Oregon Football: Game-by-Game Predictions for the Month of November

The Oregon Ducks (7-1, 4-1) are four regular-season games away from a shot at the Pac-12 Championship and, if they can win out, a spot in the inaugural College Football Playoff.

In recent weeks, we’ve used this little corner of the Internet to rank Oregon’s biggest threats for the rest of the season and discuss the Ducks’ road to the Playoff. However, we’ve yet to predict every game remaining on Oregon’s schedule this season.

While the Ducks certainly don’t have the most difficult schedule from here on out—that honor belongs to either Auburn or Ole Miss—Oregon does have its work cut out. Right out of the November gates the Ducks must immediately take on Stanford, who has taken Oregon out of national championship contention for two consecutive years. The Cardinal will be looking to make it a three-game sweep in Eugene on Nov. 1.

Following the game against Stanford, the Ducks have to go play No. 17-ranked Utah in Salt Lake City. While Stanford may have taken Oregon out in the past, it is Utah that could really do damage to the Ducks' season this year.

Oregon then has a bye week that is followed by a Nov. 22 game against Colorado and a Nov. 29 Civil War battle in Corvallis. While both of those games should be winnable, there are no guarantees in the Pac-12 this season.

With only a month left to go and a couple of brutal games still ahead for the Ducks, it’s time to give our game-by-game predictions for the month of November.

Nov. 1: Stanford Cardinal vs. Oregon Ducks

Jeff Chiu/Associated Press

The question remains the same as every year: Can Oregon’s offense beat Stanford’s defense and lead the Ducks to victory?

The answer for the past two years has been no. The Ducks offense has only managed to score 34 points in its last 120 minutes of play against the Cardinal, and 20 of those points came in the fourth quarter of the 2013 matchup.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that Stanford’s defense is any worse this year. Despite Stanford’s “slow” 5-3 start to the season, the defense is ranked in the top five of almost every important defensive category.

The Cardinal rank No. 2 in total defense, No. 2 in scoring defense, No. 1 in yards per play and No. 2 in touchdowns allowed.

However, Oregon has a solution to the “Stanford Problem”, according to Adam Kramer of Bleacher Report. The answer, according to Kramer, is true freshman running back Royce Freeman.

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Although it is unfair to place the weight of the rivalry on the shoulders of a true freshman—regardless of how gargantuan and cartoon-ish he might appear—Freeman’s presence cannot be overstated.

He won’t help Oregon win the line of scrimmage. He won’t be tasked with slowing down a Stanford offense that has experienced success in this matchup. And it won’t be up to him to direct the offense; that will fall in the very capable hands of his quarterback. But his destructive style and 229-pound frame are a direct answer to a problem.

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Freeman, with his wide frame, has the ability to run through Stanford defenders—something Oregon running backs haven’t been able to do for the past couple of seasons.

On the season, Freeman has rushed for 748 yards—an Oregon freshman record—on 136 carries and has scored 14 total touchdowns. Quite simply, he’s a beast. If Freeman runs the ball well against Stanford, as he’s capable of doing, it will make Marcus Mariota’s job much easier and will take pressure of the star quarterback.

As for a prediction, I think Oregon’s offense will perform better than it has in its prior two meeting against Stanford; however, it's also not going to score 40 or more points. Meanwhile, Oregon’s defense is facing an offense that is ranked No. 84 in total offense and No. 91 in scoring offense. If the Ducks can’t get it done this week, I’m not sure they’ll ever be able to get it done this year.

That being said, both sides of the ball have slight advantages over their counterparts. Throw in the Autzen crowd and you have all the makings of a narrow but significant victory. 

Oregon 31, Stanford 24

Nov. 8: Oregon Ducks vs. Utah Utes

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While Stanford has been Oregon’s Achilles’ heel for the past two seasons, Utah may in fact be the best opponent the Ducks will face for the rest of the regular season.

The Utes (6-1, 3-1) are a half-game behind Arizona State for the lead in the Pac-12 South division and are ranked No. 17 in the country by the College Football Playoff committee.

While the Utes' only loss of the season came against lowly Washington State in Utah, they have a significant home-field advantage due to the elevation of Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Moreover, the Utes are a very talented team. Offensively, Utah is led by junior running back Devontae Booker. Booker has rushed for 844 yards and eight touchdowns on 146 carries. Overall, Utah ranks No. 28 in the country in total scoring offense. However, it is the Utes defense and special teams that really carry them.

Utah’s defense is ranked No. 29 in the country in scoring defense, No. 55 in total defense. Meanwhile, Utah’s special teams are the reason why they’re so scary. Utah’s special teams are ranked No. 3 in punt returns, No. 2 in kickoff returns, No. 3 in punting and may have the best kicker in the country in sophomore sensation Andy Phillips.

The Ducks are simply a more talented team than Utah; however, the Utes featured a great rushing attack, solid defense and outstanding special teams. Throw in travel and altitude and you have the makings of a potential upset.

The Ducks may overlook the Utes if they come away with a big win against Stanford on Nov. 1. The Stanford-Utah back-to-back will be Oregon’s two-week stretch this season. If the Ducks manage to get through it unscathed, their outlook for the College Football Playoff will look as bright as their neon uniforms.

Oregon 34, Utah 21

Nov. 22: Colorado Buffaloes vs. Oregon Ducks

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Last season in Boulder the Ducks absolutely destroyed the Buffaloes to the tune 57-16. I’m not saying it’s going to be that bad for Colorado this year, but it’s going to be close.

Colorado (2-6, 0-5) has been more competitive this year in the Pac-12, and Mike MacIntyre, Colorado’s head coach, has the program heading in the right direction. However, this is still Colorado, and it's still a couple years away from being able to compete against teams like the Ducks.

Colorado reminds me of California last year. Sure, it only won one game; however, you could see that pieces were falling into place and that it had a quarterback who could keep games close and interesting.

Colorado’s version of Cal quarterback Jared Goff is Sefo Liufau. Liufau has thrown for 23 touchdowns—one less than Marcus Mariota—and 2,276 yards this season. Though he has 11 interceptions on the season, he ranks No. 16 in passing yards and No. 6 in touchdowns thrown.

He’s the future. However, the present is bleak.

Colorado is going to struggle mightily against Oregon’s powerful offense in Eugene. The Buffs are ranked No. 119 in the country in scoring defense and are allowing 38.8 points per game. Moreover, Colorado is ranked No. 95 in total defense, No. 95 in passing yards allowed and No. 105 in rushing defense.

The Buffs may able to score a couple of touchdowns against a porous Oregon defense; however, they have no chance of stopping the Ducks offense. It’s going to be ugly.

Oregon 55, Colorado 20

Nov. 29: Oregon Ducks vs. Oregon State Beavers

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When you’re playing a rivalry game that’s been contested 117 times since 1894, you tend to throw records out the window.

The Beavers (4-3, 1-3) haven’t played particularly well this season. However, with quarterback Sean Mannion and head coach Mike Riley there is no doubt that they could pull the most important upset in the history of the rivalry, assuming Oregon is 10-1 on Nov. 29.

Going through Oregon State’s stats is like talking to a particularly boring accountant. The stats are average, dull and uninteresting. The Beavers are ranked No. 63 in scoring defense and No. 33 in total defense.

Offensively, they are ranked No. 93 in scoring offense, No. 98 in total offense and have been more effective throwing the ball with Mannion. The Beavers rank No. 46 in passing offense with Mannion at the helm.

Oregon State’s defense has been a surprise this season; however, its offense has been a massive disappointment. In order to beat Oregon, the Beavers are not only going to need to score at a high clip—something they did last year against the Ducks—but they’re also going to need to follow Stanford’s plan of halting the Ducks offense.

That means the Beavers will have to stop the running game and then attack Marcus Mariota from everywhere on the field.

Can the Beavers do it? Nothing is impossible in the Pac-12. However, the Ducks are likely going to take it to the Beavers on both sides of the ball and advance to the Pac-12 Championship Game on Dec. 5.

Oregon 45, Oregon State 28

Statistics courtesy of cfbstats.com unless otherwise stated.

Jason Gold is Bleacher Report’s lead Oregon writer. Follow Jason on Twitter @TheSportsGuy33.