Oregon @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 22, 2012 ) Arizona 0, Oregon 49

Two weeks after its BCS title dreams essentially came to an end, No. 5 Oregon returns to the road Saturday with a visit to Arizona. Following the Ducks' 26-20 loss at Stanford on Nov. 7, they got back in the win column with a 44-21 triumph versus Utah last week as Marcus Mariota threw for three touchdowns despite being limited by a left knee injury. "They would have to pull me off the field before I wouldn't play," said the third-year sophomore. "I've learned to play with it. I'm not going to use it as an excuse."

While the Oregon offense ranks third in the nation in points per game, Arizona's offense - particularly its rushing game - is dynamic in its own right. Wildcats running back Ka'Deem Carey has rushed for 100-plus yards in a school-record 13 straight games and sits 118 yards from breaking the Wildcats' all-time rushing record in only three seasons. "He's been a really, really good player - and I think he's still getting better," Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez said of Carey, who had 177 total yards and two touchdowns last week in a home loss to Washington State.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN2. LINE: Oregon -20.5.

ABOUT OREGON (9-1, 6-1 Pac-12): Oregon's top six rushers on the season are all averaging at least 6.5 yards per carry and are led by Byron Marshall, who has 152 rushes for 991 yards and 14 scores. Mariota could find his way to the Heisman Trophy ceremony next month, as his ratio of 25 touchdowns to zero interceptions is pretty eye-catching, not to mention his 477 rushing yards and nine scores. Oregon's defense quietly has had a terrific season, allowing just 18.2 points per game - eighth-best in the country.

ABOUT ARIZONA (6-4, 3-4): The Wildcats have had a streaky year, winning their first three games followed by a two-game losing streak, a three-game winning streak and now another two-game skid. In addition to Carey, Arizona also can run the ball with quarterback B.J. Denker, whose 709 rushing yards are a Wildcats single-season record. On the defensive side of the ball, linebacker Scooby Wright leads the team with 70 tackles, a figure which ranks second among FBS freshmen.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Oregon defeated Arizona 49-0 last season, its fifth straight win in the series.

2. During its current two-game skid, Arizona only has four touchdowns in 10 red-zone opportunities.

3. The Ducks have scored less than 45 points in each of their last three games after scoring 45 or more in each of their first seven contests.

PREDICTION: Oregon 44, Arizona 33