Oregon has won back-to-back Pac 12 titles, but the Ducks shouldn’t have been in the Pac 12 Championship Game last year. The Ducks went 3-2 in conference play, yet they ended up replacing Washington after the Huskies had too many COVID cases to field a team against USC. Mario Cristobal’s team took full advantage of the rare opportunity to beat the Trojans and earn a New Year’s Six Bowl bid where some of the issues we saw during the season were exposed by Iowa State in the Fiesta Bowl.
Regardless, Oregon is once again the favorite to win the Pac 12. Although the Ducks finished behind Washington last year, they return nine starters on offense and have a very experienced quarterback in Boston College transfer Anthony Brown.
Oregon Ducks Season Win Total
Over 9 -116
Under 9 -104
Oregon Ducks Preview
Anthony Brown largely sat behind Tyler Shough last year, but he saw more action as the season progressed. The three-year starter at Boston College has steadily improved over the course of his career, and it was something of a surprise when he didn’t win the starting job in 2020. For his career, he is completing just 55.2% of his passes for 4,902 yards (7.0 YPA) with 42 touchdowns and 20 interceptions. However, his year-to-year progression has been noticeable.
The run game could be the best in the Pac 12 with C.J. Verdell and Travis Dye the primary ball carriers. Verdell ran for over 1,000 yards in 2018 and 2019, but he wasn’t the same running back after getting injured against UCLA in late November. Meanwhile, Travis Dye proved he could carry the load after playing second fiddle to Verdell his first two seasons. Dye’s YPC has increased from 5.3 YPC in 2018 to 6.2 YPC in 2019 and 6.9 YPC in 2020. Brown is a mobile threat that can help the ground game too.
The top four leading receivers from last year are back for another season too. Devon Williams was the big play threat with 15 receptions for 286 yards and two touchdowns, while Jaylon Reed had a nice freshman season. Johnny Johnson III should have a better season too after a reserved 2020 campaign.
Oregon should have one of the best offensive lines in the Pac 12. All five starters from last year return, and center Alex Forsyth was an all-conference choice. Sophomore Steven Jones is playing well at tackle, and Kingsley Suamataia is a highly regarded recruit.
This defense has arguably the best defensive player in the country in former No. 1 overall recruit Kayvon Thibodeaux. Thibodeaux has lived up to the hype in his two years with the Ducks, being named a Second Team All-America selection in 2020. However, the Ducks allowed 28.3 PPG last year and must do better on this side of the ball.
Mase Funa is a quality defensive end on the other side of Thibodeaux, and Noah Sewell and Isaac Slade-Matautia are highly regarded linebackers. However, the only top tier defensive back in the secondary is cornerback Mykael Wright. That could create some issues against teams that throw the ball effectively.
2021 Oregon Ducks Schedule
September 4 vs. Fresno State
September 11 @ Ohio State
September 18 vs. Stony Brook
September 25 vs. Arizona
October 2 @ Stanford
October 15 vs. California
October 23 @ UCLA
October 30 vs. Colorado
November 6 @ Washington
November 13 vs. Washington State
November 20 @ Utah
November 27 vs. Oregon State
Oregon Ducks Win Total Prediction
The Ducks will be tested early in the season. Although Fresno State is no longer the giant killer it was under Pat Hill, the Bulldogs have upset UCLA and stayed within a single score of Minnesota (twice) and USC in the last three years. Of course, the toughest test is the following week as Oregon must travel to Columbus to face Ohio State.
Oregon doesn’t have back-to-back road games all season. The Ducks will be on the road for their two toughest games in conference play though, as Washington and Utah are two of the favorites to win the Pac 12. It will be tough to get to 10 wins with that slate, but they are more likely to win 10 games than eight games.
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
