It hasn't been a banner season for the Oregon Ducks, and they could really use a big win over Arizona State on Thursday to help give their season a boost. Here are three reasons why the Ducks are guaranteed to beat the Sun Devils this weekend:
3) Royce Freeman
Freeman had a freshman season that suceeded everyone's wildest expectations, becoming the first true freshman in Oregon history to rush for over 1,000 yards. More specifically, the 5-11, 230-pounder ran for 1,365 yards and 18 touchdowns on just 252 carries. He has continued to dominate this season, rushing for 859 yards and nine touchdowns on just 123 carries. Expect him to get a LOT more than the 14 carries he got last weekend.
2) Offensive dominance
Whether the Ducks have Jeff Lockie or Vernon Adams under center, their offense has still been one of the best in the country, averaging over 516 yards of total offense per game. The defense has been spotty as all heck, but that's not going to matter when Oregon goes full shootout mode on Saturday.
1) Arizona State's pourous defense
Another reason why Oregon's offense will be so productive is because of Arizona State's defense, which ranks among the worst in the country in points allowed per game (27.3). They were gashed by USC's inconsistent offense to the tune of 42 points and by Utah's stagnant offense (34 points allowed), and it's only going to get worse against Oregon.