By Graham Metzker
EUGENE, OR – The No. 8 Oregon Ducks Football Team will stay on the road this weekend, traveling to Folsom Field to face off against the Colorado Buffaloes. On the outset, these teams look opposite: the Ducks standing at 7-1 on the season and the Buffaloes sinking at 1-7. But Colorado Interim Head Coach Mike Sanford has only been in charge for three games, and has started to find the hidden gems in the Buffaloes’ roster. Sanford’s first game in charge was Colorado’s first win, a 20-13 overtime thriller over Cal, but he dropped the next two. On the other side of the coin, Oregon Head Coach Dan Lanning has been emphasizing taking things one game at a time. The Ducks face steeper competition in Washington, Utah, and Oregon State to close out the season after Colorado. But before the final grind of the season begins, the Ducks have plenty to prove against the Buffaloes on Saturday afternoon.
Oregon Offense
Despite scoring 40-plus points for the seventh-straight game, there were some questions hovering around the Oregon offense following the 42-24 win at Cal. Despite putting up 586 total yards of offense, the Ducks were shut out in the first quarter. The Ducks’ top wide receivers Troy Franklin and Chase Cota picked up injuries in the Cal game; Franklin practiced on Monday, but Cota did not. Seven McGee, receiver and kick returner, is no longer with the Ducks as he intends to transfer. But of course, it’s not all doom-and-gloom for the highest-scoring offense in the Pac-12. Quarterback Bo Nix won his second-straight Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week Award after scoring six total touchdowns. And running back Noah Whittington was all over the field with 133 all-purpose yards and a receiving touchdown.
Oregon Defense
Out of the entire Oregon roster, just one player has played in the Colorado altitude – cornerback Christian Gonzalez. Gonzalez left Colorado for Oregon this offseason, along with Cornerbacks’ Coach Demetrice Martin, and has been enjoying an excellent season. Gonzalez recorded a career-high eight tackles and a blocked kick against Cal, and he leads Oregon with seven pass break-ups on the season. The Ducks will be without linebacker Jeffrey Bassa for the first half of the Colorado game after Bassa was ejected for targeting last weekend. On the defensive line, the Ducks have been relying on veterans DJ Johnson and Brandon Dorlus. Both players have 7.5 tackles for loss this season. Johnson had two sacks against Cal, but was banged up throughout the game and is questionable for the Colorado game.
Colorado Offense
The Buffs have had plenty of injuries to key playmakers on offense. Quarterback Owen McCown was injured against Cal three weeks ago. Tennessee-transfer J.T. Shrout replaced him and led a comeback overtime victory against Cal, and has been the starter ever since. Shrout has gone for 200 passing yards in his two starts since then. At running back, Deion Lewis earned his first start after five years in the Colorado program and went for 111 yards and a touchdown on the ground at Cal. It was a career-day for Lewis, but running backs Alex Fontenot and Anthony Hankerson could be back against Oregon as well. Out wide, it’s been true freshman Jordyn Tyson getting it done. Tyson has 207 receiving yards and an 88-yard punt return touchdown in his past two outings.
Colorado Defense
On the other side of the ball, it’s a similar story for the Buffs: a struggling, yet talented unit. The Colorado defense has given up at least 38 points in every game except their lone victory. And given Oregon’s streak of 40-plus point outings, it could be a long day for Defensive Coordinator Gerald Chatman. Still, Chatman has reliable players on his defense; the most reliable being inside linebacker Josh Chandler-Semedo. After transferring from West Virginia, Chandler-Semedo has been a game-wrecker for Colorado. He has 68 tackles on the season, good for fifth-best in the Pac-12. Colorado also has a very capable pair of sophomore safeties in Trevor Woods and Tyrin Taylor. The two second-year Buffs have combined for 81 tackles, four passes defended and two interceptions.
Prediction
For Oregon, this game is the final breather before potentially two straight months of ultra-competitive football. But for Colorado, Oregon is the highest-ranked team left on the schedule. Colorado is eliminated from postseason contention, and this Saturday’s match is one of their final home games of the season. Add to all this Boulder’s altitude, and I could see a much more competitive game than the betting odds or records imply. I am interested to see how Lanning’s team replaces regular starters like Cota and Johnson. But considering how hard Lanning has been working his team towards a stronger start to games, I see the Ducks bursting through the gates and making this game a blowout quickly. Still, the Ducks cede 280.3 passing yards a game, so expect the Buffs to put up some garbage-time scores.
Oregon 55 -- Colorado 24