by Kyle Golik
One of the signature columns here at Mike Farrell Sports is Mike’s Fact or Fiction column. In this week’s set of takes, I looked at Mike’s take on Oregon being the best Pac-12 team. Mike went “FICTION,” and you can read his reason here, I took umbrage at his position on the Ducks.
As any great writer and colleague would do, I am writing an article about it.
The “FACT” is I have very little leverage over the head-to-head matchup, with Washington winning the game 36-33.
I hate to use the injury card to defend a team, and injuries are part of the game. How do you balance Washington losing wide receiver Jalen McMillan in the game to Oregon losing their two starting cornerbacks, Khyree Jackson and Jahlil Florence?
I feel the scales favor the Ducks, especially still having to contend with Ja’Lynn Polk and Rome Odunze.
Beyond the injuries, Oregon head coach Dan Lanning was overly aggressive and should have taken field goals. Hindsight is 20/20, and grant you, if Lanning knew he should have taken the field goals, he would have.
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Portland 750 The Game’s John Canzano put it perfectly following the fallout of the loss to Washington on why Dan Lanning shouldn’t apologize for being aggressive.
It is who he is.
The Washington offense, heading into that game, scored touchdowns at will. Field goals don’t keep you in games, and it is Lanning’s persona that has attracted players to come to Eugene and become a Top 10 program again.
Lanning’s players have to learn that execution in these high-pressure situations is paramount.
All it took was one of those plays to pay off. That was the difference was executing properly on one of those plays, Oregon is undefeated and in the Top 4.
When we talk about the best quarterbacks in the country, Bo Nix may look up to Michael Penix Jr. at Washington, Drake Maye at North Carolina, or Caleb Williams at Southern California. Where Nix doesn’t look up to anybody, current or past, is his experience. He will start his 57th game this weekend against Southern California, which will give him the NCAA record for most career starts.
Nix’s experience has him making better decisions as the game has slowed down for him, and when he makes a play or throw, his knowledge of the offense has him anticipating better.
He leads the nation in completion percentage at 78.1%. If he were to maintain his pace, he would break Alabama’s Mac Jones single-season record of 77.4%.
Highest graded QB when under pressure this season:
🎯 Bo Nix: 89.9 pic.twitter.com/wixNokp2S9
— PFF College (@PFF_College) November 7, 2023
As the master conductor of the potent Oregon offense, Nix has led the Ducks to a nation-best 47.4 points per game. Oregon is one of only three teams in the nation to score 30 or more points in every game this season, alongside Michigan and Texas.
The Ducks are second in the nation in total offense at 538.7 yards per game and are tied with Penn State with the fewest turnovers in the nation at four.
Nix is flanked by a dynamic duo of wide receivers that are as good as any group in the country.
Troy Franklin is the undisputed top wide receiver at Oregon, and his play on the field has backed it up. Franklin has 58 receptions for 946 yards and ten touchdowns and ranks second in the Pac-12 with 105.1 receiving yards per game. The junior wide receiver has five 100-yard receiving games, notably setting personal bests with 154 yards and a touchdown on eight receptions vs. No. 7 Washington.
Tez Johnson, Bo Nix’s adopted younger brother, broke out for 255 all-purpose yards (180 receiving, 75 punt return) and two touchdowns to lead the Ducks to a dominant 63-19 win over California last week in Eugene
Protecting Nix and opening holes on the ground is an offensive line unit that leads the nation with a pass-blocking grade of 88.7 from Pro Football Focus, allowing just four sacks on the season. On the ground, the offensive line has opened holes for Bucky Irving and Jordan James with the No. 11 ground game at 208.1 yards per game and leads all FBS teams with a 95.1 rushing grade from Pro Football Focus.
Bucky Irving: 44 Missed Tackles Forced this season
Leads all PAC-12 Running Backs🦆 pic.twitter.com/xYBPejy0Ez
— PFF College (@PFF_College) November 7, 2023
While most of the discussion has been centered on the offense, Oregon has excelled on both sides of the ball. This has been demonstrated by:
- One of three teams (Georgia, SMU) in the top 20 for both total offense (2nd, 538.7 YPG) and total defense (18th, 301.7 YPG).
- One of four teams in the top 15 for both rushing offense (11th, 208.11 YPG) and rushing defense (13th, 97.11 YPG).
- One of just two (SMU) in the top 15 for both sacks allowed (2nd, 4) and sacks (T-15th, 28).
On defense, you pick your poison, Oregon is the No. 4 team in the country in sacks since Week 2 with 28. Defensive linemen Jordan Burch, Taki Taimani, Brandon Dorlus, and Casey Rogers are an opposing offensive line nightmare.
Their 91.0 pass coverage grade from Pro Football Focus, which is tied with UCLA as the top in the Pac-12, is in large due part to a secondary led by Florence, Jackson, Dontae Manning, Tysheem Johnson, Nikko Reed, and Evan Williams.
With Oregon owning an overall grade of 93.9 from Pro Football Focus, the best in the Pac-12 and No. 5 in the nation, it’s hard to deny their place in the conference. As long as Oregon continues to prove it on the field, Mike will be writing soon enough that Oregon is, in FACT, the best team in the Pac-12.
