November is stacking up fast for Oregon, and the Ducks are juggling a little bit of everything right now: basketball season tipping off in Eugene, a ranking boost that never quite came, a new wrinkle in the offensive coordinator search, and even more headline-making performances from former Ducks in the NFL.
The busiest stretch starts Monday night, when both Oregon basketball programs open their seasons. Tony Stubblefield’s full-time job audition begins with the men hosting Montana at 7:00 PM PT. After a disappointing year that ended without an NCAA Tournament berth, Oregon is trying to reset with a transfer-heavy roster that has enough talent to make the missed opportunity sting even more if it happens again, especially with the expanded field in place.
The women get their season going earlier in the day, taking on Hawaii at 3:00 PM PT in Matthew Knight Arena. That gives Eugene fans a full day of hoops and a chance to see both teams right out of the gate.
On the football side, Oregon’s win over Northwestern still wasn’t enough to crack the AP Top 25, but the Ducks are close. They sit at 27th, with the second-most votes in “Others receiving votes,” trailing only Northwestern. There’s still a path into the poll, and a trip to Columbus could change the picture quickly if Oregon can knock off Ohio State this weekend.
The Buckeyes are dealing with their own issues. Julian Sayin is out for an extended stretch after getting hurt against Indiana, and Ohio State was a mess in its loss to USC.
Even so, FanDuel Sportsbook opened the Buckeyes as 10.5-point favorites (-102) and -375 on the moneyline. Oregon is listed as a 10.5-point underdog (-120) and +280 to win outright.
The coaching carousel also took another turn Sunday afternoon when Florida State fired Mike Norvell. That move adds another name to the list in Oregon’s offensive coordinator search, since Norvell’s offensive background makes him a candidate worth watching. Dan Lanning and Norvell have crossed paths plenty of times before, which only adds to the possibility of a reunion.
If Oregon is evaluating options, Jay Johnson helped himself Saturday. The Ducks put up 34 points in the win, and the offense scored 20 or more for the first time since September. That’s the kind of showing that gets attention in a search like this, though the competition is about to get tougher.
There’s also movement on the recruiting front. Oregon hosted 3-star wide receiver Relando Jefferson IV this weekend, and after receiving an offer from the Ducks, he de-committed from Fresno State.
Jefferson’s senior season has been huge, and with his stock rising, he looks like a player who could keep climbing. The connection with Oregon running back Brandon Smith, who played high school football with Jefferson, only makes the fit more interesting.
While football grabbed plenty of the spotlight, Oregon’s cross country programs brought home hardware too. Both the men and women won Big Ten championships this weekend, giving the Ducks another set of titles to celebrate.
The NFL side of the Oregon pipeline kept rolling as well. Bucky Irving powered the Buccaneers in a run-heavy win, carrying 27 times for 170 yards and a touchdown.
He would have had a second score if not for a fumble on a peanut punch. With Baker Mayfield still recovering and the weather turning ugly, Tampa Bay won without completing a pass and suddenly looks like the team to beat in the wide open NFC South.
Bo Nix also delivered a big one for Denver. The Broncos rallied in the fourth quarter, scored twice late, and got a goal line stop to finish off the Chiefs. Nix went 20-for-32 for 222 yards and two touchdowns, and the win pushed Denver to the top of the AFC West.
In Other News...
Na'eem Offord Gets His Biggest Oregon Test Yet Against Ohio State
After the win over Northwestern, Oregons attention turns quickly to a far bigger measuring stick: an 11th-ranked Ohio State team that will bring plenty of national attention and a familiar storyline with it. Cornerback Na'eem Offord sits right at the center of it, not just because of the matchup, but because he was once an Ohio State recruit before flipping to Oregon and becoming one of the more interesting figures on this weeks radar.
For Ducks fans, it adds another layer to a game that already carries weight. Offord now gets a chance to show what he can do against the program that once wanted him, and hell be doing it against an Ohio State offense that is missing key players. However the matchup plays out, it gives Oregon one of its most intriguing individual tests of the season and a spotlight moment for a defender whose path to Eugene already made him a talking point. [Read more 🡒]
Bucky Irving Just Gave Oregon Fans Another Reason To Dream
Bucky Irving keeps giving Oregon fans plenty to track on Sundays, and his latest outing was the kind that turns heads far beyond Tampa Bay. In a 16-0 win over the Atlanta Falcons, the former Ducks standout carried the offense in a way that felt almost old-school, piling up career highs with 27 carries and 170 rushing yards while finding the end zone once.
The Buccaneers also made franchise history with 323 rushing yards, and they did it in a game where they did not complete a pass, a rare feat in the Super Bowl era. For Irving, it was another sign that his rookie-to-second-year surge is real, with his season now on pace to be his best yet as he continues to build a reputation as one of the leagues most reliable young backs. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Heads Into Ohio State With A Worry Fans Cant Ignore
Oregon got past Northwestern, but the win came with the kind of injury fallout that can linger into a much bigger week. The Ducks took hits at running back and on special teams, with Jordon Davison leaving with a leg injury, Dierre Hill Jr. getting banged up and returner Dakorien Moore also dealing with an issue as the team turned its attention to Ohio State.
Dan Lanning said Davison will need further evaluation, while Hill is still being described as a little banged up. Moore, though, is expected to be ready for the Buckeyes, and Jeremiah McClellan is back practicing as he works his way back from a broken foot. Even with some encouraging signs, Oregons depth is about to be tested in a game where every healthy body matters. [Read more 🡒]