A Tale of Two QBs: Justin Herbert vs. Bo Nix

Senior Justin Herbert and Freshman Bo Nix will face off in Saturday’s season opener between the No. 11 Oregon Ducks and the No. 16 Auburn Tigers.

Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images

Many were surprised when Herbert – who was a projected first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft – elected to stay in Eugene. Herbert, it seems, wanted to put the finishing touches on his resume as a premier college quarterback and end his Oregon career on a high note.

Opposite Herbert on Saturday will be true freshmen Bo Nix, the son of former Auburn quarterback Patrick Nix. Nix will start his collegiate career with the unique opportunity to notch a win in an early season marquee matchup and introduce himself to the Auburn faithful and the college football world at large.

While they may be on opposite sides of their college football journey, the performance of both Nix and Herbert will set the tone for their respective teams in the 2019 season. Herbert’s legacy and his draft profile will be tied to his performance in the Ducks’ biggest matchups of the year. At the same time, Nix has the opportunity to establish himself as the starter for Gus Malzahn’s Tigers and prove that he can win in big games.

The two home-grown quarterbacks will duel in what will be the most consequential week 1 matchup of the 2019 college football season. Whoever comes out on top will have a chance to put their names in the school history books, whether it is at the end of a successful career, or the beginning of a promising future.