One of the reasons why the Oregon versus Stanford match-up has become such a great rivalry in recent years is because the two teams play vastly different styles of football. Oregon has staked its reputation as a fast, uptempo offense with athletic skill players that wear out opposing defenses. Stanford plays a throwback style of defensive football with a strong front seven coupled with a power run game that can wear down an opposing defense.
Oregon offense versus Stanford defense
Although this year’s Oregon squad does not play with the same pace as previous Oregon teams, the offense has been playing relatively well — especially in the last two weeks. The Ducks lead the Pac-12 with 19 total touchdowns and average 44 points per game, which is good for 19th in the nation and second in the Pac-12. They are strong in both the passing and ground game. Their 319 passing yards per game puts them second in the Pac-12. The Ducks’ 186 rushing yards per game is sixth in the conference.
The Ducks boast a Heisman caliber quarterback in Justin Herbert. They have a talented running-back platoon led by CJ Verdell and Travis Dye. Johnny Johnson III has emerged at wide receiver and tight end Jacob Breeland is a good red-zone option.
Stanford’s traditionally strong defense has come into question after conceding 45 points to both USC and UCF. Stanford gave up 492 yards to USC and freshman quarterback Kedon Slovis. The next week, it gave up 545 yards to No. 15 UCF. Stanford has plummeted toward the bottom in defensive statistics as well. The Cardinal rank 103rd in the nation and 11th in the Pac-12 in points allowed at 32 per game.
Stanford’s best player on defense is cornerback Paulson Adebo. In 2018, Adebo defended 24 passes which was more than any other player in the conference and was All-Pac-12 First Team. Casey Toohill leads the team with 20 tackles and forced a clutch fumble to secure a win against Northwestern in week one.
Oregon defense versus Stanford offense
Oregon is not a program usually known for its defense, but this year is different. New defensive coordinator Andy Avalos is ushering in a new culture. Most notably, the top recruit in the country Kayvon Thibodeaux decided to play for the Ducks.
Oregon’s defense has been stingy, giving up 12 points a game and ranked 14th in the country.
As a unit, the Ducks lead the conference with 10 sacks. Oregon has five interceptions, which is second in the Pac-12. The Ducks have allowed an average of 99 rushing yards a game which is third in the conference. The most impressive stat is that the Ducks have only given up a total of 36 points in three games, which is also third in the conference.
The Ducks defensive playmakers have also stepped up their game. Inside linebacker Troy Dye is an anchor on Oregon’s defense with a total of 21 tackles this year, 15 of which came against Auburn. The secondary has started started strong too, with Jevon Holland being a bright spot. The safety has 13 tackles and an interception on the season.
Stanford’s current offense is a far cry from the days of Andrew Luck and Christian McCaffrey; Stanford ranks 11th in total yards per game in the Pac-12 with an average of 350. The offense has scored a measly seven touchdowns compared to Oregon’s conference-leading 19. The Cardinal rank ninth in the Pac-12 in both average passing and rushing yards.
Stanford needs its quarterback K.J. Costello to be healthy. Costello suffered a head injury against Northwestern that caused him to sit the USC game. He had a shaky game against UCF and his accuracy was questionable. At full strength, Costello can cause problems for Oregon. He carved up the Oregon defense last year as he threw for 327 yards and three touchdowns.
The Cardinal have some offensive weapons, such as running back Cameron Scarlett. He had over 100 yards from scrimmage in his first two games. The fifth-year veteran will look to score his first touchdown of the season against Oregon.
Oregon and Stanford will meet for the 82nd time as the Ducks bring a vaunted defense into Palo Alto. Oregon will be looking to take advantage of an injured Stanford team that has beaten the Ducks three consecutive year.
