Arizona Oregon Betting – Ducks Aim To Clinch Pac-10 Title, Stay Alive For Title Game
The Oregon Ducks have everything to lose this Friday against the Arizona Wildcats. The visitors from Tucson will try to play spoiler at Autzen Stadium in Eugene.
NCAA football betting: Arizona Wildcats @ Oregon Ducks
Online Betting Odds: Oregon -18
Why To Bet On Arizona
The Wildcats have played Oregon tough in recent years. Coach Mike Stoops’ U of A squad trailed Oregon two years ago in Eugene (the last time the two teams met at Autzen Stadium) by a score of 48-17 just a few minutes into the third quarter. The game seemed to be over, but Arizona then busted off a 28-0 run to cut the Oregon lead to just 48-45 with 6:30 left in the fourth quarter. The Wildcats had every opportunity to get the ball back with a chance to win the game, but a 40-yard touchdown run from Oregon’s LeGarrette Blount sealed a 55-45 win for the Ducks. Last year in Tucson, Oregon trailed 31-24 in the final seconds of regulation, but a touchdown pass with six seconds left on the clock (plus the kicked extra point) allowed UO to tie the game at 31 and earn overtime. In the second overtime, quarterback Jeremiah Masoli scored on a short touchdown run after Oregon’s defense forced Arizona to settle for a field goal. The Ducks pulled out a hard-fought 44-41 win, but it didn’t come about very easily. Arizona might be dinged up at certain positions, but the Cats will fight Oregon tooth and nail for the balance of this game. This does not look or feel like a contest that will quickly spin out of control; the Ducks might surge late, but Arizona should stay in this game for the first three quarters at the very least and make the proceedings interesting.
Why To Bet On Oregon
The Ducks are coming off a bye week that arrived at just the right time. Oregon has shown signs of mental strain in recent games. The shaky 15-13 win at the California Golden Bears on Nov. 13 was an indication that coach Chip Kelly’s team is feeling the pressure of remaining undefeated and qualifying for the BCS National Championship Game on Jan. 10, 2011. Now, following an off week, this team can be physically and mentally refreshed for a Friday game against an Arizona team that has lost ground over the past two months.
In September, Arizona beat the Iowa Hawkeyes in what was – at the time – a very important non-conference game. However, Iowa has lost three more times since that contest, diminishing the extent of Arizona’s accomplishment. Moreover, Arizona has lost twice on its own home field, to the Oregon State Beavers and USC Trojans. The Wildcats are getting overpowered at the line of scrimmage, and their passing game is not producing as many big plays as it needs to. Arizona has once again fallen far short of expectations and remains the only Pac-10 program never to have played in the Rose Bowl game. Oregon would normally like to play in the Rose Bowl, but the Ducks are now focused on getting to the national title tilt. They should be much more relaxed and confident as they return home with a fresh tank of energy.
How The Game Will Play Out
This game will be close for a half, but Oregon has been a phenomenal second-half team in 2010. The Ducks will pull away late with a huge fourth-quarter surge to bury Arizona and cover the number.
Arizona Oregon Betting Pick: Oregon
