A week removed from their first loss of the season dealt by the now-No. 2-ranked Michigan State Spartans, the Oregon Ducks took their frustrations out on Georgia State before starting their Pac-12 schedule.
In their final non-conference game of the season, the Ducks put up 61 points for already the second time this year (also including their 61-42 win in Week 1 against Eastern Washington) with quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. on the sidelines healing up for the conference slate ahead. Backup Jeff Lockie performed admirably, not turning the ball over and recording two touchdowns, en route to the 61-28 thrashing of Georgia State.
The defense wasn’t spectacular however, giving up 318 passing yards through the air. But they were opportunistic, scoring two defensive touchdowns by returning two interceptions to the house.
The first Pac-12 game of the season finally takes place on September 26 at Autzen Stadium at 8:30 p.m. against the No. 18-ranked Utah Utes, who is also undefeated entering this contest, with their wins coming against Michigan, Utah State and Fresno State. They had to pull off their most recent one without starting quarterback Travis Wilson after he injured his left shoulder during the Utah State game, paving the way for Kendal Thompson to make his first start under center for Utah. He played decently versus Fresno State, throwing for 159 yards with a touchdown and interception. In any event, the Utes will continue to lean on running back Devontae Booker, especially after his 31-carry, 156-yard, two-touchdown performance last week.
Oregon Ducks football tickets for their Pac-12 opener have an average price of $131.80 and a get-in price of $76, according to secondary market ticket aggregator TiqIQ.com. The average ticket price was $114.87 two weeks ago on September 6, raised to $166.50 on September 18, before dropping somewhere in the middle with five days before kickoff. A night game at Autzen Stadium is a premier college football event and Hipmunk.com has very affordable ways to get there. Portland flights will put fans within two hours of the Oregon campus, while fans close enough to make a road trip can find hotels in Portland starting from only $44.
Adams Jr. is most likely going to suit up for the Ducks after his week off, stating to the media that his finger was at about 80 percent. Utah has had back-to-back games against teams that use spread offenses in Utah State and Fresno State, but Oregon is a different animal. The largest question after the health of Adams Jr. is the Oregon defense, which will try and contain Booker, who is similar to the Michigan State running back that gave the Ducks a difficult time in Week 2. It could be the main storyline to watch in ultimately determining which undefeated program comes out on top in this highly-anticipated showdown.
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