In prior articles, we’ve identified the most winnable home and away games for coach Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks. While each conference game has meaning, these three contests will likely have a significant impact on determining a Big Ten Conference championship and a berth in the expanded College Football Playoff.
Here is what we believe are the biggest games of the regular season.
This matchup between former Pac-12 rivals has a number of story lines to consider. First, these are long-time Pac-12 rivals and their game has often played a role in determining a conference championship. Consider that in 2023, Washington beat Oregon in the regular season game and then again in the championship game before advancing into the playoffs and, ultimately, a spot in the national championship game.
These are losses that still sting Oregon’s coaches, players, and fans. In fact, coach Lanning has yet to beat the Huskies and would like nothing more than to finish the conference season with an old-fashioned tail-whipping of Washington, and his players feel the same way.
In a recent interview with Oregon Ducks SI reporter Bri Amaranthus, senior linebacker Jeffrey Bassa was asked about his thoughts on the schedule about moving to the Big Ten.
“This opponent, we've been playing every year, so I'd have to say Washington,” Bassa said. “I mean, nothing new going to the Big Ten. They're coming right with us, so I'm excited to see them.”
Bassa also voiced his desire to get some revenge not only for himself but for coach Lanning as well.
“Yeah, I know it (beating the Huskies) would mean the world to me and I know it would mean the world to (Lanning)," Bassa said.
These teams have played 116 games all-time, with Oregon winning 48 times, Washington winning 63 times, and the teams tying five times. The most recent game, as noted above, was the Pac-12 Championship game, a 34-31 Husky victory. As far as what to expect from this team, massive change is an understatement.
To make a long story short, when college football’s coaching carousel stopped, Washington found itself with new head coach Jedd Fisch. In addition, Fisch welcomes 46 new scholarship players and a completely revamped coaching staff. When the Huskies lineup for their first game of the season, they will have 21 new starters. Fisch spoke at Washington’s media day and introduced his "brand-new team," compared to the one that lost to Michigan in last year's national championship game.
Perhaps one of a few bright spots is the signing of former Mississippi State transfer quarterback, Will Rogers. The bad news is the total lack of experience in the wide receiver corps. In fact, the sole returning wideout is Giles Jackson, who posted just 106 receiving yards last year. Suffice to say the overriding question is whether coach Fisch can duplicate the quick success he generated while coaching Arizona. When asked about his expectations for the 2024 season, Fisch said “(they) want to be the hardest opponent that everybody plays."
For what it’s worth, ESPN's Power Football Index has Washington as No. 6 in the Big Ten.
From nearly every angle, the Ducks appear to have the advantage, not the least of which is playing in front of a very vocal fan base at Autzen stadium. We look at this as an important game but a winnable one that Oregon should win.
2. Michigan welcomes the Oregon Ducks to The Big House on November 2
These teams have played five times with Michigan winning three and Oregon two. The most recent game was in 2007 when the Ducks traveled to Ann Arbor and came home with a 39-7 victory. Only one game was played in Eugene, when Oregon recorded its second win, outscoring the Wolverines, 31-27.
Michigan is coming off of a national championship and the biggest question is whether new head coach Sherrone Moore can fill the big footsteps left by Jim Harbaugh. That's no easy task and one made even more difficult by a demanding fan base. Moore spoke at Big Ten media days about the goals for the team.
“We’re not going to stray away from the goal of trying to win it all every year,” Moore said. “When you’re at Michigan, that should be your goal.”
In a recent interview with the Athletic’s Austin Meek, Moore was asked if he believes he has a grace period given the changes from last year.
“There’s no honeymoon year,” Moore said. “We’re ready to attack. There’s no time off. There’s no, ‘Let’s take a step back.’ That’s not our goal. We know what we want to do, and we know how to attack it. I’m hungrier than ever.”
While Michigan is experiencing significant changes like those in Washington, there doesn’t seem to be the same level of concern when looking at the Wolverines talent. Recruiting wise, Michigan is ranked four in the Big Ten, behind Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State per 247Sports. The Wolverines’ defense was highly ranked last year, and one can expect a repeat if not a better year. There are some questions, however, when it comes to some of the skill positions on the offense side of the ball. This may be an area where Oregon may dominate the line of scrimmage, something coach Lanning believes is the key to winning football.
Overall, ESPN’s College Football’s Power Index has Michigan as No. 4 in the Big Ten. As such, the Wolverines are a formidable opponent, especially at home in front of 107,601 fans (stated capacity) in the Big House. Still, look for the Ducks to bring their “A” game to Ann Arbor.
This could very well be the game-of-the-year in college football. The Ducks and the Buckeyes have their focus on a Big Ten championship and a spot in the expanded College Football Playoff. The pre-season national football rankings have Georgia at the top followed closely by Ohio State (2) and Oregon (3). Both teams have this date circled on the calendar and there isn’t any reason why this game won’t live up to the hype surrounding the matchup.
These two teams have met on the gridiron 10 times with 9 wins for Ohio State and just one victory for the Ducks. The first, last and only win for Oregon was a 35-28 victory in September 2021 at the “Horseshoe.” While the capacity at Autzen stadium pales in comparison to the numbers in Columbus, count on Oregon fans to give the Buckeyes a very vocal welcome.
A popular mantra for football coaches at all levels is to focus on the game ahead of you and not look ahead to a future opponent. This may never have been more true than the upcoming contest in Eugene. Oregon coach Lanning recently appeared on the Jim Rome show and had this to say regarding the budding rivalry.
“Unbelievable team. We’re certainly not looking ahead, but you can’t look at your schedule and not recognize who there’s opportunities to play and Ohio State has done an unbelievable job year in and year out,” said Lanning. “They’ve had a lot of success, they’re well coached, they’ve recruited really well, and they’ve built a history.”
The Ducks have played Big Ten teams before, but not as members of the same conference. Accordingly, Oregon is looking to make a big impression right out of the gate.
“So, that’s the thing that excites you about joining the Big Ten is that you’re going to get to play teams like that, that have such a great history. I know that our fans will be unbelievable for that atmosphere. It’s gonna be a special game for sure, but fortunately we have to play some games before we get to that one and continue to improve,” said Lanning.
As far as talent goes, Ohio State isn’t lacking for solid starters and depth at most positions. From the offensive side of the line of scrimmage, you can expect to see some changes at Chip Kelly, former Oregon and UCLA head coach, takes the reins as offensive coordinator in Columbus. His play calling may not be as creative as it was when he arrived in Eugene but look for twists and turns that could make the Buckeyes even more dangerous.
The Buckeye defense is run by third-year coordinator Jim Knowles and is likely to be as good, if not better than last year’s team. Consider that Ohio State allowed 146 points, the fewest since 1998. Their scoring defense was second, behind only Michigan. Seven starters return, and the fill-ins are every bit as strong - if not better in some spots.
As to rankings, Ohio State is second in ESPN’s College Football’s Power Index, behind number one, Oregon. The Buckeyes coach, Ryan Day, is said to be on the “hot seat” but a ranking number won’t change that. He needs to see wins to extend his stay in Columbus.
One interesting observation when reading articles about Ohio State and Michigan is the apparent lack of respect given to Oregon. In a nutshell, the “advice” to the Buckeyes is simply beat Michigan, win the Big Ten and win a national championship. We could be wrong, but Oregon is going to have something to say about that.
Lastly, given the expansion of the College Football Playoff to 12 teams, the loser of this game is not automatically eliminated from the chase for a championship. No doubt a loss makes the journey more difficult, but it’s not bad as was the case in the four-team “tournament.” In any event, this is a game that’s not to be missed.
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