The Oregon Ducks and the Michigan State Spartans will meet for the Redbox Bowl on Monday, December 31.
The game is sure to provide plenty of talking points as the Ducks' red-hot offense meets the Spartans stingy defense.
For Oregon (8-4), the team was bolstered last week by junior quarterback Justin Herbert's announcement that he will return for his senior season instead of heading to the NFL Draft. Herbert, who threw for 2,985 yards and 28 touchdowns this year, will face one of the nation's top defenses.
Michigan State's defense enters the game ranked No. 1 in the country in rush defense and 14th in total defense.
Statistically, the Spartans win when they rush for 100 yards or more in a game, having gone 7-1 in 2018 when they find success in the ground game. However, Michigan State has one of the lowest-scoring offenses in the country, averaging only 19.8 points per game. In contrast, Oregon averaged 37.3 points per game.
Another element of the game will be how successful Oregon can be on the ground. The Ducks offense is more productive — with a 6-0 record in 2018 — when Herbert limits his passing attempts and the ground game eats up yardage, but Michigan State allowed the fewest rushing yards in the country with 81 yards per game.
2018 Redbox Bowl
Location: Levi's Stadium — Santa Clara, California
Date: Monday, December 31
Time: 3 p.m. ET
TV: FOX | Live stream: Fox Sports Go App
Satellite Radio: MSU Feed: Fox Sports on SiriusXM, Ch. 83
Odds: Oregon -2.5; Over/Under: 48
Prediction:
Todd Saelhof (Athlon Sports): Oregon 31, Michigan State 21
"In reality, there's nothing that Michigan State can bring to the field that should scare Oregon.
Even with a staunch defense, Justin Herbert and the Ducks' offense should be able to cut through the Spartans without too much trouble.
After all, they bring to the Bay Area an offense that can score almost at will, much like their predecessors before them. And in Herbert, they have another NFL QB in the making, although he's more of a pocket passer than Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota.
Michigan State, on the other hand, has shown few sparks offensively, leading many to wonder how this team even managed to become bowl eligible a season after going 10-3.
Whether Sparty can hang with the Ducks will be determined by their pride come New Year's Eve. But that's not generally an issue for Mark Dantonio's teams. And if they can use their physicality to slow down their foes, the Ducks might well fold as has been the case at times throughout the season.
Still, don't bet on Herbert allowing Oregon to wilt under any pressure on what becomes the biggest stage for the QB to have his NFL stock measured before making a probable commitment to Sunday football."
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