Eastern Washington @ Oregon preview

Fifth-ranked Oregon breaks in new quarterback Vernon Adams on Saturday and his home debut comes against the same Eastern Washington team that he starred for the past three seasons. Adams has a tough act to follow in replacing Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota and faces added pressure by opening against the Eagles, ranked sixth in the FCS Coaches Poll.

Adams arrived at Oregon in mid-August after passing a math exam at Eastern Washington that allowed him to change schools as a graduate transfer and he quickly outdueled junior Jeff Lockie to claim the starting job. "He's just so good in so many ways, that part of it is going to be a challenge," Eagles coach Beau Baldwin told reporters. "It's a challenge for any team when they play Vernon Adams - you're up against one of the best in the country at any level." Adams passed for 10,438 and 110 touchdowns at Eastern Washington and the Ducks coveted him as the type of quarterback who could allow them to continue their high-scoring ways - fourth nationally at 45.4 per game last season. Sophomore Jordan West, who started four games while Adams nursed a broken foot, is the Eagles' new signal caller.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network. LINE: NL.

ABOUT EASTERN WASHINGTON (2014: 11-3): West showed promise while filling in for Adams last season and passed for 1,072 yards and nine touchdowns against just one interception. Standout junior receiver Cooper Kupp is rewriting the school record books after having a school-record 104 catches last season and he ranks sixth in career receptions (197), fourth in receiving yardage (3,122) and second in receiving touchdowns (37). The Eagles are switching to a 4-2-5 defensive alignment with junior safety Zach Bruce (two interceptions in 2014) and sophomore cornerback Victor Gamboa (three interceptions) leading the back end and junior linebacker Miquiyah Zamora (102 tackles) and junior defensive end Samson Ebukam (team-best 7.5 sacks) highlighting the front six.

ABOUT OREGON (2014: 13-2): Adams proved he wasn't just racking up big totals against little schools when he tormented Pac-12 schools in each of the past two seasons -- throwing for 411 yards and four touchdowns against Oregon State in 2013 and compiling a career-best 475 yards and a school-record seven touchdown passes against Washington last season. Running back Royce Freeman looks to build on a fabulous 2014 campaign in which he rushed for 1,365 yards - setting school and Pac-12 records for a true freshman -- and 19 touchdowns, while the Ducks boast two solid receivers in senior Brandon Marshall (1,003 yards in 2014) and junior Bralon Addison, who missed last season with a knee injury after catching 61 passes for 890 yards in 2013. The defense is often overlooked due to the offensive firepower and is led by senior defensive end DeForest Buckner (13 tackles for losses in 2014), senior inside linebacker Rodney Hardrick (28 career starts), senior outside linebacker Christian French (team-best 6.5 sacks) and junior safety Reggie Daniels (83 tackles).

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Ducks are 13-0-2 all-time against Big Sky teams.

2. Eastern Washington split two meetings against Pac-12 schools over the past two seasons, winning at Oregon State (49-46) in 2013 and losing at Washington (59-52) last season.

3. Oregon has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 68 consecutive games, one shy of the NCAA record held by Texas Tech (2006-11).

PREDICTION: Oregon 48, Eastern Washington 30