Comparing Bo Nix and Michael Penix ahead of Oregon-Washington duel
There’s more than one way to get a job done. Bo Nix and Michael Penix do their job better than almost anybody.
On Saturday, the two standout quarterbacks will go head-to-head in the Oregon–Washington matchup. In a conversation with On3’s Andy Staples, Scoop Duck’s Justin Hopkins compared the two QBs.
“They’re two completely different offenses,” Hopkins said. “Oregon does put up the passing numbers, but it’s more of an efficiency, right? It’s a lot shorter, screens and just simple patterns that keep the offense moving down the field. Whereas, Washington can break your back on a single play. They can chuck a seven-yarder on first down if they want to. It’s a different way of going about it.”
Both teams are extremely successful despite utilizing different offensive schemes. Washington boasts the best offense in the country, averaging 569.4 yards per game. Second place? The Ducks, who average 557.8 yards per outing.
While the bulk of both teams’ yards come through the air, Washington again leads the pack. The Huskies regularly tally 446.4 passing yards, the most nationally. Meanwhile, Oregon averages over 110 passing yards less.
The Bo Nix debate
Although Washington has better statistics on the surface, Hopkins argued for Nix’s superior ability.
“You have a general out there like Bo Nix with his experience, with his understanding of the offense of, his ability to read the defense,” Hopkins said. “Just two years ago, we were all you know, ‘Hey, is Bo Nix ever gonna get it? He’s kind of an interception machine. He struggles there.’
“Now, he’s one of the most efficient quarterbacks in America. I believe Oregon’s first turnover was last week against Stanford. That’s pretty remarkable.”
Hopkins is correct. Oregons leads the FBS with just one turnover this season. In comparison, Washington has five. Of course, fans don’t have to entirely rely on theoretics when speculating over the Week 7 battle.
Nix and Penix squared off last season when Washington narrowly defeated the Ducks 37-34, knocking Oregon out of the College Football Playoff race. In the contest, Penix outplayed Nix, completing 26-of-his-35 passes for for 408 yards and two touchdowns.
On the other hand, Nix completed 19-of-his-28 pass attempts for 280 yards and two touchdowns. While Nix didn’t throw any picks, he still only posted a 90.6 QB rating compared to Penix’s 95.8. Fans won’t have to look back too much longer.
On Saturday, the two teams will face off at 3:30 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on ABC.