It's incredible what a change of scenery and aligning with the right coach/coordinator can do for a quarterback.

Bo Nix was generally underwhelming at Auburn. With Oregon, he's a Heisman Trophy candidate and one of the most dynamic playmakers in college football.

Nix has completed 73.3 percent of his passes for 2,495 yards, 22 touchdowns and 5 interceptions while rushing for 457 yards (6.6 yards per carry) and 13 touchdowns, plus a receiving touchdown, and just won his third straight Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week award.

He has the Ducks (8-1, 6-0 Pac-12) ranked second nationally in total offense (520.6 yards per game) and tied for third in scoring at 43.1 points per game.

At Indiana, Michael Penix Jr. was ... solid.

With Kalen DeBoer at Washington (7-2, 4-2), he's leading the FBS in passing yardage by a fairly wide margin with 3,232 yards, 23 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. He's averaging 359.11 passing yards per game -- nearly 29 yards more than the next closest quarterback.

Those two transfers QBs face off Saturday as the Huskies visit Oregon's Autzen Stadium (4 p.m. PT on FOX).

It's also a matchup of two successful first-year coaches in DeBoer and the Ducks' Dan Lanning.

After enduring a crushing 49-3 loss to his old Georgia team to start the season, Lanning has gotten his Oregon team going with 8 consecutive victories since. Oregon’s explosive and balanced offense has buoyed the team from week to week, scoring over 40 every week since their opener.

The Ducks now find themselves No. 6 in the College Football Playoff rankings, with a very real shot of breaking into a playoff spot if they can win out. They’ve notched a big time win against UCLA but haven’t really faced much notable opposition otherwise.

Washington will present the Ducks with their first ranked matchup since that game in a contest that will be a must-win for both teams’ conference title hopes.

Let's take a closer look at the matchup with Oregon ...

Coach: Dan Lanning (1st season, 8-1)

Scoring Offense: 43.1 PPG (3rd nationally)

Scoring Defense: 26.3 PPG (71st)

Total Offense: 520.6 YPG (2nd)

Total Defense: 384.0 YPG (76th)

What the Ducks do well:

Despite Dan Lanning’s pedigree as a national championship-winning defensive coordinator, this Oregon team functions on the back of a hyper-efficient offense as it did a decade ago. With Auburn transfer Bo Nix playing great ball at quarterback and fantastic offensive line play ahead of him, the Ducks’ offense has moved the football with ease against every opponent since that opening loss to Georgia. That success has come both through the air and on the ground, with the team averaging 520.6 total yards per game. The dominance of Oregon’s offensive line has been the key to that productivity, as they’ve consistently created and managed clean pockets for Nix to work with while blasting open huge running lanes for the Duck’s backs. Oregon has allowed just 1 sack all season, and Nix has had a career resurgence after a tough go of things in his last few years at Auburn, and he’s kept this passing offense dynamic, averaging 277.2 yards per game through the air while also making a big difference with his legs. Nix is a legitimate Heisman candidate, playing as well as any quarterback in the country over the past 8 weeks. All three of Oregon’s leading rushers, Nix included, have managed over 6.5 yards per carry on the year -- a testament to the brilliance of the play up front by the offensive line.

On defense, Oregon’s strength has been its ability to snuff out opposing run games. For the year, the Ducks are allowing just 107.4 rushing yards per game to opponents on a measly average of 3.8 yards per carry. At the heart of that effort is the talented linebacker duo of Noah Sewell and Justin Flowe, both of whom offer range and hard-hitting from the second level of the defense. The defensive line features a collection of well-coached and talented players up front that have helped the Ducks clamp down on opposing rushers.

What the Ducks don’t do well:

Though the defense is talented from front to back, Oregon has struggled at times to keep opposing passers at bay. Part of those challenges have been borne of their lack of a dominant pass rush, with the team managing a subpar 15 sacks through 9 games. After the departure of Kayvon Thibodeaux to the NFL, there hasn’t been another star pass-rusher to step up for the Ducks as of yet. Edge defenders Brandon Dorlus and D.J. Johnson have performed well, but there hasn’t been much assistance elsewhere. Though the defensive line group works well by committee, they’ve found it difficult at times to generate pressure. On the back end of the defense, Oregon has been prone to busts in coverage and losses at the catch point. Opposing passers have averaged 276.6 yards per game against the Ducks; nearly what their own explosive passing offense has averaged to this point. Despite some top-end talent in the secondary, the unit as a whole has yet to put it together. That reality was most evident when Oregon took on Washington State earlier in the year, surviving the possible upset by a hair’s breadth as Cougar Quarterback Cam Ward passed for 375 yards and 4 touchdowns. Washington should prove a more difficult test through the air for the Ducks than any of their opponents since.

Players to Know:

1. QB Bo Nix (No. 10): A highly-touted recruit when he began his career with Auburn, Nix had an up-and-down stretch of three years with the Tigers. Though his physical talents and big-play ability have always been evident, his inconsistencies as a processor and his tendency to put the football in harm’s way often held back the Auburn offense. In his three years as the starter there, Nix never once managed to complete more than 61% of his passes. So far, transferring to Oregon seems to have totally turned Nix’s career around, as he’s easily having his best season right now by a wide margin. His accuracy and decision making seem to have taken big steps forward, a result of both his own progression and an offense that’s much better suited for his playing style. Nix has thrown for 22 touchdowns to only 5 interceptions through 9 games, all while completing a strong 73.3% of his passes. His ability as a runner of the football can’t be ignored either, as he’s proven to be one of the most dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks in the country. He’s been phenomenal when he carries the football, having racked up 457 rush yards and a team-leading 14 touchdowns on the ground while averaging 6.6 yards per carry. Nix’s athleticism allows him to create out of structure, something he's shown himself to be very capable of despite his comfort playing within the bounds of the offensive system. He’s still prone to the occasional bone-headed throw or misplaced football, but Nix’s game has taken big strides from his time as an Auburn Tiger. He’s one of the clear-cut contenders for the Heisman trophy at this point in the year and has a very real chance to secure the award in a month’s time.

2. LB Noah Sewell (No. 1); Likely to be one of the first linebackers selected in next year’s NFL Draft, Sewell is a throwback at the position, a ball of competitive fire and violent force. At 6-foot-2 and 253 pounds, Sewell is a menace as a downhill thumper, with more than enough mass and strength to battle through the blocks of offensive linemen. He’s a brutal hitter who takes no prisoners as a tackler, rarely failing to bring down opposing ball carriers. What truly makes Sewell a special player is the fluidity of movement and pure range he brings to the position despite his build. He’s fully capable of tracking plays to the sideline and shows real promise in coverage over the middle. All in all, Sewell is as well-rounded and talented of a linebacker as you’ll find anywhere in college football.

3. WR Troy Franklin (No. 11): The 6-foot-3 sophomore has been Nix’s favorite target in the passing game, with 39 receptions for 636 yards and 5 touchdowns. Franklin was promising in his limited opportunities as a freshman in 2021 but has burst onto the scene as the top receiving threat on the Oregon roster this season. He’s caught 14 more passes and gone for nearly 300 more receiving yards than the Ducks' next-most productive pass catcher. Franklin has real speed to burn, allowing him to beat smaller defensive backs down the field with regularity. He’s shown real ability as a separator in his routes, though his hands still have room to improve. Franklin has made a name for himself as one of the most dangerous receivers in the country, and he’s already established himself as a potential first round pick in the 2024 NFL draft. He’s a real difference maker liable to take the top off of a defense at any time.

4. CB Christian Gonzalez (No. 0): Another potentially high draft pick from the Ducks’ defense, Gonzalez is easily Oregon’s best defensive back. At 6-foot-2, Gonzalez is a long and combative corner who's active with his hands at the line of scrimmage and eager to make plays at the catch point. In his first year at Oregon as a transfer from Colorado, Gonzalez has 7 pass breakups. He also snagged his first career interception earlier in the year, notching 2 more last week in a standout performance against his old school. His matchup with Rome Odunze out wide will be one to watch all night.

5. RB Bucky Irving (No. 0): Though the Ducks have largely gone with a committee of backs to power their run game, Irving has stood out as the best of the bunch. He currently leads the team in rushing with 688 yards, which he’s managed on a highly impressive average of 6.9 yards per carry. Irving has been remarkably consistent, rushing for over 65 yards at over 5.6 yards per carry in all but one game since the season opener against Georgia. His burst and agility create serious headaches for opposing defenses, especially given the big lanes his offensive line routinely creates for him. He’s a threat as a pass catcher as well, with 17 receptions for 206 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Key Stat: 1 sack allowed all year

Oregon’s offensive line is the Pac-12’s best and perhaps the top unit in the entire country. Though they’ve run blocked at a high level, it’s their contributions in pass protection that really set them apart. The group has given up just a single sack all year for a loss of 1 yard; particularly stunning when you remember that this team played the vaunted Georgia defense in Week 1. No team in the nation has protected the quarterback better through nine games. Though that game went poorly for the Ducks, the rest of the season since definitely hasn’t, thanks in no small part to the offensive line. The protection they’ve afforded Nix has almost certainly played a big role in the quarterback’s improvement, giving him the confidence to progress through his reads and to take time when he needs to. By largely nullifying opposing pass rushes, the Oregon line completely sets the tone on offense by allowing Nix the freedom to pick apart the defense with his arm or to take off and create big plays on the ground. So long as opponents can’t manage to generate pressure against this group, it’ll remain very hard to slow down the Ducks’ passing game.

Key Matchup: UW Front Seven vs Oregon Offensive Line

For Washington to win this game, it’ll need to put up some resistance on defense to slow down Oregon’s potent offense. The deficiencies of the Husky secondary will necessitate a big night from the front seven in order to do so, and Washington definitely has the talent up front to give it a good shot. Though the defensive line has been inconsistent, its chock-full of playmakers with the potential to create penetration against the vaunted Oregon offensive line. Zion-Tupuola Fetui, Jeremiah Martin and the rest of the crew will need to be at their best in order to throw a wrench into the Ducks' offensive gameplan. If they can create enough disruption to force a handful of empty possessions for Oregon, the Washington passing offense may be just able to keep pace on the other side of the ball on the backs of Michael Penix and company.