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OK....I live on the Oregon coast and the Ducks are my team so I may be a little biased. I picked them over Cal last week in a rout and they came alive in the 2nd H to cover easily. Another poster thought that might be a close game and it was for a half, but if any game this year was destined to be close (besides the USC game which Oregon won by 10 and covered) it would likely be this one. Stanford has the best defense in the PAC-12 this year but if you look at their schedule the only really explosive offense they've faced was Arizona who scored 48 on them. Stanford does not have that great of an offense. The only teams they scored against have terrible defenses.....Duke, Colorado and Arizona. The other 7 games the highest score was 27 vs Oregon St last week. The other 6 were all 24 or less which ain't going to make it against an Oregon team playing at home where they have averaged 55.5 ppg this year.....and that's with laying off the 2nd H of several games. And Oregon will not let up in this game now that the national championship is within reach. The line opened at -21.5 and is currently down to -19.5. It may have to do with the weather, which is liable to be wet, and it may have to do with the perception that the Stanford defense can somewhat contain them. But in my mind -19.5 is a gift considering the Ducks offensive output this year. Stanford has a lot to play for because if they win out they could actually beat Oregon out of the PAC-12 North title. But as I said, I doubt if their offense can keep up in this game.
My best guess,
Oregon 51
Stanford 24
EDIT: Just a side note....Oregon beat the Andrew Luck-led Cardinal last year down in Palo Alto by a score of 53-30.
Another side note: Despite Stanford being considered the best defense in the PAC-12 the Oregon defense is actually quite under-rated having only given up an average of 4 more ppg than Stanford.....and that's with their opponents having to play from behind and Oregon occassionally letting up.
EDIT: Down to -18.5
My best guess,
Oregon 51
Stanford 24
EDIT: Just a side note....Oregon beat the Andrew Luck-led Cardinal last year down in Palo Alto by a score of 53-30.
Another side note: Despite Stanford being considered the best defense in the PAC-12 the Oregon defense is actually quite under-rated having only given up an average of 4 more ppg than Stanford.....and that's with their opponents having to play from behind and Oregon occassionally letting up.
EDIT: Down to -18.5
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