On Saturday, the Oregon Ducks completely overwhelmed the Arizona State Sun Devils to move to 10-1 with a 49-13 victory.
What did we learn about Oregon on Saturday?
Peak Efficiency From Bo Nix
The Oregon Ducks star quarterback has played at a high level all season, but Saturday’s outing against Arizona State will go down as his most efficient performance. Bo Nix was 24 for 29 with 404 yards and a remarkable six touchdowns. Nix completely dominated the contest, orchestrating the Oregon offense with rarely a misstep. He had touchdown throws to Troy Franklin, Patrick Herbert, and Gary Bryant Jr. Arizona State has improved throughout the season and was coming off of a surprising upset of UCLA that was keyed by their defense. Still, they stood no chance against the pinpoint passing of Nix and the explosive Oregon offense. Few teams can slow down Oregon if Nix plays at that level.
The Ducks Secondary Looked Healthy
The primary concern for the Oregon Ducks has been the health of the secondary for the past couple of weeks. The top three corners all left the win over USC with injuries, and there were questions about whether Jahlil Florence, Khyree Jackson, and Dontae Manning could play and whether or not they would be effective. All three players suited up against the Sun Devils and looked quite good. Florence had four tackles, including one tackle for loss, and Jackson looked like the shutdown corner he has been all season. Manning was also solid and had a pair of pass breakups. The Ducks need these three to be completely ready for the upcoming rematch with Washington in the PAC-12 Championship Game.
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Oregon’s Offensive Line is Elite
Nix and skill players like Bucky Irving and Franklin get all of the attention, but one of the main reasons for the Ducks’ success has been the offensive line’s improvement. The line was questioned during the offseason and pointed to as a reason that Oregon would not be a serious College Football Playoff contender. Those doubts have been squashed as the Ducks offensive line has consistently played exceptionally well. Nix was rarely pressured by a good Arizona State defensive front and Oregon’s blocks downfield matchup against any team in the country. Their blocking after the catch elevates their skill players and is a huge reason Oregon was able to lead 42-0 at the half.
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