9. Utah rising, Oregon dropping like a pile of rocks
Talk about a dramatic display of contrast. This game was a microcosm for the way things are playing out for both programs as the season chugs along towards its conclusion. Utah (No. 18) absolutely decimated Oregon (No. 13) in front of the loyal Ducks fans at Autzen Stadium on Saturday night, winning 62-20.
Vernon Adams Jr. was so ineffective he didn’t make it to halftime as the starting quarterback, going 2-of-7 for just 26 yards — with one touchdown — before getting benched in favor of Jeff Lockie, who didn’t do much better. Combined, the two quarterbacks completed just 46.7 percent of their passes for 178 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
The running game caught fire late in garbage time, but Utah’s defense tamped down the Ducks for the most part in this department through three-and-a-half quarters.
Conversely, Utah imposed its will on Oregon’s Swiss cheese defense, gaining 530Â total yards, 25Â first downs and scoring seven total touchdowns.
The Ducks are going backwards right now, having lost both games in which they faced ranked opponents this year. Without a stout defense, and with the offense failing to click, Oregon is clearly not playing at the same level we’ve grown accustomed to seeing the past handful of years. No doubt, this program will be near the bottom of the top-25 rankings after this stinker.
On the other side, Utah — which was left out of the top 25 to open the season — should see its stock continue to rise after such a dominant performance on the road.