Oregon Ducks vs UCLA Bruins: One Thing I’ll Be Watching

This is a big week for the Oregon Ducks and for the UCLA Bruins as both teams lost last week. The Ducks lost at home at Autzen on Thursday night to Arizona and UCLA fell at home to Utah. Both teams have had issues with their respective Offensive Lines this season, Oregon’s problems have been clear since the beginning of the season.The blame on Mark Helfrich’s team is not directly his. It falls on former coach Chip Kelly.

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The reason I say that is one of two things have happened to Oregon. The talent level has fallen, or the rest of the Pac-12 Conference has risen to the occasion to equal Oregon at certain positions. This writeup is typically about the Top Three Things I’ll be watching for during the game, but the play of the Offensive Line is ‘the’ key today for an Oregon Ducks win. Over the last two games Oregon Quarterback Marcus Mariota has been sacked twelve times. UCLA Quarterback Brett Hundley has not fared much better being sacked ten times in one game last weekend against Utah.

The team that gets past the adversity and clears up the issues up front will be in the drivers seat for this game. Both teams have talented Quarterbacks. I understand that the Oregon Defense has had their share of problems this season too, but if the Offense cannot perform the Defense won’t help. UCLA and Oregon both need wins to stay in the College Football Playoff race.

The Oregon Ducks and UCLA Bruins kickoff on Saturday at 12:30pm Pacific Time on FOX.

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