Oregon State (7-4, 5-3 Pac-12) at No. 11 Oregon (9-2, 6-2), Saturday at 3:30 p.m. EST (ESPN).
Line: Oregon by 7, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Series record: Oregon leads 66-48-10.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Although Oregon’s chance at joining the College Football Playoff was thwarted by a loss to Utah last week, the No. 11 Ducks can still play for the Pac-12 title and a chance at the Rose Bowl with a victory. If the Beavers win, they could be in position to win the Pac-12 North, but they’ll need Washington to beat Washington State in the Apple Cup. If Washington State wins, and then Oregon State wins, the Cougars will claim the division.
KEY MATCHUP
Oregon State’s passing offense vs. Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux. The Beavers’ passing offense is ranked second-to-last in the Pac-12, better than only Colorado, with 204.5 yards per game. Thibodeaux is widely considered one of the best pass rushers in the country, and is expected to be a top pick in next year’s NFL draft. He has six sacks this season and 10 tackles for loss.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Oregon State: Running back B.J. Baylor tops the Pac-12 and is No. 10 in the nation with an average of 109.1 yards rushing per game. He has six games with at least 100 yards. He rushed for 150 yards during last weekend’s 24-10 victory against Arizona State.
Baylor: Running back Travis Dye needs 63 more yards rushing to reach the 1,000-yard mark this season. He’s averaging 90.8 yards rushing per game and 121.0 all-purpose yards per game. He has at least 100 all-purpose yards in six of the Ducks’ last eight games.
FACTS & FIGURES
Oregon has an 18-game winning streak at Autzen Stadium, longest active streak in the nation. … Oregon is averaging 39 points per game at home this season, best in the Pac-12. … Oregon’s Verone McKinley III shares the national lead with five interceptions this season. … Oregon State was undefeated at home this season for just the second time in school history. … Beavers coach Jonathan Smith was 2-2 against the Ducks when he was Oregon State’s quarterback. … It’s the fifth-longest rivalry among FBS schools.
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