The power of the Pac-12 had the opposite effect this season, the teams knocking each other off until the conference’s chances for the CFB became a longshot. Trip to Utah up next then USC.
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Now, on to the games to watch!
“I hate to say it but we were kind of rooting on the team across town to win and do what they had to do”, safety Chris Hawkins said. If Ohio State wins, they still have to play at MI, which would decide the East if MI wins this week at Penn State. Guessing there was a few tittering about that in the SEC offices, where the top priority is about maintaining the perception that a College Football Playoff without the SEC would be like Thanksgiving without turkey and dressing. Right now, it would be the Pac-12 Champion who would be left out. “I’m just happy we got this win”. Ohio State has been in close calls with many teams that they should have beaten handily.
If MI State wins, they will likely win the East unless they fall at home in their final game against Penn State.
“They (USC) are just so talented”. Playing OSU this year is a lot like playing a “choose your own adventure” video game. Cal has not beaten Stanford for five years, and they will be hard pressed to stop McCaffrey and Co. this time around. The Trojans never have played in the Pac-12 Championship Game.
A berth in the Pac-12 title game. With all of the pressure on Stanford to remain the playoff hunt the Ducks’ players seemed to play with a chip on their shoulder.
For most of the year, Utah looked like a real possibility to represent the Pac-12 in the CFP.
USC’s passing game against Oregon’s pass defense.
The two teams haven’t met since 2012, when the Ducks won 62-51 in Los Angeles.
The total for Saturday’s game is 71.5 points. He had two passes intercepted in a loss against MI State, did not play against Georgia State, and came out of the game during a lopsided loss to Utah. Helton is 4-1 since taking over as the Trojans head coach, and Kessler has thrown eight touchdowns to three interceptions during that period. Adams has 16 touchdown passes with five picks this season, while Freeman has 1392 yards and 12 touchdowns.
The Ducks kept their hopes alive for a berth in the Pac 12 championship game with a narrow 38-36 victory at The Farm last week to move to 7-3 overall and 5-2 in Pac 12 play for the season. The crowd of 59,094 was Oregon’s 109th straight sellout.
California at Stanford (15), Stanford by 11: All this talk of tiebreaker scenarios, only to have Stanford win the Pac-12 North outright.
Imagine Utah needing help from a team it beat by 42 points in September.
Ducks quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. was viciously efficient.
Rich Brooks’ first OR defense is off the hook. OR would also love to get revenge against the Utes as well. Beating the same team twice in one season is a tough endeavor. Utah has historically matched up well against Stanford, going 2-0 against the Cardinal since joining the Pac-12. USC forced a 14-14 tie, but Oregon’s 17-point run just before halftime sealed the visitors’ fate.
BEST MATCHUP: UCLA at No. 18 Utah. “I told the kids that is my responsibility as their head coach, and any failures that they had are not theirs”.
There were several times in the game where USC Quarterback Cody Kessler looked uncomfortable with the snap, but this time not only would he bobble the ball but Cornerback Arrion Springs would come in for the sack, forcing the ball loose and Defensive End DeForest Buckner was there to pounce on it, giving OR back the ball and one play later, the Oregon Ducks had a 17 point lead back.
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Adoree’ Jackson: The week that he makes the finalist list for the Paul Horning Award as one of the nation’s most versatile players, Adoree’ Jackson delivered his big special teams moment of the season.
