Oregon vs. Washington: 5 Reasons Why the Ducks Will Manhandle Stanford

The SEC had its "Game of the Century" on Saturday night.

While the college football nation pins its eyes on that region, the Pac-12 will have its own tasty contest this coming weekend when Oregon visits Stanford, the winner likely the representative of the North division in the Pac-12 Championship Game.

Oregon is riding an eight-game winning streak after losing its season-opener, while Stanford has maintain its undefeated season after a comfortable win over Oregon State.

In what will be the most intriguing matchup next weekend, the victory looks to be in the driver seat to claim a Pac-12 title.

Oregon's shifty offense faces Stanford's stiff defense. One will have to give, even if it is marginal.

Here are five reasons why the Ducks will handle the Cardinal next weekend.

Oregon's Running Game

Let's be frank.

Stanford has not faced a rushing offense as dynamic and explosive as this Oregon running game. The Ducks are averaging nearly 300 yards on the ground and are top in that category in the Pac-12.

The Cardinal did see a quality UCLA running scheme that ranks third in the conference, but let's be real, the Bruins' ground game is not close to the same level as the Ducks'.

LaMichael James has had two games back from injury, and though the junior has not reverted to his pre-injury production, he is still averaging 5.5 yards per carry in his last two appearances.

Furthermore, between Kenjon Barner and De'Anthony Thomas, Oregon has a couple more explosive weapons in the wings.

Yes, Stanford claims the third-best rush defense in the FBS, holding opponents to just under 80 yards per game. The Ducks have not rushed for less than 212 yards since their season-opening loss to LSU, which we all know by know is a decent team.

Quarterback Darron Thomas will be getting the ball into the hands of those three playmakers often and in multiple ways. Stanford will not be able to handle all of them.

Jackson Rice

Perhaps one facet of the game that nobody is looking at is special teams, more specifically the punting game.

Behind Jackson Rice, Oregon is averaging almost 47 yards per punt, which is good for fourth in the FBS. Net punting comes in at 44 yards per, which is tops in the country.

Although Stanford has the balance and diversity to go the full length of the field, forcing the Cardinal into the shadows of its goal post could be a critical component to how the game plays out.

In his last three games, Rice has averaged over 48 yards per punt, including a four of over 50 yards.

It is a rather unheralded aspect of the game, but if Oregon can consistently pin Stanford deep and play with good field position, the Ducks will have at least one advantage.

Darron Thomas

The Oregon quarterback will not light up the stat sheet on his own accord, but he has proven to be very effective in the passing game when defenses sit on the run.

His 60.1% completion rate is nothing spectacular, far from it actually, but in an offense that utilizes the run to set up the pass, Thomas spreads the ball well.

He has just five interceptions to 19 touchdowns, so mistakes come at a minimum.

But against Stanford's pass defense that is ranked best in the Pac-12, Thomas will have to be meticulous with his passes.

Everyone expects the running game to show up, but if Thomas plays lights out with good decision-making, Oregon should very much enjoy its position.

Scoring Offense

Oregon boasts the fifth-best scoring offense in the FBS with Stanford coming in at third and with a much better defense—a counterintuitive notion when projecting an Oregon victory.

When these two programs met last season in Eugene, the Ducks blanked the Cardinal in the second half to finish 52-31 after trailing 21-3 in the first quarter.

Offensive resilience has always been an element of Chip Kelly's system in Oregon. How tenacious his offense will be on Saturday remains to be seen, but there is little question that the Ducks will be looking for another shootout.

Oregon picked off Andrew Luck twice in last year's game, and the senior has thrown four interceptions in his last five appearances. Though it has hardly put a damper on Stanford's recent efforts, even the consensus No. 1 pick in next year's NFL Draft is still prone to errors.

First to 50 wins.

National Championship Implications

After being denied in the BCS National Championship Game by Auburn last season, Oregon would get itself back in the conversation this season with a win.

Since the Ducks' loss to LSU, they have been on an offensive tear, scoring 48.4 points per game while racking up 532 yards per game in the process.

This is arguably Oregon's toughest stretch of the season. At Washington (win), at Stanford and home with USC is no easy road. But with the campaign winding down, a conference championship berth in sight and a team that should be hungry to make a second consecutive appearance in the National Title Game likely will put everything on the line.

A Chip Kelly offense will do that.