Trip To The Big House Up Next For Oregon

The Matchup
#1 Oregon at Michigan
Saturday, November 2, 2024
12:30 p.m. PT | CBS
Michigan Stadium | Ann Arbor, Mich.

#1 Oregon Ducks (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten)
AP/Coaches Rank: 1/1
Head Coach: Dan Lanning (William Jewell College, 2008)
Record at Oregon: 30-5 (3rd Season)
Career Record: Same

Michigan Wolverines (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten)
AP/Coaches Rank: NR/RV
Head Coach: Sherrone Moore (Oklahoma, 2008)
Record at Michigan: 6-3 (1st Season)
Career Record: Same

TV: CBS
Play-By-Play: Brad Nessler
Analyst: Gary Danielson
Sideline: Jenny Dell

Radio - Oregon Sports Network
Local: KUJZ-FM 95.3 (Eugene) | KFXX-AM 1080 (Portland)
Sirius: 133 | XM: 197
Play-by-Play: Jerry Allen
Analyst: Mike Jorgensen
Sideline: Dusty Harrah
Pre-Game Show: Joey McMurry

Off To The Big House
Coming off a dominant win over a top-20 opponent, the No. 1 ranked Ducks will travel to Ann Arbor to take on Michigan in the Big House on Saturday. Oregon is one of eight remaining undefeated teams in the nation entering November, and the Ducks are off to an 8-0 start for the first time since 2013 and fifth time in program history. Saturday will mark the sixth all-time meeting between Oregon and Michigan, and first since 2007. The Wolverines lead the all-time series, 3-2, but the Ducks have won the last two matchups with a 31-27 win over No. 3 Michigan at home in 2003 and a 39-7 win in Ann Arbor in 2007.

A Win Would...
» Make Oregon 9-0 to open the season for the first time since 2012 and third time in program history (2010).
» Improve UO to 8-1 all-time when ranked No. 1 in the nation.
» Make the Ducks 4-0 on the road for the second time under Dan Lanning and fifth time since 2010.
» Be Oregon's third straight against Michigan and tie the all-time series with the Wolverines at 3-3.

Ducks Show Poise in Top-20 Win
November is setting up to be a month to remember for the Ducks, who remained unbeaten with a 38-9 victory over No. 20 Illinois last Saturday in Autzen Stadium. Playing for the first time since 2012 as the No. 1 ranked team in the nation, Oregon showed no signs of being distracted while racing out to a 35-3 halftime lead. The defense did not allow a touchdown until there were 46 seconds left in the third quarter, the first given up by the Ducks in two full games of combined action dating back to the Ohio State game on Oct. 12. UO allowed just 293 total yards with three sacks, seven tackles for loss and two interceptions, and the Ducks turned the Illini over on downs three times. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel was terrific once again, completing 18-of-26 passes for 291 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for a score. Gabriel connected with Tez Johnson, Justius Lowe and Noah Whittington for touchdowns, and Whittington also ran for a score.

Ducks at the Top
Oregon took over the No. 1 spot in both the Associated Press and USA Today coaches polls for the first time since 2012 going into last week's game vs. Illinois, and the Ducks solidified that ranking with a dominant win over the then-No. 20 Illini. Oregon's top ranking going into Week 10 is the 11th all-time in the coaches poll and 10th all-time in the AP poll, and the Ducks are receiving all first-place votes but one in each poll. Oregon is now 7-1 all-time as the No. 1 ranked team. Prior to this season, Oregon's last No. 1 ranking in both polls was on Nov. 11, 2012, and all of the Ducks' previous No. 1 rankings came during the 2010 season.

Building the Resume
The Ducks now own three of the best wins in the nation this season. Following last week's win over the Illini, Oregon is now the only FBS team with three wins over teams currently in the AP top 25 - No. 4 Ohio State, No. 15 Boise State and No. 24 Illinois. UO is one of eight remaining unbeaten teams in the country, and one of four at 8-0 overall along with No. 5 Miami, No. 9 BYU and No. 13 Indiana.

All Three Phases
Oregon has proven to be a well-rounded team while getting out to an 8-0 start. The Ducks are one of seven teams currently in the top 15 for both total offense (11th, 467.1 YPG) and total defense (12th, 297.3), and one of 10 in the top 25 for both scoring offense (24th, 35.0 PPG) and scoring defense (10th, 15.6). Oregon is also in the top 30 for both third-down offense (T-7th, 50.0%) and third-down defense (T-27th, 33.01%). UO has also been effective on special teams, as the Ducks are one of just six teams in the nation (BYU, Central Michigan, James Madison, Tulsa, UNLV) with both a punt return and a kick return for a touchdown this season.

Dan the Man
The Ducks have been among the nation's top teams under head coach Dan Lanning, going 10-3 in his debut season in 2022 before improving with a 12-2 record in 2023. Lanning became the third UO head coach to reach at least 22 wins in his first two seasons, and his 30 wins are tied with Chip Kelly for the most by an Oregon head coach through his first 35 games. Since the start of 2022, Lanning ranks third among active FBS head coaches in both wins (30) and win percentage (.857). Oregon's 12-2 season in 2023 marked the sixth 12-win campaign in program history and first since 2019, and the Ducks' win over Liberty in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl was the seventh New Year's Six bowl win in program history.

» With a 5-0 start at home in 2024, Oregon is now 17-1 under Lanning in Autzen Stadium.
» Oregon won eight conference games in 2023 for the seventh time in program history and first since 2019.
» Oregon has won bowl games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2018-19, winning the Holiday Bowl in 2022.

Completion Machine
Dillon Gabriel has been one of the nation's top quarterbacks while leading Oregon to a 8-0 start. He leads the country with a terrific 76.2 completion percentage while also ranking No. 5 nationally in passer rating (174.83), No. 9 in passing yards per game (296.4) and completions (192), and tied for No. 10 in passing touchdowns (18). Gabriel got his Oregon career started by going a staggering 41-of-49 for 380 yards and two touchdowns in the season opener vs. Idaho, and he has posted four of the top 11 completion-percentage performances in UO single-game history through his first eight games as a Duck.

» Also has five rushing touchdowns; tied for ninth nationally with 23 total touchdowns responsible for.
» Season-high four total touchdowns (three passing, one rushing) last week vs. Illinois.
» The only FBS QB completing 75.0 percent or better of his passes.
» At least 200 passing yards and multiple touchdown passes in all eight games so far in 2024.
» Career-high 41 completions vs. Idaho matched the Oregon single-game record (Danny O'Neil, 1995).
» 41 completions are tied for the most by any FBS QB this season; one of just three FBS QBs to complete 40-plus.

Top Target
Tez Johnson has been one of the nation's top receivers while helping the No. 1 Ducks to an 8-0 start. Johnson is second in the Big Ten and fifth nationally with 63 receptions, only 23 away from the UO single-season receptions record of 86 he set in 2023. Johnson also leads the Ducks and is second in the conference in both receiving yards (638) and receiving touchdowns (8), and he has caught double-digit passes three times with a trio of 100-yard performances. Johnson has caught at least six passes in all but one game, including each of his last six entering Saturday, and he has at least one touchdown reception in five consecutive contests after finishing with six catches for 102 yards and a score last week vs. Illinois. Johnson got his senior season off to a hot start in the 2024 opener vs. Idaho, matching his career high with 12 receptions for 81 yards and two touchdowns.

» Tied for sixth nationally in receiving touchdowns, and tied for 29th in receiving yards per game (79.8).
» No. 2 in the Big Ten and tied for No. 6 in the nation with 7.5 receptions per game.
» 63 receptions are tied for 10th-most in UO single-season history.
» Up to No. 9 in UO history with 149 career receptions, and 180 yards away from becoming the 12th Duck ever to reach 2,000.
» 18 touchdown catches as a Duck is one away from the UO all-time top 10. Program record is 25 (Troy Franklin).
» One of six FBS receivers with at least three 100-yard performances this season, and the only one in the Big Ten.

JJ Leading The Way
Jordan James has established himself as Oregon's workhorse in the backfield this season while emerging as one of the top backs in the nation. James has led the Ducks in carries and rushing yards in all eight games, and he ranks third in the Big Ten and 17th nationally with exactly 100.0 rushing yards per game. The junior ran for 100-plus yards in three straight games against UCLA (103), Michigan State (166) and Ohio State (115), and he has four 100-yard performances on the season including a 102-yard game in Week 2 vs. Boise State. James ran for 83 yards on 15 carries last week vs. Illinois, his seventh game this season with at least 80 yards.

» One of 17 running backs in the nation and one of three in the Big Ten averaging at least 100.0 rushing yards per game.
» Career-high 166 rushing yards vs. Michigan State were the most by a Duck since Nov. 6, 2021 (Travis Day, 211 at Washington).
» Career-long 41-yard rush in Week 6 against the Spartans.
» 25 carries of at least 10 yards, third-most in the Big Ten and tied for 14th nationally.
» No. 4 in the Big Ten and tied for 21st nationally with 17.00 carries per game.

Explosive Ducks
Oregon's offense has found its rhythm after a slower-than-expected start to the season, scoring 30-plus points in seven straight games following last week's 38-9 win over Illinois. The Ducks were the only team in the nation to score 30-plus points in every game in 2023, and they're tied for 24th nationally in 2024 with 35.0 points per game while ranking 11th in total offense with 467.1 yards per game. Explosive plays in the passing game have been key to Oregon's offensive success; the Ducks are tied for the national lead with six pass plays of 50-plus yards, and they're 94 passing plays of 10-plus yards are 12th-most in the country. Oregon's best offensive performance so far came in Week 3 at Oregon State, when the Ducks put up season highs for points (49), total yards (546) and rushing yards (240) while scoring on all eight possessions (excluding end-of-half kneeldowns).

Consistent Intensity
Defense has been the driving force for the Ducks throughout the 2024 season, as Oregon has allowed the 12th-fewest yards per game nationally (297.3) and sports the 10th-best scoring defense (15.6 PPG) as well as the 16th-ranked passing defense (173.8 YPG) . UO started the season by holding nonconference opponents to 287.8 yards per game, the 16th-lowest total among FBS teams and fourth-lowest in the Big Ten. That momentum has carried over into conference play, where the Ducks held UCLA to 172 yards of total offense - its fewest in a game since 2010 - in their Big Ten debut before pitching a shutout first half against Michigan State, limiting the Spartans to just 102 yards of offense in the opening 30 minutes. Following a dramatic win over then-No. 2 Ohio State, UO went on the road to shut out Purdue before returning to Autzen Stadium for a dominating win over Illinois in which Oregon allowed just 89 yards of total offense in the first half. The Ducks are allowing just 12.6 points per game against conference opponents, the lowest mark nationally, and rank ninth in total defense in conference games (296.6 YPG).

» One of five teams (Army, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Texas) to hold opponents to 14 points or less six times this season.
» One of 16 FBS teams to be holding opponents under 300 yards of total offense per game.
» Conference opponents are converting on just 28.1% (16 of 57) of third-down tries, the fourth-lowest rate in the nation.
» One of seven teams (Louisiana Tech, Miami (OH), Ohio, Penn State, Sam Houston State, Texas) to have a top 30 passing defense (179.2 ypg, 16th) and rushing defense (117.4 ypg, 27th) against conference opponents.
» Oregon has won 101 consecutive games and is 22-0 under Dan Lanning when allowing 14 points or less.
» Oregon's 92.6 PFF defensive grade is tied for the third highest in the Big Ten and seventh-best nationally.

Behind Enemy Lines
The Ducks have gotten to opposing quarterbacks for 24 total sacks this season, tied for the 13th-most in the nation, after tying for 25th nationally with 34 in 2023. The UO front combined for seven sacks in nonconference play before tallying four sacks and a season-high seven TFLs in a dominating performance on the road at UCLA to open the Big Ten schedule. Oregon then recorded a season-high five sacks against Michigan State in the first Big Ten game in Autzen Stadium, including one from former Spartan Derrick Harmon. The Ducks put together back-to-back 3-plus sack performances against Purdue and Illinois while totaling 17 TFLs in those two contests. UO has multiple sacks in six of eight games after doing so eight times a season ago, most notably in a seven-sack performance against Colorado, the program's most in a game since 2017.

» 10 TFLs against Purdue were a season high and the Ducks' most since tallying 11 against Stanford on Sept. 30, 2023.
» The Ducks have recorded three or more sacks five times this season (Michigan State - 5, UCLA - 4, Idaho - 4, Illinois - 4, Purdue - 3).
» 16 sacks against conference opponents is the second-highest mark in the Big Ten and tied for ninth nationally.
» Oregon has tallied 14 TFLs and five sacks against teams ranked in the AP poll.
» The Ducks have tallied four or more TFLs in six of eight games, including four of five Big Ten contests.

You Shall Not Pass
The Ducks have dominated on both sides of the passing game once again this season. While the offense is averaging 300.0 yards per game through the air and leads the nation with an 75.9 completion percentage, the defense has limited opposing QBs to just a 56.1 percent completion rate and 173.8 yards per game. The Ducks are tied for ninth in the nation with 42 PBUs through the first eight games of the year and are tied for fifth amond FBS teams with 49 passes defended.

» 13 PBUs against Boise State were the program's most since Oct. 6, 2011, vs. California.
» Allowed only four passing touchdowns on the season, tied for the third-lowest mark in the country.
» Recorded multiple interceptions in three games this season, picking off a pair of passes against Idaho, UCLA and Illinois.
» Tysheem Johnson leads the Ducks with a pair of interceptions himself after nabbing his second of the year against Illinois.
» The Ducks' PFF pass coverage grade of 93.5 ranks second nationally and leads the Big Ten.
» Held UCLA to 125 passing yards, its fewest since 2021; UO has kept six of seven opponents under 200 passing yards.
» Nikko Reed led the Ducks with three PBUs against the Illini and is now tied for 10th in the Big Ten with five this season.

University of Oregon Athletics

Players Mentioned

Troy Franklin

Dillon Gabriel

Derrick Harmon

Jordan James

Tez Johnson

Tysheem Johnson

Justius Lowe

Nikko Reed

Noah Whittington

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