This has the makings of a shootout as the Oregon Ducks (2-2) play the Colorado Buffaloes (3-1). The Pac-12’s third-leading rusher, Royce Freeman (450 yards, 5 TDs) will have a major impact on this contest. It will begin Saturday, Oct 3 at 10:00 p.m. ET and can be seen on ESPN.
Colorado blew out Nicholls State 48-0 last week. Phillip Lindsay had a big game on the ground in the win, gaining 113 yards and two TDs on 17 carries. Sefo Liufau also had a big day, contributing 227 yards and a TD through the air. Oregon didn’t have the same success as Colorado, getting dominated by Utah 62-20 in its matchup. Taj Griffin had a solid game on the ground for the Ducks, rushing for 56 yards on two carries.
Oddsmakers have deemed the Colorado and Oregon game as an even matchup and the Over/Under (O/U) is unavailable at the moment.
Heading into Week 5 of the college football season, the Buffaloes are 3-1 Straight Up (SU) and 2-2 Against The Spread (ATS). The Colorado run game is productive, currently ranking 13th in the nation with 272 rushing yards per game. Transitioning to the Colorado defense, there are a few things to keep in mind when it is on the field. Colorado is opportunistic in its pass defense, allowing a completion percentage of only 52.5%. The Ducks need to watch out for Colorado’s tenacious defense. They average the 25th-most turnovers with 2.2 per game. Oregon’s defense could make it easy on the Buffaloes heading into halftime. The Ducks allow an average of 10.5 points in the second quarter, making them one of the worst in the country. Oregon will want to stay focused this week to avoid giving the game away to the Buffaloes. The Ducks are one of the most penalized teams in the nation with 8.5 flags per game.
On the other side, the Ducks have a record of 1-3 ATS and 2-2 SU. Oregon has found a lot of success on the ground. Its 285.2 rushing yards per game ranks 11th in Division I. The Ducks usually get going immediately from the initial kickoff, averaging 11.5 points in the first quarter this year. Special teams usually provides a spark for Oregon. They average the most return yards in the nation with 186.5.
Predictions: SU Winner – Colorado, ATS Winner – Colorado
Notes
Colorado is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games.
Colorado is 7-18 SU in its last 25 games at home.
Colorado is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Oregon.
Colorado is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Oregon.
Oregon is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Colorado.
Each team is 2-0 SU when leading at the end of the third quarter.
The Colorado rushing attack is ranked 13th in the nation, while the Oregon run defense is only ranked 79th. The Ducks rushing game is ranked 11th, compared to the 55th-ranked run defense of the Buffaloes.
