For the first time this season, the Oregon Ducks are loading up the trucks and hitting the road. The trucks are heading down south to Stillwater, Oklahoma, to complete the second part of a home-and-home series against Oklahoma State.
Last year, it got ugly fast. The Ducks demolished the Cowboys in Eugene, 69-3, and that sparked plenty of change in Stillwater. The Cowboys looked at the success North Texas had last year and took a significant piece of it, pulling away head coach Eric Morris, quarterback Drew Mestemaker, and many more.
While Oklahoma State's roster may be better this time around, Oregon still has the same playmakers that ran through the Cowboys' defense a year ago. Plus, Oklahoma State fell in its Week 1 matchup on the road at Tulsa,
and the Ducks have heard some of the public doubts after a close victory over Boise State to start a season with national championship dreams.
Oregon is a big favorite in this matchup again, and the Ducks should come out looking to make a statement on the road. The heat will be on in Stillwater, with high temperatures and humidity and frequent noise for Oklahoma State's home opener.
It's only Week 2, but let's dive into the numbers from last week with each team's projected starters and take a look at the "Tale of the Tape" for the matchup. We will see if we can get a sense of how this game is going to play out on Saturday morning, and which team has the edge in different areas.
Dante Moore vs. Drew Mestemaker
Edge: Oregon
Oregon did take a look at Mestemaker in the offseason while he was in the portal, and it's easy to see why. Like Dante Moore, Mestemaker is a pocket passer with a big arm, but Moore's process is still way ahead of the Oklahoma State quarterback right now. Mestemaker could become one of the nation's best in the future, but Moore is the present, and he's coming off a career day against Boise State. This is an easy one.
Oregon RBs vs. Oklahoma State RBs
Edge: Oregon
Oregon didn't give the running game much of an opportunity to get going last week, with the passing attack dominating the play mix from the start. The Ducks could lean more into Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr. this week to get them going, especially after rushing for over 300 yards in this matchup last year. Oklahoma State is more of a one-man backfield with Caleb Hawkins, who rushed for 1,434 yards and 25 touchdowns as a freshman last season. The play script didn't favor him last week, but he still made the most of his chances, even making six catches as well. Hawkins is a dangerous back that Oregon will need to be careful against, but I think the dynamic duo of Davison and Hill wins out here.
Oregon Pass-Catchers vs. Oklahoma State Pass-Catchers
Edge: Oregon
Jeremiah McClellan exploded last week, racking up a career-high 150 yards, but the Ducks managed to get all four of their big weapons involved, including Dakorien Moore for the game-winning score. Oregon can distribute evenly with several prolific receivers, which is what makes the offense so explosive. Mestemaker has his two top receivers from a year ago in Wyatt Young and Miles Coleman, as well as Hawkins, who is a factor in the passing game. Chris Barnes is a speed threat too, so the Ducks' secondary could be tested by a wideout who knows how to separate. Still, Oregon has arguably the best receiving room in the country. It would be crazy not to give the Ducks the edge here, but Oklahoma State's group is sneaky underrated.
Oregon Defense vs. Oklahoma State Defense
Edge: Oregon
Oklahoma State was great on third downs a week ago, but the Ducks' defensive line is the difference here. Oregon created pressure, tallied three sacks, and made plays late to seal a win over Boise State. Oregon has more talent on the back end as well, and the Cowboys struggled to force incompletions against Tulsa. Moore and the Ducks' offense pose a much bigger threat, both in the air and on the ground. It's hard to see a path where the Cowboys shut the Ducks down, especially without being able to generate much pressure.
When Oregon Has the Ball
When Oklahoma State Has the Ball
Who Has the Edge?
Lean: Oregon
Even with all of the changes Oklahoma State made in the offseason, the Ducks are clear favorites here for a reason. Oregon is loaded with experience and talent and has been in these games in the past. Clearly, after falling short in Week 1, the Cowboys are still sorting through some of the issues that an entirely new roster brings. The Ducks have confidence after demolishing this program a year ago, even though it's a new team in Stillwater now, and the Ducks have the motivation to make an example out of Oklahoma State on the road given some of the doubts cast last week.
I expect Oklahoma State to have a few flash plays, and if they can run the football with Hawkins early on, it could be closer than Oregon fans would like, but either way, I expect the Ducks to pull away in the second half and win by a big margin.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon vs. Oklahoma State position-by-position: Who has the edge?
