Another Pac-10 Gem - Oregon Ducks at Stanford Cardinal

Oregon Ducks at Stanford Cardinal

Saturday, November 7th – 3:30 PM ET

NCAA College Football Odds & Lines: Oregon -6.5, O/U: 58.5

Oregon: The Week That Was

The week that was turned out to be no ordinary week for the Ducks, who played their best game since the 2002 Fiesta Bowl rout of Colorado that enabled UO to finish second (behind Miami) in the season-ending national rankings.

This past Halloween, Oregon Ducks frightened a lot of defensive coordinators in the Pac-10 by throttling USC, 47-20, to take complete control of the Pac-10 race.

You've probably seen the stats dished out by the Ducks against Pete Carroll's crew: 613 total yards, 392 rushing yards, and only one punt that came very late in the first half. Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli executed coach Chip Kelly's spread option to perfection, and running back LaMichael James, who rumbled for 183 yards against USC, showed an awesome combination of power and speed.

The Ducks simply dominated one of the most accomplished teams in the sport, and made an elite defensive coach (Carroll) look absolutely powerless.

Stanford: The Week That Was

For Stanford Cardinal, the past weekend was spent relaxing... and then worrying. The Cardinal had a bye week, and were surely studying Oregon when the Ducks did their thing against USC. After being scared by what they saw, coaches and players likely shrugged off their uncertainties and got to work in the film room. 

In Stanford's most recent game, the Cardinal bolted to a big early lead and cruised to a comfortable 33-14 win over Arizona State. Quarterback Andrew Luck averaged a healthy 13.9 yards per completion and did not toss an interception, while star running back Toby Gerhart peeled off 125 rushing yards on 27 carries.

The Cardinal assembled a 24-0 halftime advantage, relaxed a little in the third quarter, but then put away the visiting Sun Devils with airtight defense and punishing between-the-tackles running in the final 10 minutes.  

The Week That Is:

It's not hard to know what to look for in this game. Oregon's best football will obliterate Stanford. The Ducks' offensive firepower, which was fully showcased against USC, is too overwhelming for most defenses. 

In order for Stanford to be competitive, Oregon has to experience a severe emotional hangover from the USC win. One of the biggest challenges in college football for teams not used to BCS bowls is the quick turnaround required by a full season.

Teams that aren't familiar with having a bulls-eye on their back will often slip up one week after winning a contest that was circled on the calendar before the season started.

Everyone on Oregon pointed to the USC game in the offseason; the Ducks must now handle the pressure of being the unanimous Pac-10 favorite. UO has to be prepared for a Stanford team that's been lying in the weeds, waiting to spring an ambush.

The bye week should help the Cardinal a lot, and this game should be very competitive for nearly three quarters. In the final 15-20 minutes, however, Oregon's speed and diversity should prove too much for a Stanford club that has to play a perfect offensive game just to keep up with the Ducks' own juggernaut. Stanford will score 31 points, but Oregon will throw down 42. 

Football Betting Pick: Oregon -6.5