Preview: Arizona Wildcats @ Oregon Ducks - Nov. 15, 2008
By Platinum Plays
This Saturday we have a PAC 10 matchup that will help sort out the “Best of the Rest” in the conference when the Arizona Wildcats (6-3/4-2) make the trip to Eugene to take on the Ducks (7-3/5-2). Autzen Stadium is one of the toughest venues for opposing teams to visit with any kind of success and their will be 54,000 strong rooting for the Ducks. The Ducks have been known for a couple of things under head coach, Mike Belotti; good football teams averaging 8 wins a season and some of the craziest uniforms in college football with a host of combinations.
Arizona head coach Mike Stoops could use a big road win and a bowl invitation. Arizona hasn’t been to a bowl game since 1998 and Stoops has a (23-34) record as their head coach is rather underwhelming. However, this season the bowl drought could come to an end but, in order to do so, the Wildcats would need to win one of their final three games and opponents, Oregon, Oregon State and Arizona State will not make it easy. The Wildcats are led by Sr QB Willie Tuitama (1993 yds/16 TDs/5 ints) who can light up the scoreboard in Arizona’s high-powered offense. Soph. RB Nic Grigsby helps balance the offense and has rushed for 859 yds and 11 TDs while averaging 5.9 yds/carry. Soph. TE Rob Grankowski has pulled in 7 TD passes and is a favorite red zone target. Arizona leads the PAC 10 in scoring at a pace of 39.8 pts/game and is second on defense giving up 19.1 pts/game. This year’s team is good enough that it shouldn’t have lost road games to New Mexico or Stanford and for that, the blame has to fall on Stoops. It will be interesting to follow his fate at the end of the season.
The Ducks are second in the PAC 10 in scoring putting up an average of 38.3 pts per game despite having a couple of different starting quarterbacks. Soph. QB Jeremiah Masoli has taken over the starting job from Justin Roper (injury and performance) however, he’s only thrown for 7 TDs vs 4 ints. The Ducks are heavily dependent on a two-pronged rushing attack led by Sr Jeremiah Johnson (825 yds/6.2 avg/11 TDs) and Jr LeGarrette Blount (701 yds/7.1 avg/14 TDs) and is by far the most prolific ground game in the PAC 10. The rushing attack averages 274 yds/game and has put up 35 touchdowns. The Wildcats rush defense which ranks in the middle of the PAC 10 will have it’s hands full trying to stop the Ducks on the ground. Conversely, the Ducks pass defense ranks 9th in the PAC 10 will have it’s hands full trying to stop Tuitama and his big arm.
Saturday’s game will be determined by which defense can stop the other teams strength. However, it’s much easier for Arizona to put another man or two in the box to stop the rush with little threat of the Ducks taking advantage over the top than it is for the Ducks to improve a porous pass defense with lesser talent. However, the ‘Cats haven’t proved they can play consistently on the road which wouldn’t happen on top contending teams. Look for a shootout despite the early wagering which has moved the total from 64 down to 60. Unless weather plays a factor and it can anywhere this time of year, I like this game to go over 60 points. Good Luck.