What is the most important game on Oregon’s schedule in 2023?
It seems ironic that in the final year of the Pac-12, as we currently know it, we are anticipating potentially the most intriguing and competitive season that we’ve seen in quite some time, doesn’t it? Before both USC and UCLA take off for the Big Ten, there’s an expectation that the winner of the Pac-12 should have a place in the College Football Playoff, should things go according to plan.
You’ve got teams like USC, Oregon, Washington, and Utah all ranked inside the top 15 to start the year, while schools like UCLA and Oregon State deserve to be mentioned in the conversation as well.
Related
The Pac-12 media negotiations aren’t keeping Dan Lanning up at night
With that much talent in the conference, it’s hard to find many weeks in the regular season that don’t hold massive importance. Going into any single game, you could face an opponent that has the potential to knock you off, ultimately hurting your chances to get to the conference championship game when all is said and done.
Related
Josh Conerly highlighted by Dan Lanning as standout player early in spring ball
The Oregon Ducks don’t have the hardest schedule in the conference, but that doesn’t mean that they get a cakewalk either. ESPN recently went through and tried to identify the biggest games of the year for each team in the preseason top 25. For the Ducks, they picked the Week 7 matchup vs. the Washington Huskies.
It was a loss to Washington at home in 2022 that ended Oregon’s eight-game winning streak and gave the Ducks their first loss in conference play. It ended up as one of just two losses in the Pac-12, which proved crucial in keeping the Ducks out of the conference title game and sent them on a course to a disappointing Holiday Bowl berth. This year, in coach Dan Lanning’s second season, there are higher expectations and with this game coming earlier on the schedule it represents an important mile marker on the season. With a manageable schedule before this one, the Ducks should have a chance to move to 6-0 here with four of six games at home the rest of the way (including against USC). That would probably be good enough for a top-five ranking and all that.
This will be a massive game for both Oregon and Washington, and both are fortunate enough to get their bye week leading up to the matchup in Seattle. I would venture to bet that both teams will be undefeated going into this game, which would make it the easy choice for Washington’s biggest game of the year as well.
The Huskies will hope their game against Oregon at Husky Stadium on Oct. 14 isn’t season-defining because of how early it is (game No. 6), but it’s set up as a game that could set the trajectory for how good the year can be. This is a team — considering all it has coming back on offense after the success in 2022 — with valid offseason playoff aspirations, and a loss here would more or less take that off the table. And even if the playoff fades from the picture, this is a key early-season Pac-12 game that will likely be pivotal in the standings.
There is a deep-rooted history between Washington and Oregon, and it’s arguably the best rivalry in the pacific northwest. With both teams expected to be among the best in the nation in 2023, there’s no surprise that all eyes will be on this matchup once again.
More Football!
Elite 4-star 2025 S Faheem Delane puts Oregon among top schools
The Pac-12 media negotiations aren’t keeping Dan Lanning up at night
Recruiting becomes key for Ducks as spring practice begins
Story originally appeared on Ducks Wire
Source: News
About The Author
