Oregon’s season looked shaky just three weeks ago. The Ducks were outside the AP Top 25, riding a two-game skid, sitting at 2-2 in Big Ten play and staring at a path that seemed to have closed on a College Football Playoff return.
That picture has changed fast.
No. 16 Oregon has ripped off back-to-back conference wins over ranked opponents, capped by last week’s 41-28 statement at then-No.
12 Ohio State, and now heads into Saturday’s home game against Michigan with real momentum and a CFP case that suddenly feels alive again. The Ducks are 6-3 overall and 4-2 in the Big Ten, and quarterback Dylan Raiola appears to have settled in after a stretch of uneven play following his move into the lineup when Dante Moore was injured in the fifth week of the season.
Oregon’s surge comes with a significant hit on defense, though. Edge rusher Teitum Tuioti, one of the team’s top leaders, suffered a knee injury against Ohio State and will need surgery, coach Dan Lanning said.
That ends Tuioti’s season. He 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.
The Ducks are also getting healthier at receiver. Jeremiah McClellan returned last week after recovering from a broken foot, giving Oregon its top three wide receivers back in the mix alongside Evan Stewart and Dakorien Moore. Moore leads the team in touchdown catches and receiving yards.
Michigan arrives in Eugene, Ore., in rough shape after a 15-6 home loss to Michigan State last week. The Wolverines turned it over four times and allowed five sacks in that game, and now they head into Autzen Stadium for the first time since Oregon joined the Big Ten.
The offensive struggles were enough to push Michigan into a change on that side of the ball, with offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Jason Beck fired after the loss. Head coach Kyle Whittingham spent the week weighing his options at quarterback, with Tommy Carr and Bryce Underwood both in the conversation and the possibility of using both.
"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 take over those duties as the interim offensive coordinator. Whittingham also said he will look for a permanent offensive coordinator with ties to either Michigan or the Midwest.
In Other News...
Dan Lanning Just Added Fuel To Oregons Michigan Buildup
The buildup to Oregons meeting with Michigan at Autzen Stadium has already started to take on the edge fans would expect from two programs with real stakes attached. Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham recently pointed to Dan Lannings recruiting success and the financial resources behind Oregons program, and it was the kind of comment that tends to linger once the teams are headed toward a showdown.
Lanning answered in a way that kept the focus on the Ducks while still nudging the conversation back toward the Wolverines. He praised Whittingham, but also suggested Michigans spending priorities could end up shaping how the program recruits. With the game still ahead, the exchange has only added another layer to a matchup that was already going to draw plenty of attention. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Walks Into An Oregon Atmosphere Fans Already Hate
Autzen Stadium is getting a little extra theater for Oregons first meeting with Michigan since 2003, and the Ducks are leaning all the way into it. For the matchup, Oregon will break out a special Godzilla-themed uniform combination with black, silver and green jerseys, grey pants and a matte black helmet built around the movie monster motif.
The look is only part of the rollout. Oregon is also tying the game to its Ducks of a Feather NIL brand with related merchandise created in collaboration with Toho International, giving the weekend a full promotional package around one of the seasons most anticipated home dates. For a fan base that already treats Autzen as a weapon, the Ducks are clearly aiming to make the atmosphere feel as loud and as unmistakably Oregon as possible. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Could Be Closing In On Another Late Recruiting Flip
Oregon is heading into the Early Signing Period for the 2027 recruiting cycle with plenty of momentum, and the Ducks have managed to keep their class intact so far. That matters this time of year, when programs are trying to protect what they have while still leaving room for one more addition, and Oregon appears to be doing both as it continues to work the board.
One name to watch is Virginia Tech running back commit JP Jones-Priest, who is set for an official visit to Eugene. The 4-star recruit has put together a strong season and sits among the more highly regarded backs in the class, which is exactly the kind of player Oregon tends to keep in play late. Whether the Ducks can turn that visit into a real push remains the question, but the interest is clearly there. [Read more 🡒]