#13 Oregon at #5 Utah
Time: 6:30 PM CST
Spread: UTA -7
Total: 45
Odds c/o 5dimes
The Utah Utes finished its regular season 11-1 and it hosts the Oregon Ducks for the Pac-12 title Friday night at 6:30 PM CST on ABC and ABC affiliates. The over/under for this game is set at 45 total points according to NCAA football oddsmakers at bookmaker 5dimes.
UTAH
Utah suffered just one loss in its 2019 season, a 23-30 loss to the USC Trojans. Since that point, it has gone on to win eight-straight, including last week’s 45-15 win over Colorado. The Utes won the Pac-12 South and will face the Pac-12 North winner (Oregon) for the Conference title.
Utah got it done this year with a potent offense and very stingy defense. The Utes averaged 35.6 points per game while holding opponents to just 11.3 (point differential +24.3 points). The team rushed the ball for 214.6 yards per game, ranking No. 23 in the nation, while its pass attack hovered middle-of-the-pack (No. 60) at 239 yards per.
Utah quarterback Tyler Huntley is a dual-threat QB and is the team’s No. 3 rusher. He threw for 2,773 yards this season with 16 Touchdowns and just two picks while having rushed for another 255 yards on 74 attempts (3.4 per-carry). Zack Moss topped 200 rush attempts on the year at a 6.2 yard-per-carry clip to reach 1,246 yards though his 12 games. He has 15 of the team’s 34 rushing touchdowns. 11 players on Utah scored at least one rushing touchdown this season, and Huntley had five from the pocket. Huntley’s top receiver was Brant Kuithe, the tight end. He had 29 catches for 550 yards and a team-best six touchdowns. Bryan Thompson caught just 17 passes but averages 26.6 yards-per-catch and ranks No. 2 in receiving yardage at 452 yards per game. He also scored three touchdowns.
Kicker Jadon Redding hit all 54 of his PATs and finished 9 of 12 on field goals. Two of his misses came from within the 40-yard mark though, and his long-kick was just 42-yards this season.
ORE
Oregon has largely dominated its Pac-12 competition with its 8-1 Pac-12 record. It did have a close call four weeks ago against a ranked Washington team, winning by just four, but it has sported a +23 point differential on the season while holding its opponents to just 14.8 points per game. Oregon’s pass offense ranks No. 31 at 280.6 yards per game while it has a top-50 rush offense, as well, generating nearly 180 yards per game via the rush. Oregon eventually did suffer a defeat in Conference play the Arizona State Sun Devils.
The Ducks have managed to get a tremendous season out of quarterback James Herbert. He has thrown for 3,140 yards at 67.5 percent passing clip with 31 touchdowns and just five interceptions. Herbert is not a good ball carrier (42 attempts totaling 1 yard), but his arm is very trustworthy and accurate. His top receivers have been Johnny Johnson III, Jaylon Redd, and tight end Jacob Breeland. All three have 400 yards or more on the season, with Johnson leading the team in yardage (731) and leading in total catches (49). Jaylon Redd also leads the team in receiving touchdowns with seven, while Breeland ranks No. 2 with six. Spencer Webb has caught 18 passes and three touchdowns as the backup tight end. Oregon has 10 players with at least 100 receiving yards on the season.
CJ Verdell and Travis Dye have been great as the RB1/2. Verdell has 963 yards on 162 attempts and Dye has 642 yards on 102. Verdell has five rushing touchdowns, while Dye has not scored yet this season. Cyrus Habibi Like has taken a lot of those red-zone rushers as Oregon’s specialist, and he leads the team in TD rushes (10) despite ranking No. 3 in carries with only 76. The Ducks kicker Camden Lewis hit just 6 of 11 field goals this season, including four of his five misses coming from within 30-yards. He hit 49 of 51 PATs.
