College football game of the week: No. 19 Colorado vs. No. 10 Oregon

An epic battle awaits on Saturday. A game that will decide whose undefeated season crumbles, and who lives another week to boast a zero in the loss column. The No. 19 Colorado Buffaloes and the No. 10 Oregon Ducks is a showdown you won’t want to miss.

This match will be a test for both sides. And although many are counting out the Buffaloes and anticipating a loss, that is exactly what Colorado wants.

Head coach Deion Sanders and his squad seem to carry an abundance of confidence whenever they are doubted. We witnessed this phenomenon occur when TCU and Nebraska received favoritism to surmount the Buffaloes. And of course, we saw how that went.

That same energy wasn’t present last week when Colorado was heavily favored against Colorado State and nearly lost. An overtime victory would save face for the Buffaloes but would come at the cost of losing star wide receiver Travis Hunter to injury.

But now that “underdog mentality” is back and fresher than ever in the minds of the Colorado faithful. Meaning that we could be in for an absolute battle on the gridiron of Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore.

Shedeur Sanders and his eliteness will cause headaches for the Ducks’ defense. Even without Hunter to throw to, the multitude of weapons that can be found in Xavier Weaver, Jimmy Horn Jr. and Dylan Edwards is all Sanders needs.

The offensive line needs some help though, as only Old Dominion has allowed more sacks in the FBS. South Florida is currently tied for second with Colorado at 16 sacks given up. Oregon has surrendered a single sack.

But enough about the offense. What about the defense? Well, don’t expect to see much of that in this game from either side. At game’s end, we should be safe to chalk this contest up as a good old-fashioned shootout.

Neither defense has been impressive this season, but Colorado notably has seen its struggles surface more. Especially with the defensive line that has shown to be a run funnel. And Colorado State’s quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi doused nearly 400 yards on the Buffaloes last weekend.

Because of this, expect quarterback Bo Nix to have a field day as well. Oregon hasn’t had a turnover yet this season, but a bright spot within the Colorado defense is that it’s forced 10 turnovers so far. So the Ducks could be tested in that regard.

On paper, Oregon has the more powerful offense that will be needed to outscore Colorado. The Ducks have a balanced attack in the air and on the ground. Colorado is tremendous in the air, but the running game isn’t anything spectacular.

Expect at first to see the scoreboard light up with the squads trading explosive plays. But in the second half, the game will tilt towards the Ducks because of their superior offensive and defensive line, stronger playmakers, balanced offensive attack and of course home-field advantage for what’ll be a supercharged stadium.

Jake Irwin is a fourth-year student majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, please email jpi5089@psu.edu.