Boise St - Oregon

The Playhouse crew is stoked for what promises to be one of the better matchups of the week, if not the best. Boise St beat the Ducks in Eugene last season, 37-32, but a late hit on quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, who was forced to leave the game with a concussion, has Oregon thinking revenge this time.

Masoli is one of the best quarterbacks in the country you've probably never heard of. In limited playing time last year, he accounted for 23 touchdowns (13 passing, 10 running). He started pre-season camp fourth on the depth chart but excelled in the Ducks' spread offense, ending the season with Holiday Bowl MVP honors after the Oregon blitzed Oklahoma St.

That Boise St. has built up a solid program over the years is undeniable. But their reputation as a giant killer is largely undeserved, especially considering that their bowl record over the last five seasons is 1-4, with their lone victory coming thanks to a flurry of tricks and gimmicks in the waning moments of the 2007 Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma.

Even their victory in Eugene last season was a tad deceiving, as the Ducks were down to their fourth-string quarterback by game's end thanks to a spate of injuries. And even then, Oregon almost rallied from a three-touchdown deficit to win.

To the crew, Oregon is really live here as a dog. We know Boise is tough on the blue turf, but we also know that a lionshare of those wins have come at the expense of the mostly hapless WAC teams; there's more NFL talent on the Ducks' roster this season than the whole WAC combined. Add to that the extra motivation Oregon seems to have following last year's tilt, we feel pretty comfortable suggesting a play on the Ducks +4.5.