Oregon’s bye week hasn’t slowed the conversation around what comes next. The No. 15 Ducks are resting up, but the back half of the schedule is starting to draw attention - and ESPN’s Rece Davis thinks a few of those looming Big Ten matchups are getting overlooked.
On “The Pat McAfee Show” during his “Rece’s Pieces” segment, Davis pointed to several teams he believes are flying under the radar, including a pair Oregon will see at Autzen Stadium.
“There’s some teams lurking around in college football,” Davis said. “A little bit quiet so far. And you’re gonna find out just how good they are coming up in the next few weeks.”
He singled out Iowa, UCLA and Nebraska as teams worth watching.
“Iowa is one. You’re gonna find out Saturday.
I’ve been really impressed with what Bob Chesney’s doing at UCLA. You take Iowa, you take UCLA, you can even take Nebraska who’s going to get Indiana in a couple of weeks and we may have some sneaky teams that give the Big Ten the type of depth that everybody has been saying ‘Wow, the Big Ten’s good at the top, but what about the middle?
What about the upper middle class?’” Davis said.
For Oregon, the more immediate name to circle is UCLA. The Bruins are under new leadership with Chesney, a coach Ducks fans already know well. Oregon beat Chesney’s former team, James Madison, 51-34 in the first round of the 2025 College Football Playoff.
Chesney was already headed to UCLA before the Ducks played JMU, and he brought 11 of those players with him to Los Angeles, a familiar modern college football move that has quickly reshaped the Bruins’ roster.
He inherited a team that went 3-9 in 2025, though there were a few bright spots, including an upset of Penn State. Since then, UCLA has started 4-0. The schedule hasn’t exactly been brutal - Cal, San Diego State, Purdue and Maryland have been the opponents - but every win has come by at least two scores.
One of the transfers making the biggest impact is senior running back Wayne Knight. Ducks fans will remember him from 2025, when he ran for 110 yards on 17 receptions against Oregon.
This season, Knight has been a major piece of UCLA’s ground game, which has produced 1,126 yards and 18 touchdowns so far. Knight has accounted for 445 yards and nine touchdowns on 49 carries, giving the Bruins a huge chunk of their rushing production.
That shared history matters. Oregon and UCLA know a lot about each other’s personnel, and Davis believes that familiarity could make the Bruins a sneaky problem when the Ducks finally meet them.
In Other News...
USC Suddenly Has A Linebacker Problem Heading Into Washington
USCs linebacker rotation took a hit at just the wrong time, with Washington set to walk into the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and face a defense that will look a little different than planned. The Trojans will have a veteran in Ta'Mere Robinson stepping into the lineup, bringing the kind of experience he built during his previous stop at Penn State as the staff reshuffles its middle of the field before a matchup that figures to demand discipline.
For Washington, the change matters because Demon Williams Jr. can stress a defense in more than one way, and the Huskies have a chance to test how quickly USCs new look settles in. The Trojans still have time to sort out the adjustment, but any sudden turnover at linebacker invites questions about communication, pursuit angles and whether the replacement can hold up against a quarterback who forces defenders to make plays in space. [Read more 🡒]
Washington Heads Into A Huge USC Test With One More Twist
A primetime trip to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum gives Washington another chance to measure itself against a ranked USC team that is still trying to steady things after a loss to Oregon. The Trojans have plenty at stake beyond the national TV spotlight, too, with a chance to snap a three-game losing streak against the Huskies while using Saturday night as a reset in a season that has already had some uneven moments.
The matchup also comes with the usual late-week injury watch, and one name on USCs list stands out enough to add a little more intrigue to an already high-profile game. Between the games betting line, the expected points total, and the fact that both teams have enough recent history to make this one feel heavier than a normal conference date, it is the kind of test where even a single availability note can matter quite a bit. [Read more 🡒]
Washington Still Has Something To Prove In Huge USC Test
Washington heads into a major Week 5 matchup with USC still looking for a performance that matches the optimism around the program. The Huskies have navigated the opening month with plenty of attention on where they fit among the Big Ten contenders, but this trip brings a different kind of pressure. It is the sort of game that can say a lot about whether Washington is simply moving through the schedule or ready to make a real statement against one of the leagues marquee names.
USC brings the kind of test that can expose every small flaw, from how a team handles pace to how it responds when the game tilts against it. The wider Week 5 preview points to several showcase matchups around the country, but this one stands out for Washington because it carries both immediate stakes and a clearer sense of where the Huskies still have work to do. A strong showing would calm some of those questions. Anything less, and the conversation around this team will keep circling the same unresolved thread. [Read more 🡒]