Predicting No. 3 Oregon vs. Stanford

How will the Ducks look in their first road game since week 2?

The Ducks are closing in on final preparations in Eugene before they hit the road to Palo Alto. So it's time for the crew to get together and roll out our predictions for how we think this game will shake out.

Max Torres (@mtorressports)

Now entering week 5, some would say this matchup looks much more attractive than it did just two weeks ago. But can we really say that? It's Stanford vs. Oregon. A Pac-12 north rivalry that almost always delivers.

Even though Stanford is coming off a loss, I still think this team's hot and riding the momentum it captured in Los Angeles against the Trojans. David Shaw doesn't recruit at the level Mario Cristobal does, but you can never count his teams out of any game. It might sound cliche, but I think he's a coach that really gets the right type of players for his program.

This one will be a slugfest full of counterpunches, but I think Oregon's ability to force turnovers could prove to be the difference, especially with the return of Kayvon Thibodeaux to full throttle. Couple that with the Cardinal's terrible run defense, Oregon's preferred method of attack, and Mario Cristobal's Ducks emerge victorious after a bruising battle in the trenches. 

Prediction: Oregon 31 Stanford 24

Dylan Mickanen (@DylanMickanen)

For the latest entry of one of these schools trying to spoil the other’s season, the No. 3 Oregon Ducks travel to take on the Stanford Cardinal this weekend.

The Ducks have struggled against the run nearly all season, even allowing Arizona to put up a season-high 208 yards rushing in Autzen Stadium. That could spell doom against a Cardinal team who defines its program by how well it runs the ball.

Thankfully, the Ducks have embraced physicality throughout the Mario Cristobal era, being arguable the more physical team in each matchup since 2018. Expect Oregon to embrace the challenge and play more like it did against Ohio State, matching and surpassing the opponent inside the trenches.

It’ll be closer than the talent disparity would lead you to believe, but the Ducks pull away in the fourth quarter to remain undefeated on the season.

Prediction: Oregon 27 Stanford 16 

Dylan Reubenking (@drksportsnews)

Earlier in the preseason, I wrote that Stanford had the best potential out of any Pac-12 team to upset Oregon. You can find that take here. Almost six weeks later, I still believe that to be true.

David Shaw has brought Oregon's BCS/CFP hopes to a crashing halt several times before, and I'm certain that he's motivating his team with the idea that they can potentially spoil Oregon's season.

With that being said, Oregon should be up to the task this week after not looking like a top three team at times against both Stony Brook and Arizona. No team in college football has a better turnover margin than the Ducks, and they will benefit their offense greatly if they can snag some timely interceptions as they have all season while taking care of the football on offense.

I think Stanford will have a decent lead at the half, but I expect Oregon to roar back in the second half and steal a win in Palo Alto.

Prediction: Oregon 38 Stanford 28 

John Rustik (@j_rustik)

The Ducks have struggled against Stanford in past years when ranked this high. While I don’t expect Oregon to lose, they will have to play better than they did against Arizona. They will have Kayvon Thibodeaux and Mase Funa back getting more reps than they did in the previous week.

The defense will need to force turnovers against a team that has been very good at keeping the ball. Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee hasn't thrown an interception heading into this weekend's clash. 

Although Stanford will give them a tough game, the Ducks will use their ground game against a shaky Stanford rush defense to get the win in a tough environment.

Prediction: Oregon 31 Stanford 21

Nick Battey (@nickbat22)

The Ducks are off to a 4-0 start, but have at times looked beatable. Now they go to the Bay Area to face Stanford, who is 2-2, but I feel like they are much better than their record would indicate. 

Stanford got trounced by Kansas State in week 1, but that was without Tanner McKee, who didn’t become their starting quarterback until week two when they blew out USC. Their other loss was a competitive one to UCLA, one of the best teams in the conference, last week.

Stanford also plays the same type of physical style that Oregon likes to play, and can match the Ducks in that regard. Add in the fact that Stanford has broken Duck fans’ hearts multiple times before in the last decade with brutal losses in 2012 and 2018.

At the end of the day, I think Oregon’s talent wins out, but it will be close until the very end.

Prediction: Oregon 31 Stanford 28

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