Three weeks ago, Oregon was out of the Associated Press Top 25, had lost two in a row, was 2-2 in Big Ten play and appeared to be out of contention for a College Football Playoff spot after getting into the tournament the past two seasons.
Now, the Ducks (6-3 overall, 4-2 in Big Ten) have won back-to-back conference games over ranked opponents, including then-No. 12 Ohio State on the road last week, and are making a case for the CFP if they can win out.
Oregon sits at No. 16 in the College Football Playoff rankings released this week, and will be favored against struggling Michigan (5-4, 2-4) at home in Eugene, Ore., on Saturday. The Ducks blasted the Buckeyes 41-28 and quarterback Dylan Raiola, who had up-and-down performances after taking over for injured starter Dante Moore in the fifth week of the season, seems to have found a rhythm.
Raiola completed 25 of 40 passes for 257 yards and two touchdowns. He didn’t turn the ball over, and didn’t take a sack.
The Ducks, however, will be without one of their top defensive players and team leaders in edge rusher Teitum Tuioti, who came away with a knee injury at Ohio State and will need surgery, head coach Dan Lanning said, ending his season. Tuioti has 5.5 sacks.
“I hate it for him, because it’s kind of a routine weird play that it happened on,” Lanning said, acknowledging that Tuioti might have played his final game for the Ducks.
With Jeremiah McClellan back in the fold last week after recovering from a broken foot, Oregon now has its top three wide receivers able to contribute along with Evan Stewart and Dakorien Moore. The latter leads the team in touchdown catches and receiving yards.
Michigan is reeling after a 15-6 loss at home to in-state rival Michigan State last week, when the Wolverines had four turnovers and gave up five sacks. Michigan now plays at rowdy Autzen Stadium for the first time since Oregon joined the Big Ten.
The loss had head Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham candid about his disappointment while struggling to find any positives about the offense’s performance.
Now Michigan faces one of the rising teams in college football after offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Jason Beck was fired. Whittingham started the week trying to decide between Tommy Carr or Bryce Underwood at quarterback, or give both playing time.
“To be determined,” Whittingham said Monday. “There was consideration about whether to insert Bryce (Underwood) and try to create something. After discussion, it was determined that we’d stay the course with what we had in that particular game.
“But going forward, we’ll take a look at everything again and see what gives us the best chance to win. It always comes down to that.”
Offensive line coach Jim Harding, who had been a co-offensive coordinator but doesn’t have much play-calling experience, will assume play-calling duties as the interim offensive coordinator. Whittingham said he will look for a permanent offensive coordinator with ties to either Michigan or the Midwest.