With the 2014-15 season starting next Saturday, all eyes in Eugene are on the Oregon Ducks’ September 6 matchup with Michigan State at Autzen Stadium – a game which could potentially be Oregon’s toughest of the season.
Of the Ducks’ 12 games this season, they are facing four teams in the pre-season top-25: #7 UCLA, #11 Stanford and #25 Washington. The Ducks have not lost to the Bruins since 2007, and UCLA lost a lot of key defensive players to the NFL. And Oregon has not lost to Washington since 2003.
Stanford always seems to be a problem for the Ducks. The Ducks have had their BCS Championship hopes come to a screeching halt at the hands of the Cardinal two years in a row, thanks to a stiff run defense and a rushing offense that beats you to a pulp, and injuries.
But you know who plays the Stanford-style football just as good, if not better, than Stanford? The Michigan State Spartans. Last year, while many teams were putting up XBOX numbers, the Spartans gave up just 13.2 points per game. They dominate time of possession, averaging 33:19 per game. The national median for yards per game is 420.25 yards per game. Michigan State held opposing teams to only 252.2 yards per play.
The Spartans held Braxton Miller, one of the top quarterbacks in the nation, to only eight completions out of 21 attempts, 101 yards and one touchdown in a 34-24 victory for Michigan State that stopped the Buckeyes’ BCS Championship hopes. The Spartans also stopped the Cardinal in the Rose Bowl last season. The Spartans held Tyler Gaffney to 91 rushing yards on 24 carries and disrupted Kevin Hogan enough to win in thrilling fashion.
Michigan State’s quarterback, Connor Cook, also emerged last year as a strong passer. He completed 58.7 percent of his passes for 2,755 yards, 22 touchdowns and six interceptions. The Spartans are one of few teams that still rush the ball more than they pass – the Ducks are also part of this club. Last year, Spartan running back carried the ball 569 times; as opposed to 430 pass attempts. The Spartans are methodical with their offense, which wears out opposing defenses.
The Ducks’ matchup with the Spartans will have big College Football Playoff implications. Both teams have realistic expectations for getting to the first playoff in NCAA football history. The Ducks have high hopes coming into the year, as Marcus Mariota, Hroniss Grasu and Ifo Ekpre-Olomu decided to come back to Eugene to win a national championship. The Ducks will have to hope their interior defense – their weakest part over the past few years – is able to stop the Spartans’ offense. The Ducks will also have to find a way to keep their offense on the field. The Ducks’ Blur Offense has not worked too well against stout defenses, and Michigan State is as stout as they come. They will need to be methodical with their drives and will need to score. Quick three-and-outs will cost them the game.
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