Last week, the #8 Oregon Ducks avenged their first loss by beating Washington State by 14. Later that day, the #13 Utah Utes won a thriller against the USC Trojans on the road. Only one team can win this weekend in a game with huge Pac-12 championship implications.
The home team has won the last four matchups that the Ducks and the Utes have played against each other. A pair of split conference championship games are sandwiched between those battles. Both programs are phenomenal, which is why Oregon vs. Utah is the undisputed game of the week.
#8 Oregon Ducks vs. #13 Utah Utes Odds and Match Details
| Team | Spread | Total | ML |
| Oregon | -7
-110 |
Over 49
-110 |
-270 |
| Utah | +7
-110 |
Under 49
-110 |
+220 |
| *Odds Subject to Change | |||
Fixture: Oregon Ducks @ Utah Utes
Date and Time: October 28, 2023, at 3:30 p.m. EST
Location: Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah
Field Surface: FieldTurf Vertex Prime
Weather: Mostly Cloudy, Slightly Windy, and 46 Degrees
Key Stats
#8 Oregon Ducks
Oregon’s brilliance begins with an offense that paces the nation with 553.0 yards per game. Quarterback Bo Nix leads a passing game that’s eighth in the country. He has 2,089 yards, 19 touchdowns, and only one interception to his name. Wide receiver Troy Franklin is sixth nationally with 768 receiving yards. On the ground, they’re averaging 226.9 yards (6th in the country), with Bucky Irving’s 649 yards leading the team. LSU is the only school outscoring Oregon’s 47.0 points per game.
Defensively, the Ducks are only giving up 17.0 points per game. That group dominates the ground game, holding their foes to 95.1 per contest thus far. Meanwhile, they’ve also picked up 25 sacks while limiting opposing quarterbacks to 217.4 passing yards. Khyree Jackson’s injury has hurt them a bit, but he could return this week to bolster a sturdy defensive unit.
#13 Utah Utes
Utah hasn’t had their starting quarterback all season, but they still managed to score 34 points in each of the past two weeks. This offense, which averages 23.4 points per game, primarily relies on running the ball. The Utes are racking up 183.3 rushing yards per contest, and 11 of their touchdowns have come on the ground. That’ll be the key on Saturday, as the quarterback situation has resulted in only 161.7 passing yards per game.
The wins keep coming because the Utes only give up 15.0 points per game. Like the Ducks, Utah is dominant against the run, limiting opponents to 78.0 yards per game. They’ve also sacked enemy quarterbacks 25 times while holding them to a completion percentage of 55.4%. At home, Utah has yet to allow any foe to reach 20 points against them. Will that streak continue on Saturday?
Game Prediction
The previous three Oregon vs. Utah games failed to reach 50 points, and this one shouldn’t be any different. Utah’s offense predictably struggles against solid teams. Their backup quarterbacks aren’t as capable of passers as Cameron Rising, and the running game isn’t dominant enough to overcome that. Oregon, who has an incredible run defense, should shut them down.
On the other side, Utah’s defense is among the nation’s best. They are strong enough to keep the Ducks in check on the ground. Through the air, they just held last year’s Heisman-winning quarterback to 256 yards, so facing Bo Nix at home won’t pose an insurmountable threat. The defenses will dominate Saturday’s pivotal clash.
