Herbert, Ducks open season with test against #16 Auburn

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The #11 Oregon Ducks begin their 2019 football season with a top-20 showdown that could play a huge role in how the season ends.

Oregon travels to Arlington, Texas to take on the #16 Auburn Tigers Saturday afternoon. The game is the season-opener for both teams and will be nationally televised on ABC. Kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m. (PT).

A win over Auburn will likely catapult Oregon at least a few spots up in the polls. And with home games coming up against Nevada and FCS foe Montana, starting the season beating the Tigers would likely mean the Ducks will be 3-0 when they head to Palo Alto to open PAC 12 play against Stanford, September 21.

Should the Ducks be undefeated on their way into the conference season, they should be favored in every remaining, regular-season game on the schedule. So, a season-opening victory over Auburn could go a long way in determining Oregon’s chances to qualify for the College Football Playoff.

Another huge, season-long storyline that kicks off Saturday for the Ducks is the Heisman Trophy campaign for quarterback Justin Herbert. According to most analysts, Herbert is already one of the front-runners for the award and is wildly considered one of the best college quarterbacks in the country this season.

Herbert spurned the NFL Draft after last season in favor of returning to Eugene for his junior year. He finished the 2018 campaign with nearly a 60% completion percentage, 3,151 yards and 29 touchdowns.

Saturday night’s showdown with Auburn also marks the start of a second season for head coach Mario Cristobal. The Ducks went 9-5 in his first year at the helm. Oregon wrapped up 2018 with three straight wins, including a 7-6 victory over Michigan State in the Redbox Bowl.

The game against Auburn will be only the second meeting between the two schools on the football field. The Tigers beat the Ducks, 22-19, on a last-second field goal in the 2011 BCS National Championship game.