Scouting report: UCLA vs. Oregon

Sitting atop the Pac-12 as the only undefeated team remaining in the conference, No. 9 UCLA football (6-0, 3-0 Pac-12) will travel to Eugene to take on No. 10 Oregon (5-1, 3-0) in a clash with potential College Football Playoff implications on the line. The Bruins will be trying for a third consecutive ranked win and the first victory for coach Chip Kelly over his former team in four tries. Here is this week’s scouting report from senior staffer Francis Moon – who, as a Houston Texans fan, is glad to be able to root for a fun football team to watch.

Oregon’s offense
Offensive scheme: Spread
Run-pass percentage: 46.9% pass, 53.1% run
Strength: Offensive line
Weakness: Nothing
X-factor: QB Bo Nix

Bo Nix transferred to Oregon for a fresh start but saw his debut get spoiled by a familiar foe.

The former Auburn quarterback met his match in a season-opening 49-3 loss to No. 1 Georgia on Sept. 3 in his third career 20-plus point defeat at the hands of the Bulldogs and fourth overall. Nix completed just 21 of 37 passes with two picks as the Ducks failed to find the end zone, looking lost on both sides of the field.

But since then, Nix has been the catalyst of a surging offense that now ranks among the best in the country.

With a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate under center and fresh faces on the sidelines in coach Dan Lanning and offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham, Oregon is on a tear. The Ducks have improved in every game since their only loss while averaging 49.8 points per game in their last five outings – a mark that would lead all of college football this season.

The youngest Power 5 coach at age 36, Lanning has instilled fiery energy into an Oregon offense that one could say is reminiscent of when Kelly was at the helm.

The offensive line came into the season as one of the few question marks, but it has proved to be a centerpiece of the Ducks’ offensive hot streak, leading the nation by allowing just one sack all season – with left tackle T.J. Bass and center Alex Forsyth anchoring.

Lanning and his coaching staff have integrated a creativity that was absent in years past, opening the door for Oregon’s rushing game to blossom.

Nix has led a balanced attack by throwing for 1,526 yards and 12 touchdowns against three interceptions this season while also displaying elite dual-threat abilities with 331 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground – including two hat tricks.

But he’s only the third-most productive rusher for his team, with running backs Bucky Irving and Noah Whittington running for 429 and 336 total yards, respectively, to lead the 10th-best rushing offense in the country. Both possess the ability to break out for big runs and take advantage of the openings the offensive line gives them, each averaging around seven yards per carry this year – with Irving’s 7.2 yards per rush barely beating out UCLA senior running back Zach Charbonnet’s fifth-best mark in the nation at 7.1.

Though it ranks in the 50th percentile in pass percentage, Oregon has displayed a deep receiving room as well, led by wide receivers Troy Franklin and Chase Cota – the latter of whom spent four seasons at UCLA before transferring earlier this year.

But despite Oregon’s current momentum, Nix has proven to be vulnerable and streaky against hounding defenses in the past, which the Bruins have shown they can be this year.

Errant throws have led to criticisms against Nix’s accuracy and decision-making, and he also has a predictable tendency to turn to his legs immediately when he senses his first read isn’t there. Look for the Bruins to come out firing on offense and stack the box early on defense to make Nix throw the ball more.

But even including the three-point showing against the Bulldogs, the Ducks boast the ninth-best scoring offense in the country with 42 points per game, just ahead of the 12th-place Bruins’ 41.5 per contest.

Expect a high-scoring matchup, as not even the Eugene rain can cool off two of the hottest offenses in college football.

Oregon’s defense
Defensive scheme: 4-2-5
Strength: Defensive line
Weakness: Red zone and pass defense
X-factor: DB Christian Gonzalez

Oftentimes, a rainy game indicates a defensive battle up front.

But given the Ducks’ exploitable defense through the air, the Bruins would still be better served using a healthy dosage of their passing attack.

Much like its offense, Oregon’s defense underwent significant turnover this past offseason. After finishing 70th in total defense last season by allowing 384.5 yards per game, it lost two of its leaders in No. 5 overall pick defensive lineman Kayvon Thibodeaux and safety Verone McKinley III to the NFL.

Lanning, though, brought three years of experience leading the top overall defense during his stint as the defensive coordinator at Georgia. He also hired defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi, who spent the past three seasons as a defensive line coach in the NFL, to try and spark some improvement in a relatively weak area for the team last year.

While the run defense was respectable in 2021, the Ducks ranked 88th in the country with 241.3 passing yards allowed per game last year. This season, the disparity has been stretched to the extreme, as they have allowed the 113th-most passing yards in the country out of 131 FBS schools with 275.3 per outing but rank in the top 15 in the nation and top the Pac-12 in rushing yards allowed per game.

Though Charbonnet is matchup proof, he’ll have his work cut out for him against a defensive front that has given up just 98 rushing yards per game, making the Ducks the only team in the conference outperforming the Bruins’ defense in that department.

Redshirt senior quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson is due for another big game against the worst pass defense in the conference, but Oregon’s secondary has also quietly improved to a more serviceable level as of late. Most recently, it shut down one of the better passing offenses in the Pac-12 against Arizona and quarterback Jayden de Laura.

Defensive back Christian Gonzalez had a career showing against the Wildcats, impressing in man coverage while showcasing his versatility by occasionally playing the nickel. Likely to shadow redshirt senior wide receiver Jake Bobo, the Colorado transfer has led the team with five pass breakups this season, while defensive back Trikweze Bridges leads the Ducks with two interceptions on the year.

Youth and energy have translated to an aggressive defense, with underclassmen linebackers Justin Flowe and Noah Sewell emerging as consistent contributors with big-play potential. On the defensive line, fellow underclassmen Treven Ma’ae and Keyon Ware-Hudson have done the same.

That being said, the defense has allowed a gaudy total of 22 touchdowns and 28.8 points per game halfway through the campaign despite a relatively easy schedule.

For the Ducks, taking over the top spot in the Pac-12 will ride on whether their secondary can step up in their toughest test since week one.