Arizona vs. Oregon score predictions

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Will the Wildcats play spoiler in Eugene?

The Arizona Wildcats (4-5, 2-4) are back from the bye week and get the treat of facing the sixth-ranked Oregon Ducks (8-1, 6-0) in Autzen Stadium on Saturday night.

Oregon can clinch the Pac-12 North with a win and is a heavy favorite to do so. The Wildcats are looking to snap a four-game losing streak and pull within a win of bowl eligibility.

Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. MT on ESPN.

Here are some things to watch for and below are our score predictions. Be sure to leave yours in the comment section below.

Matthew Rein — Oregon wins 56-21

Arizona is not winning this game. The more interesting discussion is whether they can cover the spread of +27.5, and frankly, I don’t think the Wildcats do.

Oregon is coming off a bye week and is looking to cement itself in the College Football Playoff conversation. Arizona on the other hand has countless injuries, no confidence on either side of the ball, and has to travel to Eugene for this one.

I’m usually optimistic, probably too optimistic about Arizona football. However, there’s simply no way the Cats win this. It would take a miracle and about five Oregon turnovers to even make winning a possibility.

Gabe Encinas — Oregon wins 66-10

I just don’t know how competitive this team can be at this point against a team like Oregon. You would like to think that the bye week would help them and play a factor but it’s hard to believe at this point. I don’t think there will be any classic Oregon or top-10 upset this year.

With all of the injuries on the offensive line, and the lack of momentum on the defensive line, it’s setting this game up for Arizona to fail. The quarterback rotation is something I can’t get behind either.

I would not be shocked if this hits 70-0.

Brian J. Pedersen — Oregon wins 62-17

If Arizona is going to spoil a Pac-12 team’s playoff hopes it won’t be in this game. The Wildcats don’t have the ability to make consistent stops, and its offense isn’t efficient enough to keep up in a shootout. The only way Arizona can have a chance is if the Ducks make all the kinds of mistakes Arizona has during its 4-game losing streak.

Ronnie Stoffle — Oregon wins 63-21

It really pains me to say this but the Wildcats have no chance in this one. Oregon is going to dominate both sides of the trenches. Offensively, Justin Herbert is going to have all the time he wants to pick apart UA’s defense. Defensively, the Ducks are going to eat the two-QB system alive. I would be surprised if this game is within two scores by the end.

Christian Mortensen — Oregon wins 49-17

While Arizona historically plays well against the Ducks, I don’t see an upset happening this time around.

Oregon is just too talented in my mind, and with their College Football Playoff chances hanging in the balance, I don’t see them coming into the game with the type of mindset that allows upsets to occur.

The less I say about the Wildcats at the moment the better.

Scott Moran — Oregon wins 45-10

I expect this game to be a little bit lower-scoring than Vegas thinks. Oregon’s offense is amazing, but it’s a different kind of amazing than the teams that would put up 80 points in 20 plays in the first half of this decade. Mario Cristobal’s Ducks are more like a surgical team, slowly taking exactly what they need to win and letting their underrated defense sit on the opponent.

Oregon will score plenty, but it won’t be an evisceration on that side of the ball, especially with Arizona coming off of a bye. As for the UA offense, even though Grant Gunnell has a lot of promise and could do well in this game, I’m always gonna bet against a less talented and banged-up offense against this Ducks defense.

Football is more fun if you’re optimistic, and if you look at it that way, the Utah and ASU games offer a modicum of hope, albeit not much more than a modicum. There is no such hope when this Arizona team is playing in Eugene against a potential playoff team. Tune in for #Pac12AfterDark, then go ahead and get some sleep once Oregon goes up two scores.

Brandon Combs — Oregon wins 52-38

I haven’t seen anything to suggest that the defense will be able to stop Oregon’s offense.

Arizona was unable to stop Oregon State from doing what they wanted offensively and the Ducks have WAY more athletes than the Beavers do. Kind of a scary thought.

I do think the offense can score, and will score. I just don’t think it’ll be enough to overcome the shortfalls on the rest of the team.

Ryan Kelapire — Oregon wins 56-21

There are only two things I’m interested in seeing: how well Grant Gunnell plays against a tough defense in a hostile environment and how long the Wildcats stay in the game.

Under Kevin Sumlin, they have a disturbing tendency to get off to brutal starts on the road, pretty much ending the game right as it starts. That’s demoralizing for players and fans alike.

Other than that, I fully expected Oregon, the better team in all facets and by a wide margin, to cruise to victory.

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