Who wins between the Oregon Ducks and the Northwestern Wildcats as they face-off in a national showcase BIG-10 opener
Who wins the between the Oregon Ducks and Northwestern when they face off Saturday?
The fourth-ranked Oregon Ducks will look to stay unbeaten this Saturday when they travel to Evanston to face the Northwestern Wildcats. Dan Lanning’s squad is off to a dominant 2–0 start, including last week’s 69–3 demolition of Oklahoma State, and they’ve shown no signs of slowing down.
Off to a hot start
Oregon’s balance has been the story of September. Quarterback Dante Moore has displayed poise well beyond his years, spreading the ball to a deep group of playmakers. The Ducks’ rushing attack has been relentless on the ground, consistently wearing down defenses and setting up explosive plays through the air. Defensively, Oregon has been just as impressive, holding opponents to a combined 13 points in two games.
Northwestern enters at 1–1, rebounding from an opening loss with a 42–7 win over Western Illinois. However, the Wildcats suffered a significant blow this week when running back Cam Porter, their leading rusher, was ruled out for the season with a leg injury. That puts additional pressure on quarterback Preston Stone to generate offense against one of the nation’s stingiest defenses.
For Northwestern to have any chance, they’ll need to slow the pace, win time of possession, and protect the football. But against a team as explosive as Oregon, even a clean game might not be enough. The Ducks’ tempo and depth present matchup nightmares, especially for a Wildcats defense that has yet to face a unit near Oregon’s caliber.
Simply put, Oregon should control this contest from the start. Expect the Ducks to establish the run, force Northwestern into long passing downs, and eventually pull away with their superior speed and playmaking ability.
Prediction
Oregon 57, Northwestern 13. The Ducks roll to 3–0 and look like a legitimate College Football Playoff contender.
Oregon Ducks News
Northwestern will be shorthanded when they take on the Oregon Ducks as star player suffers season ending injury
Northwestern’s running back Cam Porter will miss the Oregon game with a season ending injury.
