Written by :
Published on :
The Oregon-Washington spread opened at -14.5 in favor of the Ducks. It has since moved to -16.5.
Sportsbook.com Line & Total: Oregon -16.5 & 74.5
Opening Line & Total: Ducks -14.5 & 73.5
No. 6 Oregon is peaking towards its showdown with fourth-ranked Stanford on Nov. 12, but the Ducks first have to take care of business at Washington on Saturday night.
Oregon star RB LaMichael James (elbow) should be near 100 percent when the Ducks take the field at Husky Stadium in Seattle. After missing two games, James returned last week with 13 carries for 53 yards in a 43-28 win over Washington State. James has 275 rushing yards and 5 TD in two career games against the Huskies, so he will likely be effective even if he’s not at full speed. However, Washington is 4-1 in Pac-12 play after beating Arizona 42-31 last Saturday. RB Chris Polk had 244 total yards and 5 TD in the win. Oregon is 7-0 (SU and ATS) versus Washington since 2004, winning each game by 20+ points. But this Huskies team has a great quarterback in Keith Price (23 TD, 8 INT) that will keep this score respectable, especially considering the Ducks’ shaky defense at times in 2011.
James is certainly the most valuable player on Oregon’s roster with 151 rushing YPG (2nd in nation), but QB Darron Thomas continues to play exceptional football. He ranks seventh in the country in passing efficiency (162.77) with 18 TD and 5 INT this season. He also had a huge game in last year’s 53-16 win over Washington, completing 24-of-33 passes for 243 yards, rushing for 89 yards and scoring three times (two rushes, one pass). Speedy junior RB Kenjon Barner continues to make huge runs, gaining 222 yards and 3 TD on just 21 carries (10.6 YPC) in the past two weeks. But the defense has had its problems, and will likely be without suspended CB Cliff Harris again. Oregon ranks 72nd in yardage (397 YPG), 83rd in pass defense (239 YPG) and has allowed 27+ points in four of its eight games.
Price made his first career start against the Ducks as a freshman last year, and wasn’t horrible. He completed 14-of-28 passes for 127 yards, 1 TD and 0 INT. He has thrown for at least 225 yards in each of his past seven games in his sophomore season, averaging 270 pass YPG over this stretch. Polk’s huge game last week marked his seventh 100-yard rushing performance this year, and moved him up to fifth in the nation in rushing yardage (127 YPG). Polk has performed pretty well in the past two games against Oregon, gaining 181 yards and a touchdown on 35 carries (5.2 YPC). Although the Huskies were gashed for 446 rushing yards at Stanford two weeks ago, they have allowed only 223 yards combined in their other four Pac-12 games. Washington has also been more opportunistic on the defensive end, forcing four Arizona turnovers last week.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
