Everybody kind of got their feet in the opening week of the college football season. And now the heavy lifting starts with a number of key intra-sectional games with none bigger than Oregon at Michigan State. Indeed, both the Ducks and Spartans have post-season playoff aspirations and the loser of Saturday’s game will find itself behind the 8-ball just two weeks into the campaign. Of course, Michigan State will also be looking to avenge last year’s disappointing 46-27 loss at Oregon.
This game also doesn’t lack for a little pre-draft intrigue. For starters both teams are led by really interesting QBs. Michigan State’s Connor Cook, for example, has a chance to be one of, if not THE, first QB off the board at the 2016 draft. He’s a prototype passer with good size and smarts as well as the arm strength to make all the throws, although pro scouts would like to see him improve on his accuracy, especially when pressured. Meanwhile, former FCS star Vernon Adams takes over from Heisman winner Marcus Mariota for the Ducks. Adams threw for almost 11, 000 yards in three years at Eastern Washington, including just under 5,000 yards (and 55 TDs in 2013); Adams, though, is undersized at under 6-feet even and will be looking to show that he’s got some of those Russell Wilson type intangibles against a quality Big Ten opponent on the road. Adams certainly won’t be hurt by the fact that while Mariota has moved on, most of the other weapons in the explosive Oregon offense including true sophomore RB Royce Freeman and speedy WR/RB Byron Marshall.
Maybe the best reason to tune in the Ducks-Spartans, though, is the potential for not one, but two really good one-on-one duels between a first-round quality LT against an elite DE. When the Spartans have the ball, for example, junior OT Jack Conklin will be battling star Oregon DE DeForest Buckner. Then going the other way, underrated Oregon LT Tyler Johnstone will try and contend with MSU DE Shilique Calhoun, one of the hardest working defensive linemen in the country who will be trying to show pro scouts that he’s more athletic and explosive than a lot of teams think. Meanwhile, other Oregon players to watch as later round of free agent prospects include former Notre Dame OG Matt Hegarty, C Matt Pierson and LBs Joe Walker, Tyson Coleman, and Christian French, while other Spartans to watch include C Jake Allen, OG Donovan Clark, DT Joel Heath, DE Lawrence Thomas, and FS R.J. Williamson.
Prospects to watch:
OREGON MICHIGAN STATE
QB Vernon Adams, #3, 5-11, 200 QB Connor Cook, #18, 6-4, 220
RB *Royce Freeman, #21, 5-11, 225 LT *Jack Conklin, #74, 6-5, 325
WR Byron Marshall, #9, 5-9, 200 C Jake Allen, #66, 6-2, 295
WR *Braylon Addison, #2, 5-10, 190 OG Donovan Clark, #76, 6-3, 325
LT Tyler Johnstone, #64, 6-6, 295 DE Shilique Calhoun, #89, 6-5, 250
C Matt Pierson, #62, 6-4, 285 DE Lawrence Thomas, #8, 6-3, 305
OG Matt Hegarty, #72, 6-4, 300 DT Joel Heath, #92, 6-3, 315
DE DeForest Buckner, #44, 6-6, 290 LB Darien Harris, #45, 6-0, 225
LB Joe Walker, #35, 6-1, 245 FS RJ Williamson, #26, 6-0, 240
LB Tyson Coleman, *33, 6-0, 235
LB Christian French, #96, 6-4, 255
