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ScoopDuck Roundtable: Surprise Storylines vs Washington

On3 imageby:Justin Hopkins•10/10/23
Bralen-Trice
© Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Our next roundtable covers one of my favorite topics, the surprise storyline of the game. Ultimately this is something nobody is really expecting to happen in this one.

Typically the responses for this one are much more diverse. Take a few minutes to read the predictions below from me and the guys.

Jarrid Denney: Oregon holds Michael Penix Jr. under 400 passing yards

That may not sound like much of an accomplishment. But Penix is averaging 399 yards per game — 60 more than any other quarterback in the nation. He’s eclipsed the 400-yard mark three times already this season. 

By no means do I think the Ducks will be perfect. But I think they’ll hold up in coverage much better than they did last season when Penix torched them for 408 yards on 74% passing.

Joel Gunderson: Washington’s Defense Gets to Nix

Bralen Trice has just one sack so far in 2023, quieting a bit of the chatter that followed him into the season. In what was predicted by some as a potential all-American year, through five games has been a statistical disappointment. But he’s pressuring opposing quarterbacks at an incredible rate, and will surely be the Ducks’ biggest challenge so far. 

That challenge will likely fall to Josh Conerly, who enters the biggest game of his young career on Saturday. 

I don’t think it will happen enough to truly impact the game, but I do expect Trice and the Husky defense to get to Nix more than anyone has so far, which could really throw Oregon’s offensive flow off-base. 

Doug Scott: Difference in Depth

Not sure if I would call it a surprise, but I think the thing that is going to be apparent in this game is the difference in the overall depth of talent between the two rosters. The Huskies have the top line talent to compete with most teams, but their depth is nowhere near what the Ducks have across the board at almost every position.  Look for that depth to have a notable impact on the outcome of this game.

Jhop: Slow Start to Scoring

This game is expected to be a track meet on offense. Most assume at least 30+ points for each team in this contest. While that could still be the case, it has the makings of one of those heavyweight fights where the fighters feel each other out for the first two rounds. Both will go in at half and open up the playbook and I bet we’ll see the scores hit.

Corpatty: The game comes down to kicking

As you’ll see in my score prediction tomorrow, I think this game is a close, back and forth game throughout. I think the winner is going to be determined by a last second FG, so the kickers end up ultimately deciding this one.

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