How do the Badgers match up against the Ducks over the weekend?
The Wisconsin Badgers return from their second bye week of the season to take on the number-one-ranked Oregon Ducks at Camp Randall Stadium. Kickoff is at 6:30 PM CT.
The Badgers needed a bye week. Two weeks ago, Wisconsin was embarrassed at Kinnick Stadium 42-10 as the Iowa Hawkeyes offense ran over the Badgers defense for 329 yards on the ground.
What should Badgers fans know about the Oregon Ducks?
Opponent Preview
After two closer-than-expected home wins against Idaho and Boise State, Dan Lanning’s Ducks have dominated the competition outside of a one-point win over Ohio State. Through the first two weeks of the College Football Playoff rankings, the Ducks have held the No. 1 ranking firm. Last Saturday, Oregon defeated Maryland 39-18 to reach 10-0 for the third time in school history.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel has been sensational for Oregon since transferring from Oklahoma. The left-hander from Hawaii is eighth in the country with 2848 passing yards and tied for sixth with 22 touchdown passes. He has the second-best betting odds to win the Heisman trophy behind Travis Hunter, according to FanDuel.
Jordan James comes into this game as the second-leading rusher in the Big Ten. James is 54 yards away from his first career 1,000-yard rushing season. He was held out for most of the second half for precautionary reasons due to an undisclosed injury.
The Ducks came into this season with Pro Football Focus’ best wide receiver group, headlined by Evan Stewart, Tez Johnson, and Traeshon Holden. Johnson, who accepted a Senior Bowl invitation this week, leads the Ducks with 649 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns. One note about this group is that Johnson and Holden enter this game not at 100% due to injury.
While Oregon boasts one of the most elite offenses in the country, Dan Lanning’s specialty is defense. The Ducks enter this game with the ninth-best scoring defense in that nation. Linebacker Bryce Boettcher leads the team in total tackles with 60, while his counterpart Matayo Uiagalelei is third in the Big Ten with 7.5 sacks. On the defensive line, the Badgers must neutralize potential first-round pick Derrick Harmon, who earned a stellar 95 run grade in the Ducks’ massive 32-31 win over Ohio State.
In the secondary, former Washington Husky Jabbar Muhammad, one of the top transfers in the portal last offseason, leads the team with nine pass breakups.
Score Prediction
Luke Fickell and this coaching staff need a signature win. The players, especially this senior class, need a signature win. A victory over this Oregon team will be perhaps the greatest upset in school history.
This game is a test to see what character this Badgers team still has, especially after the pathetic performance at Iowa. Oregon is playing at a National Championship level, while Wisconsin hopes to extend its consecutive bowl streak. The Badgers have hosted a top-five opponent twice this season and lost by two touchdowns or more on both occasions. I’m expecting that dubious trend to continue.
Prediction: Oregon 38-13.