Does Oregon get the win over Virginia, making a statement that the Ducks are ready to go?
Is this the week Royce Freeman gets his Heisman campaign going?
Does Oregon’s defense stiffen up and make the day rough on the Cavaliers?
There is so much to look forward to in Saturday’s game but here are the top three matchups to watch.
Oregon RB Royce Freeman vs. Virginia LB Micah Kiser
This is a battle of physicality versus physicality. Both players are big, strong and athletic and they both lead their respective units. Without a doubt, Oregon relies on Freeman to extend drives by picking up the tough yards between the tackles while Kiser is asked to be the big man in the middle, containing players like Freeman. Oregon only gave the ball to Freeman 11 times in the opener so it’s safe to say that the Ducks are going to feed the beast more this week in hopes of jump-starting his season and Heisman campaign. Meanwhile, Kiser had 14 tackles, one sack and two forced fumbles last week in Virginia’s season opener so he’s no stranger to being the most physical player on the field. If Freeman runs wild and gets the better of Kiser, expect the Ducks to light up Virginia. But, if Kiser can contain Freeman, Oregon’s offense could struggle, thus opening the door for an upset.
Virginia Wide Receivers vs. Oregon Secondary
In last week’s opening season loss, Virginia had nine different players catch the ball with three of them scoring touchdowns. Together, they totaled 264 yards and constantly kept the chains moving for the Cavaliers offense. Keoon Johnson is a big receiver, standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 215 pounds while Olamide Zaccheaus and Taquan Mizzell are quicker and more explosive. These three will be a handful for Oregon’s secondary who struggled last week UC Davis receivers. Expect Oregon to move safety Tyree Robinson to the corner position to match up with Johnson. Oregon’s secondary struggled mightily last year but a good performance in shutting down Virginia’s receivers will notably lead to victory, and to a better mindset heading into the rest of the season.
Returner Charles Nelson vs. Virginia Special Teams
Last week, Nelson was a hit and miss in the return game. He did some great things by getting big returns and giving Oregon great field position. He also had two turnovers — one on a punt return and the other on a kickoff return — that gave UC Davis great field position and led to seven points. Against a better team like Virginia, Nelson can’t afford to put Oregon’s defense in a bad position. You can expect the Cavaliers special teams unit to be flying hard at Nelson and trying to strip the ball. If Nelson can hang on and continue to be a spark plug for the Ducks, look to Oregon to run away with the game. If he coughs up the ball, expect Virginia to keep this game close.
Follow Ryan Kostecka on Twitter @Ryan_Kostecka