The No. 7 Washington Huskies and the No. 8 Oregon Ducks will square off this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET at Husky Stadium. Both teams are undefeated and looking to build on their claim for entrance into the College Football Playoff, and the latest Washington vs. Oregon odds reflect what should be a tight game.
Neither team has faced an upper-echelon opponent, so this weekend’s matchup is the biggest test of their season so far.
Both teams own one of the best offenses in the nation thanks to their star QBs, but only one is in serious Heisman consideration, which is likely to be the difference in the game.
Odds for Oregon vs. Washington: Point spread, moneyline, total
Here are the current Oregon vs. Washington odds from top-rated sportsbooks:
The Huskies are 3-1-1 against the spread this season. Their lone mark in the loss column ATS came in their Week 5 matchup vs. the Arizona Wildcats, who they were favored to beat by 20 but only defeated by a touchdown. In the game, they allowed QB Noah Fifita to throw for 232 yards and three touchdowns. He also tossed an interception, but it was by far the best game an opposing QB has had this season against Washington.
,Arizona has proven to be competitive this year, though, as its two losses are in overtime against Mississippi State and USC. Facing Arizona may have been a blessing in disguise for the Huskies, who got a much better performance from Michael Penix Jr. than USC did from Caleb Williams against the Wildcats.
The Ducks, on the other hand, are 5-0-0 ATS this season. However, the toughest team they have faced to date is Texas Tech. In their last three games, the Ducks were favored by at least 21 points. What Duck fans can hang their hat on is that Oregon is handling business against lesser opponents. After their near letdown against Texas Tech, the Ducks have run three straight dominating victories – 55-10 vs. Hawaii; 42-6 vs. Colorado; and 42-6 vs. Stanford.
This weekend’s matchup is the first time they are listed as underdogs this season. Whether or not they overcome the spread is dependent on their success against Penix Jr.
Washington betting news
Penix Jr. is leading the Huskies to one of the program’s best seasons in years. In five games, he has thrown for 1,999 yards, 16 touchdowns, and just two interceptions. His lowest passing yardage total in a game is 304 against Cal, but he compensated for that low total (by his standards) with four touchdowns.
In his last game against Arizona, he threw for 363 yards but no touchdowns for the first time this season. Fortunately, his arm wasn’t needed much thanks to the performance of Dillon Johnson, who added 91 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground in the game. It was his best performance against the best team they have faced so far, which is great news for the Huskies headed into Saturday’s matchup.
Johnson owes his big performance thanks to the consistent, deep drop back coverage the Wildcats played in an attempt to limit Washington’s big-play abilities. That’s the ultimate testament to Penix Jr.’s capabilities. He adjusted masterfully, taking what the defense gave him to keep the chains moving. His play alone makes it incredibly difficult to wager against right now, which is why he's near the top of odds boards for the Heisman this year.
Oregon betting news
Bo Nix isn’t in the Heisman discussion, but he has played an abundant amount of college football, and it is showing in his play currently. This season, he owns an 80% completion percentage, has thrown for 1,459 yards, 15 touchdowns, and just one interception. There is still plenty of season left to play, but last year, he only connected on 71% of his passes and threw seven interceptions. He is on track to better his performance significantly in both categories. Cleaning up his interception problem is the biggest reason the Ducks have a chance in the game and making the playoffs this year.
In their current campaign, their toughest challenger was Texas Tech, who they trailed 27-18 heading into the fourth quarter. That fourth quarter comeback was largely due to Texas Tech penalties and the Ducks’ defense, who limited the Red Raiders to three points and forced two interceptions. One of the interceptions was returned for a touchdown.
It wasn’t a bad performance, but it wasn’t the best, and it is the only sign of vulnerability of either team coming into this matchup. If Nix stalls out against tougher competition tomorrow, his defense will have a much more challenging time bailing him out against Penix Jr.
Oregon vs. Washington prop picks
Here are a couple Oregon vs. Washington prop picks for consideration:
- Michael Penix Jr. over 349.5 passing yards (-114 on FanDuel): The one occurrence where Penix Jr. didn’t top this number was in a game is against Cal, when he took a 51-19 lead into the fourth quarter. This game should be much closer, and his arm will be needed if they are to secure the victory. When needed, he has proven to be as good as any QB in the nation.
- Bucky Irving under 84.5 rushing yards (+100 on Caesars): The Huskies allow 121 rushing yards per game, but they haven’t allowed a single rusher more than 67 yards this season. Additionally, Irving’s season high in carries is 13. Washington only allows 3.8 yards per carry on the ground. If both hold true in this game, Irving won’t be able to top his listed total on this line.
Oregon vs. Washington pick ATS
Penix Jr. and the Huskies’ offense appears to be a step ahead of the vast majority of college football programs, including Oregon. The Heisman favorite is in the middle of an outstanding year thanks to making all the right plays. Check downs, deep routes, getting rid of the ball, avoiding sacks, Penix Jr. does it all.
He is an all-world talent, and the Ducks’ defense hasn’t been strong enough to trust them to help generate an upset against a QB of his caliber.
Pick: Washington
--By David Fletcher
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