Arizona vs. Oregon: TV Info, Spread, Injury Updates, Game Time and More
No. 2 Oregon is back in action Thursday as it looks to secure some semblance of revenge against Arizona, a Pac-12 foe that single-handedly ruined last year for the Ducks.
Through four games apiece, both teams appear favorites in the conference thanks to explosive offenses led by talented quarterbacks. Both received their first serious tests their last time out on the field, meaning adjustments will reign supreme in a contest seemingly destined to turn into a shootout.
In one of the top contests of the week, not to mention in the conference overall, anything goes in Eugene between two teams with a serious amount of firepower.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Arms Race
Fans know the deal with the No. 2 team in the land. Led by Heisman contender Marcus Mariota, who returned to school for contests such as this, the Ducks tout the nation's No. 4 offense that scores an average of 48.5 points per game.
Mariota has himself 1,135 yards through the air and 13 scores to no interceptions. He is also a close second to Royce Freeman on the team's rushing list thanks to his 214 yards and three scores.
In his team's biggest game to date against then-ranked No. 7 Michigan State, a perennial defensive powerhouse, Mariota calmly went for 318 yards and three scores.
Now for what most can be forgiven for not knowing—Ka'Deem Carey is now a member of the NFL, but the Wildcats are still an offensive giant that ranks No. 16 in the country thanks to an average of 42 points per game.
In fact, the Wildcats actually rank eight slots higher than the Ducks in terms of passing yards per contest thanks to freshman signal-caller Anu Solomon. In fact, Solomon's numbers could be misconstrued for those of a Heisman contender—1,454 yards and 13 touchdowns to three interceptions while completing 63.4 percent of his attempts has a way of doing that.
Unlike the Ducks, the Wildcats also have a strong presence on the ground. The credit goes to another freshman, Nick Wilson, who's averaged 6.3 yards per carry so far on the way to 482 yards and four scores.
That ground presence will prove critical for the Wildcats in order to keep Mariota off the field, but if all else fails, Solomon certainly has the composure and talent to stand a chance in a shootout while down on the scoreboard.
Exploiting the Problem Areas
Even with a week of rest under their belts, all is not well for Mark Helfrich's team.
Specifically speaking, the offensive line is a mess.
Tackles Tyler Johnstone, Andre Yruretagoyena and Jake Fisher missed the team's last game, a near upset at the hands of a 2-3 Washington State team. In that contest, the Cougars were able to generate seven sacks on Mariota before the Ducks escaped with a 38-31 victory.
To be fair, Helfrich did not sound too concerned about the patchwork line right after the close call.
"We know going forward people will have a plan for that, and obviously we have some things in our back pocket," Helfrich said, per Andrew Greif of OregonLive.com.
As Rob Moseley of GoDucks.com noted during the seven-sack performance, the Ducks appeared to up the tempo to compensate:
The problem is, if Mariota is under pressure all night, it may breed mistakes, which is what doomed the Ducks last year in that crushing loss to Arizona. While he was hurt last year, consistent pressure can and will create similar turnover issues in time.
To date, Arizona has generated all of five sacks, but Washington State was not exactly known to tout that as a strength either. If the week off was not put to good use, the Wildcats will find similar success Thursday.
When: Thursday, October 2, 10:30 p.m. ET
Where: Autzen Stadium, Eugene, Oregon
Television: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Betting Lines (via Odds Shark):
- Over/Under: 70
- Spread: Oregon (-22.5)
Team Injury Reports
| Jacob Arzouman | OL | 08/28/2014 | will miss the entire season | Out | knee |
| Jerod Cody | DE | 08/28/2014 | will miss the entire season | Out | concussion |
| Brandon Dawkins | QB | 08/26/2014 | is out indefinitely | Out | disciplinary |
| Dwight Melvin | DT | 08/26/2014 | will miss the entire season | Out | academics |
| Bralon Addison | WR | 08/05/2014 | is out indefinitely | Out | knee |
| Jake Fisher | OL | 09/29/2014 | is questionable for Thursday's game against Arizona | Questionable | knee |
| Tyler Johnstone | T | 08/11/2014 | will miss the entire season | Out | knee |
| Andre Yruretagoyena | T | 09/08/2014 | is out indefinitely | Out | leg |
Injury reports via USA Today.
Prediction
This one will score highly thanks to strong quarterback play of both the expected and unexpected variety.
Mariota will be hindered behind a shaky offensive line, but one still has to love his chances of another great performance. On the road in the face of those aforementioned seven sacks, the Heisman favorite still managed five touchdown passes and no turnovers with all of four incompletions.
That sort of calamity under pressure is enough to outgun a freshman at home, as promising as he may look. The Ducks have rattled off a 28-0 mark at home since a loss in 2008 for good reason. Mariota, with the help of his line or not, will see the team through and keep the playoff dreams alive.
Prediction: Ducks 48, Wildcats 40
Statistics and info courtesy of ESPN unless otherwise specified.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
