The vibe inside Autzen Stadium last Saturday was much different than some of the Ducks’ previous home contests this year. After 777 yards of offense and a formidable performance from its defense, Oregon walked away with its first Pac-12 home win of the season. The win marked the Ducks’ third in a row and also made the program bowl eligible for the 11th consecutive year – a contrast to the place many thought the team would be headed after it opened the season at 3-3.
It is why defensive backs coach John Neal said he’d be lying if he didn’t view the win on Saturday as a milestone.
“We got destroyed against Utah,” Neal said after the game . “To be where we are, I’m grateful, I’m relieved.”
But Oregon’s next test may truly indicate just where Oregon exactly is. No. 7 Stanford, its quarterback Kevin Hogan and Heisman candidate Christian McCaffrey pose a threat unlike the Ducks’ defense has faced in a while.
But it is a brand of football Oregon is more than familiar with, as the matchup between speed and physicality has always played a key role in each team’s season. With Oregon’s offense appearing to look the way it is advertised, the matchup expects to be a much tougher test for Stanford’s defense than it would’ve been a month ago.
Here’s how Oregon and Stanford stack up: 
Oregon offense vs. Stanford defense
Oregon’s midseason turnaround is not a mystery. With Vernon Adams Jr. back and healthy, the Ducks offense has taken off. In its last three games, Oregon is averaging 43.7 points and 573.3 yards of offense per game. The numbers have continued to steadily increase each week as Adams becomes more comfortable. In addition, Adams’ presence through the air has clearly affected the ground game. On Saturday, four running backs combined for 477 yards, with Royce Freeman leading the group with 180.
Stanford’s defense is a different beast than Cal’s, though. The unit is giving up 20.2 points per game and leads the Pac-12 in total defense, allowing 338.7 yards per game.
Stanford offense vs. Oregon defense
In 2013, an undefeated Oregon team went to Stanford and was physically dominated. Stanford running back Tyler Gaffney rushed 45 times, and the Cardinal methodically drove down the field and ate up a majority of the clock while building a 26-0 lead at one point. This Stanford team is similar, and leads the nation in average time of possession, holding the ball for 35 minutes, 16 seconds per game. It is different in that it is far more explosive though.
Hogan has shown the traits of a much improved passer and opposing defenses have yet to find an answer for McCaffrey, who’s average of 246.1 all-purpose yards per game leads the nation. In addition, the matchup between Stanford’s physically imposing tight ends and Oregon’s secondary creates another monstrous challenge. Hogan’s favorite receiver not named McCaffrey, 6-foot-4, 248-pound tight end Austin Hooper, has 22 catches for 356 yards and five touchdowns.
Follow Justin Wise on Twitter @JustinFWise