tackles and three interceptions, including one he took to the house against Georgia State back in week three. Against the impressive array of Cal receivers, Robinson will be key in forcing stops and swinging momentum back towards the Ducks.
California:
Jared Goff
No list of players to watch for Cal would be complete without star quarterback Goff, who leads the 12th-ranked aerial attack in the nation this season. He has thrown for 2,537 yards and 22 touchdowns this year with a quarterback rating of 151.7.
Kenny Lawler
While Goff has a tendency to share the ball across his receiving corps, Lawler should take the lion’s share. The junior has a great nose for where the ball will be thrown, using his size and cunning to shift the defensive backs out of the way for spectacular grabs. Lawler also has speed, so one missed tackle and he can really gouge a defense. On the year, he has 42 catches for 527 yards and nine touchdowns. While most of his success came earlier in the season, look for Lawler to plant his flag in Eugene and haul in some of his quarterback’s touchdown throws.
Follow Christopher Keizur on Twitter @chriskeizur