Breaking down the numbers and diving deep into the matchup between the No. 9 Oregon Ducks and Rutgers Scarlet Knights in Week 8.
After suffering their first loss of the season last week against the Indiana Hoosiers, Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks are looking to bounce back in a big way this week on the road against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. It will be a long road trip to New Jersey for the Big Ten matchup, but one that will present ample opportunities for the Ducks to smooth things out.
While the Ducks are fresh off a loss, they've spent this last week learning where they went wrong vs. the Hoosiers and making corrections to their game plan going forward. Now they look to put it back out on the field and show what they're capable of.
Let's dive into the numbers and take a look at the Tale of the Tape now that we have a solid baseline of numbers to judge. We will see if we can get a sense of how this game is going to play out on Saturday afternoon, based on the statistics we have seen so far this season.
QB Dante Moore vs. QB Athan Kaliakmanis
| Moore | Quarterbacks | Kaliakmanis |
| 6-foot-3 | Height | 6-foot-4 |
| 205 LBS | Weight | 205 LBS |
| Rs. Sophomore | Class | Senior |
| 121 | Completions | 138 |
| 168 | Attempts | 209 |
| 72.0% | Completion % | 66.0% |
| 1,396 | Yards | 1,785 |
| 15 | Touchdowns | 11 |
| 3 | Interceptions | 3 |
Edge: Oregon
Analysis: While Athan Kaliakmanis is a solid quarterback and has found a lot of success through the air this year, I don't think it's controversial to say that Dante Moore is the more talented QB, and has a higher upside at the position. Give me Dante, seven days a week.
Oregon RBs vs. Rutgers RBs
| Oregon | Rushers | Rutgers |
| Noah Whittington | Player | Antwan Raymond |
| Jayden Limar | Player | Ja'Shon Benjamin |
| Dierre Hill | Player | CJ Campbell |
| 97 | Attempts | 148 |
| 727 | Yards | 792 |
| 7.5 | Yards Per Carry | 5.4 |
| 7 | Touchdowns | 10 |
Edge: Oregon
Analysis: Rutgers has one of the more productive backs in the Big Ten with Antwan Raymond, but outside of that, they are really hurting for talent. While Oregon has almost too many running backs, and most fans are calling on the coaching staff to pare down the rotation a bit and let players develop some rhythm, the Scarlet Knights don't feed the ball to anyone outside of Raymond, for the most part. I think the Ducks' depth and talent is superior in this matchup.
Oregon Pass-Catchers vs. Rutgers Pass-Catchers
| Oregon | Receivers | Rutgers |
| Malik Benson | Player | Ian Strong |
| Dakorien Moore | Player | KJ Duff |
| Gary Bryant Jr. | Player | DT Sheffield |
| Kenyon Sadiq | Player | Colin Weber |
| 77 | Receptions | 108 |
| 1,050 | Yards | 1,483 |
| 13.6 | Yards Per Catch | 13.7 |
| 12 | Touchdowns | 9 |
SlightEdge: Rutgers
Analysis: For a second-straight week, I have to give credit where credit is due and highlight the opponent's receiving game. Rutgers does one thing well on offense, and that's pass the ball. While Kaliakmanis is a solid QB, their trio of receivers in Strong, Duff, and Sheffield are very good, and it will be one of the best receiving groups that the Ducks face in conference this year. While I think Oregon fans would happily take their group of pass-catchers into any game, the numbers show me that the Scarlet Knights might have a slight edge here.
Oregon Defense vs. Rutgers Defense
| Oregon | Defense | Rutgers |
| 10 | Sacks | 9 |
| 6 | Interceptions | 2 |
| 1 | Fumble Recoveries | 2 |
| 32.35% | 3rd Down % | 43.48% |
| 100% | Red Zone % | 91.3% |
Edge: Oregon
Analysis: The biggest mismatch in this game comes on defense, where the Ducks have been very solid this year, holding opponents down in both the rushing and passing attacks, and forcing turnovers. Meanwhile, Rutgers has struggled on that side of the ball, and is one of the worst teams in the nation when it comes to getting off of the field on 3rd down.
When Oregon Has the Ball
| Oregon Offense | Rank | Rutgers Defense | Rank |
| Passing Offense | 251.0 yds (40th) | Passing Defense | 280.4 yds (122nd) |
| Rushing Offense | 205.0 yds (21st) | Rushing Defense | 138.0 (56th) |
| Scoring Offense | 38.3 ppg (10th) | Scoring Defense | 31.0 ppg (99th) |
| Total Offense | 456.0 yds (17th) | Total Defense | 419.0 (99th) |
When Rutgers Has the Ball
| Rutgers Offense | Rank | Oregon Defense | Rank |
| Passing Offense | 295.0 yds (13th) | Passing Defense | 126.8 yds (1st) |
| Rushing Offense | 126.0 yds (94th) | Rushing Defense | 127.8 yds (39th) |
| Scoring Offense | 30.0 ppg (99th) | Scoring Defense | 15.6 ppg (11th) |
| Total Offense | 421.2 (35th) | Total Defense | 254.6 (5th) |
Who Has the Edge?
EDGE: Oregon Ducks
This game is going to be decided by Oregon's defense, and whether or not they can stop Rutgers through the air. The one thing that the Scarlet Knights do well is pass the ball, but they're going up against the Ducks' No. 1-ranked passing defense in the nation. On offense for Oregon, they should be able to have their way and score either on the ground or in the air, pick your poison.
The Ducks are 17.5-point favorites on the road for a reason, and I think they win this one going away.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Breaking down tape for No. 9 Oregon Ducks vs. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Category: General Sports
