The Oregon Ducks' keys to soaring high against Wisconsin

The Oregon Ducks will host the Wisconsin Badgers this week. The Ducks are coming off a course-correcting game against Rutgers, earning a record of 6-1 overall, 3-1 in the Big Ten. On the other hand, the Badgers have struggled to find their footing thus far. Standing at 2-5, the Badgers' only wins are against Miami (OH) and Middle Tennessee.

On paper, the Ducks are the far superior team. There should be no reason for the Badgers to compete. But, as Ducks fans know, you should never take any opponent lightly. So, how can Oregon come out on top this week? Let's take a look.

First of all, the Ducks can't stoop down to the Badgers' level. Oregon playing down to its competition is a movie that Ducks fans have seen too many times. There is no doubt that Oregon didn't play to its potential weeks ago against Indiana. You could go back and find various examples at key moments in previous seasons.

The Ducks need to come out aggressive, much like they did in their 56-10 win over Rutgers: all gas, no brakes. If the team shows up and thinks they are going to win just because they are the Oregon Ducks, things may go awry. Respect the Badgers, play your brand of football, and win the day.

The next key is the run defense. The Badgers don't have a true threat on offense outside of their running back Dilin Jones. Quarterback play for Wisconsin has been a struggle all year, so the Badgers will use Jones as much as they can. This season, Jones has carried the ball 76 times, rushed for 300 yards and two touchdowns.

The Ducks' defensive line is not a concern. Players like Bear Alexander and A'Mauri Washington have turned heads over the last few weeks. If they continue to wreak havoc, the Badgers will have a tough time getting any offensive progress.

Lastly, the Ducks need to simply let Dante Moore cook. The guy is a stud, and the Heisman buzz exists for a reason. The Ducks will go as far as Moore takes them this season. Last week against Rutgers, Moore torched the Scarlet Knights for 290 yards, 4 TDs and only one interception. Dan Lanning and Will Stein need to let Moore go and ball out.

After the Ducks' season hit a slight road bump, every single game matters. The AP voters and the national media have their eyes on Oregon, and Moore playing well not only wins them games, but also gains them hype. If the Ducks want to coast to victory, Moore is going to have to take them there.