5 Things To Watch: Oregon-Wisconsin

MADISON, Wisc. — Oregon will look to stay on a championship path Saturday when the top-ranked Ducks play at Wisconsin.

The UO football team will wrap up a grueling stretch of eight conference games in eight weeks — against a second straight opponent coming off a bye week — when the Ducks and Badgers kick it off at 4:30 p.m. PT.

Oregon is one of four remaining unbeaten teams in the country entering the game, with a 10-0 record overall and a 7-0 mark in Big Ten play. Wisconsin is 5-4 overall and 3-3 in conference; the two have one common opponent so far, each boasting a win over Purdue.

The all-time series between Oregon and Wisconsin is tied, 3-3. The Badgers won home games in 1977, 1978 and 2000, while the Ducks won in Autzen Stadium in 2001 before winning Rose Bowl matchups between the two after the 2011 and 2019 seasons.

The 2001 game at Autzen Stadium was featured in this week's episode of "Turn Back the Flock," hosted by former UO defensive back Verone McKinley III and featuring the Ducks' quarterback in that game, Joey Harrington.

Saturday's game will be televised by NBC, with Noah Eagle on play-by-play, analysis from Todd Blackledge and sideline reporting by Kathryn Tappen.

Some storylines to watch when the game kicks off …

1. The Ducks kept their unbeaten season alive last week, but they're looking to tighten things up after an uneven start against Maryland.

Oregon was flagged for 12 penalties in the game, some of which contributed to all three of the Terps' scoring drives. Offensively, the Ducks weren't as explosive as they had been much of the season.

"he reality is, this is when it matters the most," UO coach Dan Lanning said this week. "So we have to be fundamental, sound in the scheme. But just as important, how you disengage off a block matters, how you play slot cover matters, how you tackle matters. And I think some of those things showed up for us that we could do better."

2. Lanning came off the practice field last Wednesday — the last full pads practice of each week for the Ducks — and felt the team would have executed more efficiently. Perhaps not coincidentally, he was saying the same thing come postgame Saturday.

This week, Lanning was more upbeat after Oregon's Wednesday practice. For one thing, after committing 13 penalties in practice the week before, the Ducks had five this Wednesday.

A point of emphasis has been finding way to get defensive backs to play with more discipline when it comes to their hands. "They've been wearing boxing gloves all week," Lanning said. "So that's helped."

3. Offensive line play has long been a hallmark for Wisconsin, and this year is no different. The Badgers have allowed nine sacks this season, fewest in the Big Ten.

A key has been consistency — Wisconsin is one of seven FBS teams to start the same unit on the offensive line in every game.

"It's one of those ones where you look at them and you say, 'OK, that's what an offensive line is supposed to look like.'" Lanning said. "That great size up front. They have the ability to move you. When you look at it, you're like, 'OK, that's what a Wisconsin offensive line looks like.'"

4. Oregon's offensive line, meanwhile, played last week without starting guard Marcus Harper II, leading to the third different starting lineup for the Ducks up front this year.

Dave Iuli took over at right guard in the absence of Harper, but Kawika Rogers played there as well during the Maryland game.

"I think they both had different strengths and weaknesses within the game," Lanning said. "Both, I think, played winning football, where you have the ability to have success with them on the field — which is great to see them prove that. I think both have the opportunity to be able to see what that looks like in the future."

5. As noted above, the Ducks are about to play their eighth conference game in eight weeks Saturday, and the second in a row against a team coming off a bye.

No, things aren't coming easy for Oregon. But the Ducks wouldn't have it any other way.

"Our guys are enjoying the work," Lanning said. "We're still having a lot of fun come up here every single day to get better and find ways to improve. And the challenge of this new conference and the travel and some of the teams we have to play has been a lot of fun for us. But we've got more work to do."