Five Questions Ahead of No. 9 Oregon Ducks vs. Stanford Cardinal

The Ducks and Cardinal square off one last time before going their separate ways in 2024.

Week 5 of the college football season is upon us and that means a roadtrip for Dan Lanning and the No. 9 Oregon Ducks (4-0, 1-0 Pac-12), as they travel to Palo Alto and face the Stanford Cardinal. 

Oregon would love a win to build on their momentum heading into their bye next week, and if they take care of their business they should come emerge from the Farm with a commanding victory.

Despite being viewed as the big favorite in the eyes of Vegas, there's still a game that needs to be played. Here are my five questions for the Ducks heading into Saturday.

1. How do the running backs look without Noah Whittington?

Darby Winter/Ducks Digest

The Ducks enter their week 5 matchup against the Cardinal down a man. Noah Whittington sustained an injury against Colorado and looks like he'll miss some time.

I'm sure Oregon fans are hoping he'll be back in time for the big rivalry matchup against Washington on October 14. 

In the mean time, Carlos Locklyn will lean on Bucky Irving and Jordan James, who have both looked great this season. But which of the freshmen will we see step up?

Dante Dowdell and Jayden Limar have both played in three games, meaning they have one more free game for the 2023 season if the coaches want to preserve their redshirt status. I think Irving and James alone would be more than enough for this offense against Stanford, but I expect we'll see both of the youngsters in action on the Farm.

2. Can the pass rush have another big day?

Darby Winter/Ducks Digest

Oregon sacked Shedeur Sanders seven times last week and they'll have another favorable matchup against the Cardinal--who have allowed 13 sacks in 4 games. Jordan Burch and Brandon Dorlus both had big days against the Buffs, so maybe it's time for true freshmen Matayo Uiagalelei or Blake Purchase to get in on the fun and record their first sacks as Ducks.

Tony Tuioti and Tosh Lupoi would love for this defense to take a "party in the backfield" mindset with them to Palo Alto. The best teams are consistent week in and week out, so it would be a great sign of things to come for this defense if the pass rush shows up again on Saturday.

3. Will Jestin Jacobs finally make his Oregon debut?

Keenan Austermann/Ducks Digest

We haven't seen the Iowa linebacker transfer in action since the spring game and it's exciting to think that this Oregon defense could get even better once he's slotted into the lineup. 

It looks like all the signs are trending toward a return this week, but the coaching staff may choose to exercise caution since this should be an easy win for the Ducks. If there's any hesitation I'd imagine they'd prefer to save him for Washington in a few weeks. But I could also see the value in playing him to help him get his legs underneath him.

The same could be said about East Carolina offensive line transfer Nishad Strother, although I'm not sure where he falls in the offensive line rotation. Is he good enough to displace a starter? Or is he going to be a guy who rotates in?

He's also looking like he's on track to return, but only time will tell once we get to kickoff.

4. Can the Ducks end the Stanford rivalry on a high note?

Scott Boldt/Ducks Digest

As crazy as it sounds, we don't know when these two teams will play again. With Oregon heading to the Big Ten and Stanford heading to the ACC in 2024, it's sad to think that this is the de facto end of what has historically been one of the best rivalries in the Pac-12. 

Whether it's in Eugene or in Palo Alto, these teams have given us some awesome games. The Ducks didn't fair well the last time they were on the Farm, as they lost 31-24 in overtime on the heels of their historic win over Ohio State in the Horseshoe.

This rivalry has had no shortage of chaos over the years, but this week's game is a chance for the Ducks to blow out a team they're heavily favored against and show that they're just as dangerous on the road as they are at home.

5. Does Khyree Jackson take another step in his evolution?

Darby Winter/Ducks Digest

I don't want to get ahead of myself here, but Khyree Jackson has been looking really good this season. All offseason Oregon has been looking for someone who can fill the void created by Christian Gonzalez's departure.

While Jackson may not be the same caliber of player Gonzalez is--or he just isn't yet, he's bounced back in a huge way from his pass interference penalty against Texas Tech. The Alabama transfer has been playing with great technique, consistently getting his hands on the ball and best of all forcing turnovers.

Stanford may not be a great team, but they always have great skill talent. Whether that's tight end Benjamin Yurosek, or a wide receiver like John Humphreys, this group presents another important test for Jackson and the rest of Oregon's secondary.

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