No. 1 Oregon to face defending national champion Michigan as 2-touchdown favorite at the Big House
No. 1 Oregon (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten) at Michigan (5-3, 3-2), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (CBS)
BetMGM College Football Odds: Oregon by 14 1/2.
Series History: Michigan leads 3-2.
What’s at stake?
Oregon has a chance to be 9-0 for the first time since 2012, the last season it was No. 1 in the AP Top 25, and to stay in a position to earn top seeding in the College Football Playoff. The defending champion Wolverines have had an underwhelming season and an upset would provide a desperately needed boost.
Key matchup
QB Davis Warren against Oregon’s defense. Michigan’s passing game has been shaky this season and it will have to be suddenly sharp to compete with the Ducks. Oregon ranks among the nation’s leaders in passes broken up, opponent passer rating, passing yards per game and sacks.
Players to watch
Michigan: Warren. He earned the job in Week 1 and lost it after three lackluster games. Warren, who overcame a leukemia diagnosis in 2019, took the first snap in last week’s win over Michigan State and had a turnover-free performance.
Oregon: QB Dillon Gabriel. The sixth-year player, who previously played at Oklahoma and Central Florida, ranks No. 2 in NCAA history with 175 career TDs, 143 passing TDs and 18,401 total yards. He is four TDs away from breaking former Houston Cougar Case Keenum’s NCAA mark
Facts & figures
Oregon is 7-1 as a top-ranked team. … The Ducks, who beat then-No. 2 Ohio State by one point, have routed five of their last six opponents. … Oregon beat then-No. 20 Illinois 38-9 last week. … Gabriel was 18 of 26 for 291 yards with three passing TDs and ran for a score against the Fighting Illini. … The Ducks are giving up 15.6 points per game, ranking 10th in the nation. … Michigan beat the rival Spartans last week 24-17 after losing at Illinois and at Washington. … Wolverines coach Sherrone Moore said he plans to start Davis and to give Alex Orji some snaps as he did last week. … Michigan is 3-16-1 against No. 1 teams with its last win in 1984 against Miami. … DE Josaiah Stewart ranks third in the country with an average of 1.6 tackles for losses per game and is ninth with nearly one sack a game.
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