What should the Oregon Ducks expect from Washington Huskies' offense?

If you had told Oregon Duck fans at the start of the season that they would be going into the final week of the year with one loss on their record, and a chance to beat the Washington Huskies to clinch a spot in the College Football Playoff, they would take it every single time. Now, Oregon also has a chance to get into the Big Ten Title game for the second year in a row, but whether or not fans would want that opportunity again is a separate conversation.

It's all on the line for Dan Lanning and his team today, with a game against the Huskies up in Seattle for all the marbles. Coming off a comfortable 42-27 win over the USC Trojans last week, Oregon is feeling good, but hoping to be healthier this next week with a rivalry on the line.

On the flip side, the Huskies are out of the playoff mix, but hoping to upend the Ducks' season and ruin their postseason dreams. Washington has been dealing with some injuries as well, but there will be no excuses on either side of the ball in Week 14 with all that's at play.

So what can we expect to see from this Washington team, and in particular, what type of challenges will they present? Let's dive in.

What do the Washington Huskies do well on offense?

The Huskies are a well-coached team with a few solid weapons on offense, but they lack the talent overall compared to Oregon's defense. Led by quarterback Demond Williams, they can be dangerous when they are clicking, especially at home. Williams is a dual-threat guy who can easily beat you with his legs when he gets outside of the pocket, but he is small in stature, making him less effective when held in the pocket and forced to be a stationary player. Washington's ground game has been decent this year, though their offensive line is not up to par with years past, and the duo of Denzel Boston and Dezmen Roebuck has been dynamic on the outside.

Who are the top players to know about?

QB Demond Williams

The unquestioned leader of the Washington offense as a true sophomore, Demond Williams Jr. is one of the top playmakers in the country from the quarterback position. He doesn't stand tall, at just 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, but he makes up for his with his speed and athleticism in and outside of the pocket. Williams is precise, accurate and makes good decisions with the football, as he's completing 72.0% of his passes this season and has thrown 19 touchdowns to just six interceptions. He's also not shy to take off when he sees grass, as evidenced by his 568 rush yards and six touchdowns, both of which are second on the team.

RB Jonah Coleman

Though he's dealing with a knee issue that sidelined him against Purdue and last week against UCLA, standout running back Jonah Coleman is expected to play against the Ducks. He began his career at Arizona before following head coach Jedd Fisch to Washington, where he's reached new levels. Last season, he ran for over 1,000 yards and ten touchdowns; this season, he's at 651 yards and 14 touchdowns, showing his propensity for finding the end zone. The 5-foot-9, 228-pounder is a downhill runner, bouncing off would-be tacklers. He's arguably the top running back that Oregon will have faced in the regular season.

WR Denzel Boston

Denzel Boston is Williams' go-to target on the outside, and a near-elite one at that. While he's not necessarily on the level of Indiana's Elijah Sarratt or USC's duo of Makai Lemon and Ja'Kobi Lane, he isn't far behind. Thanks to his size (6-foot-4, 210 pounds), phenomenal ball control, and ability to high point the football, he's generated buzz of being an early round draft pick as soon as 2026. Thus far, he's caught 52 passes for 730 yards and eight touchdowns in nine games of action. Like Coleman, Boston has missed the past two games with an injury, but is expected to be back on the field against Oregon.

Are the Oregon Ducks built to stop Washington?

The one thing that has been of concern for Oregon late in this season has been injury, and fotunately, the defensive side of the ball has stayed relatively healthy thanks to their depth and consistent rotation. The Ducks should feel confident going into this game when it comes to stopping Washington's offense. While Coleman is a good runner, the offensive line has not been stout so far this year, and the Ducks have one of the best rushing defenses in the nation. Meanwhile, Oregon also boasts one of the top passing defenses in the nation, but when Washington decides to sit back and throw, the Ducks can be ready.

The biggest wrinkle that the Huskies have in this game is Williams, and his ability to keep plays alive with his feet and move the chains. If Oregon can slow that down, though, they should be in a good spot here.

What should we expect on Saturday?

On paper, this is a game that Oregon should win relatively comfortably. However, when you factor in the rivalry, and the tough road environment, it's not going to be an easy one to walk away from with a blowout victory. I expect Washington to try and run the ball with success on early downs and get Williams into advantageous positions to find his receivers downfield, but ultimately, I have little concern that Oregon's defense is going to be up to the task.

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: What the Oregon Ducks should expect from Washington Huskies' offense