Last week both Oregon and Washington State played their openers with depleted rosters against capable opponents and still managed to emerge victorious to set up Saturday's showdown that will have high stakes in the shortened Pac-12 season. Though the No. 11 Ducks enter as sizable favorites, they likely will be taking the Cougars seriously after Washington State won four straight in the series until Oregon's 37-35 win last season.
Much has changed for both programs since that game, with Washington State now under first-year coach Nick Rolovich and Oregon introducing a revamped offensive under new coordinator Joe Moorhead. The Ducks also have a new quarterback in Tyler Shough and an entirely new offensive line. But the ability of both teams to score points appears to remain. Oregon racked up 496 yards in a 35-14 win over Stanford last week while Washington State amassed 456 yards in a 38-28 win over Oregon State.
This battle of Pac-12 foes is nearly even in its 120-year existence with Oregon holding a slight edge 50-42-7. The Ducks had an eight-game winning streak from 2007-2014 before the Cougars ripped off four in a row. Will the Ducks continue a new streak on Saturday or will the Cougars pull off the upset at home? Let's take a look at the matchups and storylines to follow before making some expert picks both straight up and against the spread.
Storylines
Oregon: The Ducks were down so many tight ends against Stanford that converted edge rusher DJ Johnson earned the start after entering the week fourth on the depth chart. He caught five passes for 55 yards and a touchdown against Stanford. His seamless transition into the passing game was also a testament to Shough, who threw for 227 yards, one touchdown and one interception in his first career start. The former four-star prospect and backup to Justin Herbert also ran 11 times for 85 yards and a touchdown. Considering that Oregon's offensive line features five new starters and a new coordinator, it was an encouraging debut performance for a team with College Football Playoff aspirations.
Washington State: Rolovich said after his team's 38-28 win at Oregon State that the Cougars were missing 32 players for the game. Among them was star running back Max Borghi, whose status remains uncertain for this week. But despite the wave of absences, the Cougars shined offensively with true freshman quarterback Jayden de Laura making his collegiate debut. Rolovich offered de Laura when he was the coach at Hawaii, but de Laura, who is from Hawaii, committed to Washington State and former head coach Mike Leach last October. Now Rolovich has the quarterback he recruited at his old job to help implement his run-and-shoot system.
Viewing information
Date: Saturday, Nov. 14 | Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Martin Stadium -- Pullman, Washington
TV: Fox | Live stream: fuboTV (Try for free)
Oregon at Washington State prediction, picks
Oregon didn't necessarily pummel Stanford into submission last week. But the Ducks covered a 10-point spread comfortably and might have an even bigger talent edge this week. Washington State got off to a great start under Rolovich by winning at Oregon State. But Oregon has the speed and talent on both sides to turn this into a track meet, and the Ducks should be able to build a large enough lead to cover another 10-point spread. Pick: Oregon -10
Which college football picks can you make with confidence in Week 11? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread -- all from a proven computer model that has returned almost $3,900 in profit over the past four-plus seasons -- and find out.
