Arizona @ Oregon preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 2, 2014 ) Arizona 31, Oregon 24

Oregon will get another shot at Arizona when the No. 3 Ducks head south to face the No. 8 Wildcats in the Pac-12 championship game Friday night at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. Oregon’s last two losses have come against Arizona, most recently Oct. 2 when the visiting Wildcats toppled the heavily favored Ducks 31-24. Arizona earned a berth in the title game after UCLA lost to Stanford on Friday and the Wildcats beat Arizona State shortly afterward.

Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota has been brilliant this season but likely still remembers his two interceptions in last season’s loss to Arizona, which ended a streak of 12 straight games without getting picked off. He has three interceptions overall in his career against the Wildcats, the most against any team. Arizona quarterback Anu Solomon won’t have his best receiver available early in the game as Samajie Grant won’t start after being cited for DUI last weekend.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Oregon -13.5

ABOUT ARIZONA (10-2, 7-2, Pac-12): Solomon seems to be wearing down as his freshman season comes to a close. He hasn’t thrown for more than 250 yards in the last five games after surpassing that mark six times in the first seven games, including 287 passing yards and a touchdown in the first game against the Ducks. While he has been slowing up, freshman running back Nick Wilson has been heating up, rushing for at least 100 yards the last four games and scoring eight touchdowns in the last three.

ABOUT OREGON (11-1, 8-1): With a berth in the first annual College Football Playoff on the line for Oregon, Mariota is expected to get some help at the wide receiver spot as Keanon Lowe is set to return after sitting out the win against Oregon State last week for unknown reasons. Lowe, whio missed two games in October with a hamstring injury, is one of six Ducks with at least four touchdown receptions this season. Oregon receiver Devon Allen, the defending NCAA 110 hurdles champion, caught six touchdown passes in the first five games but hasn’t scored since the loss to the Wildcats.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Arizona LB Scooby Wright III is the only player in the FBS to rank in the top five in tackles, sacks, tackles for loss and forced fumbles.

2. Mariota needs one TD pass for 100 in his career, which would move him past former USC QB Matt Leinart for second on the all-time Pac-12 list.

3. Oregon backup RB Thomas Tyner missed the Oregon State game with a foot injury and his status remains questionable against Arizona.

PREDICTION: Oregon 31, Arizona 28