Oct 24, 2014 09:30 PM EDT By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

The Oregon Ducks (6) rebounded from their loss to Arizona with two straight wins, but visiting the Cal Golden Bears they will have to avoid another upset to stay in the College Football Playoff race.

Though they are 2-3 in the Pac-12 and 4-3 overall, Cal has somewhat of a resemblance to their much higher ranked opponents. Cal is averaging 372 passing yards per game, outgaining Oregon while their offense is not even a field goal behind the Ducks in terms of average points.

CLICK HERE to listen to the game live via TuneIn. Kickoff is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET in Santa Clara, Calif.

But Oregon is 6-1 because they are running the ball for more than 200 yards per game and holding opponents to 23 points per game. Also because Heisman candidate quarterback Marcus Mariota is completing 70 percent of his passes and throwing no interceptions to this point.

Freshman running back Royce Freeman has been an ideal compliment to Mariota, carrying the ball 114 times for 636 yards and 11 touchdowns. However, Freeman only had 346 pushing yards after the loss to Arizona. In two wins against UCLA and Washington, Freeman took 47 carries for 290 yards and six scores.

"Royce is Royce," Mariota told reporters ahead of Friday night's game, according to ESPN. "I don't know how to explain it. He's done amazing things all year."

When teams hone in on a team's lone offensive threat, even players as talented as Mariota can be stifled once in a while. Freeman gives the Ducks' explosive offense another dimension.

"I'm just trying to go each and every week and improve and get a breakthrough," Freeman told reporters. "I'm just trying as hard as I can."

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