One of a couple of big games in the Pac 12 tonight features the No. 18 Utah Utes taking on the No. 13 Oregon Ducks. The game is scheduled for an 8:00 p.m. start time and it will be televised nationally on FOX. Currently the betting odds for the game have the Ducks favored to pick up the win at home in this one.
If Utah can throw the football effectively at all, they could hang around in this one. They rely quite a bit on the run game, especially with Devontae Booker, who is averaging just over four yards per carry this season and has hauled the football 84 times already through three games. The Ducks will probably get another heavy dose of Booker in this contest and their defense will have to find a way to slow him down.
Oregon is going to get quarterback Vernon Adams back in this one and even though he's dealing with a banged up finger, he should be able to have a solid game here tonight. Utah's defense is pretty solid and will cause some problems for Adams, but Oregon has a ton of weapons on that side of the football, including Royce Freeman, Bralon Addison and Charles Nelson, all of which should get touches in this one tonight.
Both teams are in the plus side of turnover differential this season and this one could come down to Oregon running the football. The Ducks rank ninth best in the country in total offense and are averaging almost seven yards per play every time they snap the football. That's nothing new for Oregon and it could play a major factor once again into tonight's contest.
Utah is 107th nationally in total offense at just 348 yards per game. They have scored only eight offensive touchdowns through three full games and they've been winning with a solid defense that is giving up just over 18 points per game. The offense doesn't have to be amazing when the defense is playing that well, but tonight both sides of the football are going to be tested in Eugene.
The Ducks will win this game because of Utah's vanilla offense, one that has seen starting quarterback Travis Wilson throw no interceptions, backup Kendal Thompson has thrown just one TD.
Oregon wins this one running the football, Utah will do enough to hang around and could cover the number, but their offense is going to have to score some points.
Free Pick: Oregon
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