The Associated Press


EUGENE — The 21st-ranked Oregon Ducks plan to start sophomore quarterback Justin Roper when they open the season Saturday night against Washington.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. It will be televised by FSN (34).

The Ducks said Monday that sophomore Nate Costa’s knee injury will require surgery to repair damaged cartilage, and he is likely to miss 8-to-10 weeks.

Costa was the presumptive starter when fall camp began. But last week he injured his surgically reconstructed left knee in practice last week and has been sidelined ever since.

He also missed the second half of the 2007 season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury to the same knee.

The team said Monday that MRI results were inconclusive as to ligament damage, but that will get further assessment during his surgery.

Roper threw for four touchdowns in Oregon’s Sun Bowl victory over South Florida last year and played well in scrimmages during camp this summer.