Colorado @ Oregon preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 22, 2011 ) Oregon 45, Colorado 2

Second-ranked Oregon cannot be happy with the BCS standings these days and its expected blowout of visiting Colorado on Saturday will do nothing to help.
The Ducks slipped to No. 4 in the BCS, trailing Alabama, Florida and Kansas State. And if No. 5 Notre Dame scores an upset at Oklahoma on Saturday, Oregon could drop another peg. The Ducks are coming off an impressive 43-21 victory last Thursday at Arizona State, which was allowing only 14.2 points entering the contest. The Buffaloes lost at USC 50-6 last week and allow 42.6 points per game - second-most in the nation, and have been outscored 143-37 in their last three games.

TV: 3 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network. LINE: Oregon -46

ABOUT COLORADO (1-6, 1-3 Pac-12): Coach Jon Embree said Monday he will stick with Jordan Webb at quarterback, even though the Buffaloes haven't scored a touchdown in six quarters and are averaging only 18.7 points. Webb, a Kansas transfer, is 5-23 as a starter in his collegiate career. Colorado quarterbacks have been sacked 32 times - second-most in the country (California, 33), including five against USC. Webb also hasn't been helped by a running game which averages 109.7 yards, 106th among the 120 FBS teams in the nation. The Buffaloes have allowed 27 touchdown passes, the most in the country by a wide margin (Akron and Ball State, 22).

ABOUT OREGON (7-0, 4-0): While the Ducks' offensive juggernaut continues to speed through opponents, the defense is also becoming a factor. Oregon has 14 interceptions - tied for third-most in the country, including four against Arizona State. The Ducks are also eighth in the country with 22 sacks, a dangerous combination seeing as they usually take an early lead and force teams to pass more. Cornerback Avery Patterson has an interception in each of his last three games and returned two for touchdowns, while defensive tackle Taylor Hart and defensive end Dion Jordan lead the team with five sacks apiece. Running back Kenjon Barner leads the Ducks with 12 touchdowns, including three against the Sun Devils.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The series is tied 8-8. The Ducks won 45-2 last season in Boulder, the first meeting since Oregon's 38-16 victory in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1, 2002.

2. Oregon has won 21 of its last 22 home games - the loss was to USC 38-35 last season.

3. The Ducks have scored 30 points in 20 straight games - the longest streak in the FBS - and have scored 42 or more points in 10 straight games, the longest current streak of 40-plus point games in the nation.

PREDICTION: Oregon 56, Colorado 10