Ducks, Huskies Meet in Northwest Rivalry Match-up Saturday

The homecoming game at Autzen Stadium is set to begin at 12:30 PM.

Photo: goducks.com

EUGENE - The University of Oregon football team (6-2 overall, 3-2 Pacific-10 Conference) returns to conference action this week, hosting Northwest rival Washington (4-5 overall, 2-4) at Autzen Stadium. Most recently, the Ducks routed Portland State, 55-12, to become bowl eligible for the 10th time under head coach Mike Bellotti.

The Huskies, on the other hand, rallied from a 20-6 deficit to force overtime against Arizona State, but fell 26-23 in Seattle. This will be the third straight year that Oregon has hosted the Huskies and the Ducks are 2-0 in the last two meetings, outscoring Washington 76-27 in those contests.

QUICKLY:

• Oregon is 6-4 vs. the Huskies under head coach Mike Bellotti. The Ducks are 4-2 at Autzen vs. the Huskies under Bellotti.

• The Ducks are 4-0 in home games this season — 3-0 in Pac-10 contests.

• Oregon has not beaten Washington three straight years since 1928-31.

TELEVISION/RADIO INFORMATION:

LIVE TELECAST: TBS: Chip Caray (play-by-play); Tom Ramsey (color), David Aldridge (sideline).

LOCAL BROADCAST: Oregon Sports Network, 11:30 AM; Jerry Allen, Mike Jorgensen, Jay Allen. You can hear the game in the Salem-area on KYKN 1430 AM, in Portland on 750 KXL AM.

DELAYED TELECAST: Oregon Sports Network, 11:30 PM; Joe Giansante, Anthony Newman.

THE SERIES:

Washington leads the series, 58-35-5, but Oregon is 5-3 against the Huskies in the last eight meetings. The Ducks are 6-4 vs. Washington under head coach Mike Bellotti and did not face the Huskies in the 2001 Fiesta Bowl season. In the confines of Autzen Stadium, the series is even at 10-10. Oregon is 10-11 overall in games played in Eugene. Furthermore, Oregon has enjoyed playing the Huskies on their home field in six of the last eight meetings.

WHAT’S HAPPENED SO FAR - OREGON IN THE FIRST EIGHT GAMES:

• Jonathan Stewart is 40 yards shy of eclipsing Whitehead’s team-high rushing totals from all of last year.

• Jonathan Stewart has 1,004 all purpose yards...He had over 200 total yards in three of seven starts (Stanford, Oklahoma, UCLA) and has rushed for over 100 yards on four occasions.

• The Ducks have been in the red zone 42 times this season and have scored 37 times (88.1%) — 29 TDs, 8 FG

• The Ducks have had a 100-yard receiver in seven consecutive games — the most ever in school history.

• Wide receiver Jaison Williams has five 100-yard receiving games this season and needs one more to break the single-season record. He is currently tied with Damon Griffin (1998) and Pat Johnson (1997).

• Against Portland State, Jacob Hucko (RT) and Willie Glasper (CB) got their first career starts; freshman quarterback Nathan Costa played for the first time in his career; QB Brady Leaf and RB Andiel Brown both scored their first career rushing touchdowns and WR Ryan Mattice got his first career reception.

• The Duck defense did not allow an offensive touchdown at Arizona State and held UCLA’s offense to just two field goals until the fourth quarter. Oregon held PSU scoreless in the second half.

• Oregon ranks first in the Pac-10 (14th nationally) in rushing offense (192.0 ypg), first in total offense (fifth nationally) with 456.5 ypg and second in passing offense (264.5).

• Despite injuries all over the defense, Oregon ranks first in the conference in pass defense (144.2 ypg) and eighth in the country.

SCOUTING WASHINGTON:

• The Huskies have lost four straight games and two straight in overtime.

• Head Coach Tyrone Willingham is 6-14 overall at Washington.

• Washington has not lost a fumble in its last five games.

• Wide receiver Anthony Russo has caught a pass in 21 consecutive games.

• The Huskies are averaging 152.7 yards per game rushing and has not averaged over 150 yards rushing per game for a season since 2000.

• Placekicker Michael Braunstein has connected on 9-of-11 field goal attempts, including a current streak of seven straight.

WASHINGTON LAST WEEK VS. ARIZONA STATE:

Rudy Carpenter threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Brent Miller on Arizona State’s second play of overtime as the Sun Devils beat Washington 26-23 on Saturday in the first overtime game in Husky Stadium history. Washington got the ball first in overtime, but moved backward five yards. Michael Braunstein kicked a career-long 47-yard field goal to put the Huskies up 23-20. Washington lost its fourth straight and its second straight loss in overtime. Two weeks ago, the Huskies lost 31-24 in overtime at California, after tying the game on the last play of regulation. The Huskies mounted a similar rally against the Sun Devils, scoring two fourth quarter touchdowns, the second directed by backup quarterback Johnny DuRocher, who took over for injured starter Carl Bonnell. DuRocher completed all four of his passes on the drive, assisted by a pass interference call on Arizona State defensive back Justin Tryon on third-and-5 at the Sun Devils 12. On third-and-goal, DuRocher rolled right then threw a strike to Sonny Shackelford for the TD, and Braunstein’s extra point tied the score at 20.

THE LAST TIME - OREGON 45, WASHINGTON 21 - EUGENE, ORE.:

Game Recap: Kellen Clemens threw for 425 yards and four touchdowns and Oregon beat Washington 45-21, decisively defeating the northwest rival Huskies for the second straight year.Clemens completed 36 passes, an Autzen Stadium record, with no interceptions in what was Washington’s 11th consecutive loss against a Pac-10 conference opponent. Demetrius Williams had five catches for 92 yards, including a pair of Clemens’ scoring passes. Husky quarterback Isaiah Stanback completed 13-of-26 passes for 111 yards and a pair of touchdowns for Washington. He was intercepted once. While the Huskies jumped out to an early lead on Stanback’s 26-yard scoring pass to Anthony Russo, Oregon had the next three TDs. Clemens hit Demetrius Williams with a 1-yard pass, then Jaison Williams from 8 yards out. Oregon made it 21-7 when Demetrius Williams pulled down another pass from Clemens, stumbling into the end zone for a 30-yard reception with two Washington defenders trying to pull him down. Clemens’ completions broke the Autzen record of 33, shared by Paul Pinegar (Fresno State) and Ty Detmer (BYU).

STATISTICAL LEADERS – OREGON:

Rushing: Jonathan Stewart (109 carries for 639 yards, 5 TD, 63 long, 5.9 per carry)

Passing: Dennis Dixon (144 of 232 for 1694 yards, 11 TD, 7 INT, 67 long, 211.75 per game)

Receiving: Jaison Williams (53 catches for 821 yards, 6 TD, 67 long, 102.6 per game)

Tackles: Blair Phillips (79 total, 6.0 for loss of 10 yards)

Sacks: Darius Sanders (5.0 for 40 yards)

Tackles for Loss: Darius Sanders (7.0 for 44 yards)

Interceptions: Jairus Byrd (4 interceptions for 30 yards)

Punt Returns: Jeremiah Johnson (13 returns for 127 yards, 27 long, 9.8 avg.)

Kickoff Returns: Jeremiah Johnson (12 returns for 250 yards, 37 long, 20.8 avg.)

STATISTICAL LEADERS – WASHINGTON:

Rushing: Louis Rankin (112 carries for 510 yards, 2 TD, 68 long, 56.7 ypg)

Passing: Issaiah Stanback (101 of 189 for 1325 yards, 10 TD, 3 INT, 56 long, 189.3 ypg)

Receiving: Sonny Shackleford (38 catches for 554 yards, 6 TD, 50 long, 61.6 ypg)

Tackles: C.J. Wallace (79 total, 7.0 for loss of 17 yard, 0 sacks, 2 forced fumbles)

Sacks: Scott White (3.0 for 29 yards)

Tackles for Loss: Scott White (12.0 for 47 yards)

Interceptions: Scott White (4 INTs for 54 yards)

Punt Returns: Marlon Wood (28 returns for 181 yards, 6.5 avg., 15 long, 0 TD)

Kickoff Returns: Roy Lewis (18 returns for 339 yards, 18.8 avg., 31 long)

WILLIAMS FINALIST FOR BILETNIKOFF AWARD:

Senior wide receiver Jaison Williams was not on the preseason watch list for the Biletnikoff award, which honors the nation’s top receiver, but with five 100-yard receiving games this season, Williams was listed as one of 14 finalists. Williams is one of four Pac-10 players on the finalists list, including DeSean Jackson (California), Dwayne Jarrett (USC) and Steve Smith (USC).

WILLIAMS THIS SEASON:

• Has his first 100-yard receiving game in the second game of the season (Fresno State)

• In third game of the season (Oklahoma) Williams had a career-high 177 receiving yards and the following week (Arizona State) had his third consecutive 100-yard receving game.

• With five 100-yard games, Williams has tied the school record for most 100-yard games in a single season.

• Is already tied for 10th on the single-season receptions list (53) and just 60 yards shy of top-10 yardage list.

• His 10 receptions at Arizona State is tied for 10th all-time on the single game receptions list.

• Ranks first in the Pac-10 (102.6 ypg) in yards per game and fifth in the nation. Also leads the conference in receptions per game (6.6) and is 11th nationally.

• Had a career-long 67-yard reception vs. Oklahoma. Then added a career-high in touchdown receptions (2) at Arizona State.

• Has had at least three catches in all eight games this season and five or more on six occasions

• Is third on the team in scoring with 36 points.

PHILLIPS CONTINUES:

Senior linebacker Blair Phillips finished last season in a flurry and hasn’t let up since. Recording 29 of his 2005 45 tackles in his final four appearances a year ago, the Ducks’ tackling leader led Oregon with eight stops in this year’s season opener vs. Stanford and has refused to relinquish that lead since. It certainly isn’t unusual for a Ducks’ linebacker to lead the team in tackles -- with cornerback Kenny Wheaton the last non-linebacker to do so in 1996 -- but it’s not often that an Oregon player is able to lead the conference in tackles. Phillips currently ranks second in the Pac-10 (9.9 avg.) behind Stanford’s Michael Okwo (11.0) after pacing the league most of the season. The only Oregon player on record to officially lead the conference in tackles was linebacker Peter Sirmon in 1997 (9.6 avg.). The program’s last player to finish the season averaging 10 tackles per game was linebacker Joe Farwell in 1992 (10.0 avg.).

WHERE ARE THEY NOW - DuROCHER, LEAF AND DIXON:

Washington backup quarterback Johnny DuRocher and Oregon quarterbacks Brady Leaf and Dennis Dixon were all part of the Ducks’ 2003 recruiting class. DuRocher got in early, graduating from high school ahead of schedule to be in Eugene in time to take part in spring drills in 2003. Leaf began his Oregon career in the fall of 2003 while Dixon did not enter the program until the winter of 2004. Both Leaf and DuRocher redshirted in 2003 and DuRocher decided to transfer to Washington in September of the 2004 season.

OREGON’S OWN #28:

The Ducks’ Jonathan Stewart has yet to gain the attention of some of the nation’s other top running backs, but he certainly has made an impact in Oregon’s success in his brief collegiate tenure. Leading the nation in kickoff returns a year ago (33.7 avg.), he became the school’s first player ever to return a pair of kickoff returns for touchdowns in the same season in 2005. In his debut in the starting lineup from scrimmage earlier this season against Stanford, the 5-11, 230-pound sophomore amassed 168 yards rushing before suffering an ankle injury in the third quarter. He then took part in only two plays vs. Fresno State yet one of those resulted in a 3-yard TD run. In his second start of the season vs. Oklahoma, he turned in his second 100-yard rushing performance (144 yards). In his third start of the year, Stewart was again limited by his ankle, but he accumulated 142 rushing yards in just 12 carries at Arizona State. Hampered by injuries all season, Stewart has been held to only 36 yards in limited play over his last two appearances.

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