Stanford @ Oregon preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 14, 2015 ) Oregon 38, Stanford 36

After battling for Pac-12 titles in recent years, Stanford and Oregon find themselves in a much different place for Saturday's meeting in Eugene. The Ducks are assured of their first losing record in conference play since 2006, while the Cardinal needed last week’s 26-15 victory over Oregon State to gain bowl eligibility for the eighth straight year.

Injuries have kept Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey out of the Heisman Trophy race, but the star junior rushed for a season-high 199 yards against the Beavers and ranks fourth nationally in all-purpose yards at 190.1 per game. McCaffrey and fellow running back Bryce Love figure to receive a heavy workload against a struggling Oregon defense that is allowing 42.6 points per contest. USC’s Ronald Jones rushed for 171 yards and four touchdowns in last week’s 45-20 win over the Ducks, who have lost six of their last seven games and must win their final three to avoid becoming the first Oregon team since 2004 to not participate in a bowl game. “I don't want the younger guys to ever be in this situation in their careers here at Oregon,” senior tight end Johnny Mundt told reporters following the loss at USC. "I want us to look back on this and learn from it. We’ve got to fight for every game.”

TV: 4 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network. LINE: Stanford -3

ABOUT STANFORD (6-3, 4-3 Pac-12): Quarterback Keller Chryst threw for just 60 yards last week against Oregon State in his second career start but added 83 on the ground as the Cardinal ran the ball on their final 29 plays from scrimmage. Coach David Shaw’s squad ranks third in the Pac-12 in scoring defense at 18.6 points per game and boasts one of the top linemen in the country in Solomon Thomas, who has recorded a team-high seven sacks along with 12 tackles for loss. Thomas' play is a key reason why Stanford's defense has held each of its last four opponents to 15 points or fewer.

ABOUT OREGON (3-6, 1-5): After playing well in his first two starts, freshman quarterback Justin Herbert threw for a quiet 162 yards and a touchdown against USC while facing constant pressure. The Ducks averaged just 2.8 yards per carry as Tony Brooks-James started in place of an ineffective Royce Freeman, and they’ll need improved play from their offensive line against a Stanford team that leads the Pac-12 with 29 sacks. Tight end Pharaoh Brown has registered 159 receiving yards and three touchdowns over his last two games, while linebacker Troy Dye made a team-high 13 tackles against the Trojans to lead the beleaguered defense.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Stanford has dropped 11 of its previous 14 meetings with Oregon and six of the last seven in Eugene.

2. The Ducks have scored at least 20 points in 39 consecutive games, the longest active streak in FBS.

3. Since Shaw became the Cardinal coach in 2011, Stanford and Oregon own identical records of 60-17.

PREDICTION: Oregon 24, Stanford 21