Washington vs. Oregon point spread: Picking Huskies vs. Ducks

No game carries more hype heading into Week 7 than the top 10 matchup between Oregon and Washington. The Ducks and Huskies are set to face off Saturday in a battle of two College Football Playoff contenders in a pivotal Pac-12 contest with Washington a 2.5-point favorite according to FanDuel.

Of course, much of the focus heading into the game is on quarterbacks Bo Nix and Michael Penix. They’ve been two of the most explosive quarterbacks in the country this season, with both looking like candidates to compete for a Heisman Trophy at the end of the season.

Penix and Washington rank as the nation’s No. 1 passing offense, and he has a trio of talented pass catchers to throw to in Rome Odunze, Ja’lynn Polk and Jalen McMillan. That’s why former LSU offensive lineman T-Bob Hebert, who joined On3’s Andy Staples to break down the game, is rolling with the Huskies.

“You have legitimate Heisman candidates leading legitimate national championship contenders,” he said. “You’ve got probably three of them in the conference, but this is where they’re all gonna finally start playing one another. This is a heart-and-soul pick for me. I love the Huskies. I love a giant lefty with a rocket arm. I love the color combination. They’ve been my heart-and-soul team all year long. I picked ’em to win the Pac-12. I believe in Penix power.

“They’re the only team to win in Eugene in the last 20 games Oregon’s played at home or something. Now they get them at Washington. Beautiful unis, beautiful style of play from Washington. I love Kalen DeBoer. Kalen DeBoer won three championships on the NAIA level. He won four championships on the G-Pac level. I think that translates. I don’t care if you’re on that level. You’re still emerging on top. You’re still figuring out how to beat your peers and win the big games. I am rolling with the Huskies here over the Ducks in Washington.”

Staples, however, wasn’t so convinced. He sees the job that Dan Lanning has done in retooling this roster via the transfer portal this offseason, and the results are evident.

The Ducks are the stingiest passing defense in the Pac-12, allowing just 153.6 yards per game. They’ve given up just 12 points combined through their first two conference games, and that’s why Staples likes Oregon to pull it out against Washington despite being on the road.

“I have been picking Oregon to win this league since the offseason when I saw what they were adding through the portal,: he explained. “I said, ‘Dan Lanning has made notes about what they needed to be better. He is taking care of all of these things.’ They are better on the line of scrimmage. They’re better in the pass rush. They’re better in the secondary. This is a better defensive team because they were humiliated by Oregon State in the last game of the season when Oregon State just kept running the ball and came back.

“They lost to Washington in a game where Bo Nix got hurt at a very inconvenient time. They could’ve won that game. So I think this is gonna be a great game. I don’t think anybody’s blowing anybody out. I am so excited because this feels like a very high-stakes matchup and this is Bo’s time. Oregon can beat you in a lot of ways. What I think ultimately helps them here is they get after Michael Penix in a way nobody has been able to do all year.”

Ultimately, it should be an exciting game either way, and one fans surely can’t wait for. Kickoff between Oregon and Washington is set for