Washington State at No. 9 Oregon

Saturday, October 21
12:30 pm PT, ABC

The Ducks have won four straight, but the teams are dead-even at 4-4 dating back to 2015. And two of the last four games have been decided by a field goal or less.

Yet, Wazzu figures to be entering a buzzsaw in Eugene.

Dan Lanning’s team is looking to rebound after the last-second loss to Washington and the Cougars have the unfortunate luck of being the next team on the schedule.

Not only does Oregon enter the game with the No. 1 scoring offense in the country, but UO boasts the No. 17 pass defense and the No. 30 pass efficiency defense.

That’s a problem for Ben Arbuckle and Cam Ward. The Cougars have been spectacularly inept on offense the past two games and arguably face their toughest defense of the year so far.

Perhaps the lone saving grace is Oregon’s inability to create many turnovers. The issues with Wazzu’s offense have been TOs and the Ducks are No. 93 in turnovers forced.

If Ward and his teammates take care of the ball, Arbuckle’s pass-heavy scheme could get back on track.

Even if it does, Jake Dickert’s defense could struggle to contain Oregon’s multifaceted offense. The Ducks can move the ball effectively on the ground and have weapons in the passing game to create chunk plays.

Unless Wazzu is able to contain Oregon’s running backs, there’s little chance of pulling off the upset.

No. 14 Utah at No. 18 USC

Saturday, October 21
5:00 pm PT, Fox

The game against Notre Dame hurt USC’s playoff chances, but it had zero effect on the Pac-12 race. Returning home to take on a Utah team that could be without Cam Rising, Lincoln Riley’s roster should be motivated.

The Utes have struggled on offense this season, particularly in the passing game. Projected starting quarterback Bryson Barnes has thrown more interceptions (3) than touchdowns (1).

The Trojan defense has struggled to create turnovers this season yet may generate a few against the Utes. But to do so, Alex Grinch’s defense must contain Barnes on the ground.

While not nearly as mobile as Rising, Barnes is averaging a respectable 3.6 yards per carry and 19.8 yards rushing per game. The junior has two scores on the ground and put up 50 yards rushing against Cal’s defense last week.

If USC is able to effectively eliminate the running dimension of his game, the Trojans will have a much stronger chance of winning. But, if Barnes or backup Nate Johnson are scampering effectively, the entire Utah offense could find success.

Still, this game is all about Williams bouncing back.

The defending Heisman winner had the worst game of his career against the Irish and seems unlikely to struggle for the second weekend in a row.

Utah does have one of the top defenses in the country, but SC has an equivalently elite offense to counter.

As long as USC wins the turnover battle, the Trojans should find a way to prevail.

Arizona State at No. 5 Washington

Saturday, October 21
7:30pm PT, FS1

Most teams have a hangover after big-time matchups and it wouldn’t be a surprise if UW comes out slow against the Sun Devils.

Despite their record, ASU is a capable team. Kenny Dillingham is dealing with far too many injuries to his offensive line and has problems at several other position groups on both sides of the ball.

Yet, since taking over the playcalling duties starting in the USC game, the Sun Devils have become much more competitive.

Arizona State’s last two contests were decided by three points each and Dillingham’s team was within striking distance of the Trojans in the fourth quarter.

The ASU offense is primarily predicated on the run and utilizes lots of gadget-type plays. Running back Cameron Skattebo is the engine.

The back is averaging almost four yards per carry and the offense tends to run through him. Skattebo has 16 receptions on the year, too, and is even 3-for-4 in the passing game for 60 yards.

Trenton Bourguet figures to be the starting quarterback, the same Trenton Bourguet that led the Sun Devils to an upset of Washington last season. And the Sun Devils are coming off a bye.

It’s a trap game in every sense of the word.

If UW overlooks Arizona State, the matchup could be closer than expected. Brian Ward’s defense is no joke, either. The defensive coordinator has maximized the players on his roster and might surprise DeBoer’s offense with their capability.

Still, as long as Michael Penix Jr. and the Dawg wide receivers play up to their average, the Huskies should secure the win.

No. 25 UCLA at Stanford

Saturday, October 21
7:30 pm PT, ESPN

Stanford has a defense capable of frustrating Dante Moore and an offense that is brimming with confidence. Troy Taylor seems to have found a quarterback situation that works after experimenting with a heavy rotation between Ashton Daniels and Justin Lamson.

Sticking primarily with Daniels and shifting to a more pass-heavy version of the offense, the Cardinal may have found the elixir.

But this isn’t the Colorado defense.

UCLA has arguably the top defensive coordinator in the league with D’Anton Lynn. His management of the Bruins’ defense has probably been the most surprising storyline in the Pac-12 this season.

Facing a Cardinal offense that doesn’t have much of a traditional ground game, Lynn could have a field day.

The Tree are a threat to run the ball using their quarterbacks which is always difficult to account for. But the lack of strong running backs takes away a dimension that Lynn would otherwise have to plan for.

The result could be an aggressive gameplan with high amounts of blitzing. Lynn figures to use his powerful defensive line in a variety of sets to keep the Stanford quarterbacks guessing.

Taylor’s pre-snap movement could counteract some of the threat, but UCLA’s defense might be overwhelming.

The game, then, could come down to Moore’s production. Interceptions can’t be thrown and the Bruins must establish their ground game. If UCLA is effective running the ball against Stanford’s No. 65-rated run defense, the Bruins should leave Palo Alto with a win.

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