It's been a dominant start to the season for Dan Lanning's Ducks. Through two games, Oregon have outscored their opponents a combined 128-16, outgained their opponents 1137-455, and essentially ran both teams off the field.
Sure, Oklahoma State is one of the worst power conference teams in the nation this year, and though one of the best FCS teams, Montana State are still an FCS team. However, Oregon's dominance on the stat sheet and by the "eye test" is undeniable.
That dominance saw the Ducks rise up to #4 in the latest AP poll, and in my personal poll over at @peanutsplaybookcfb on Instagram.
National media pundits such as Fox Sports' Joel Klatt (who will be on the call for this Saturday's game) are waking up the nation to what the Ducks are doing tucked away in the North West of the nation. Others, such as JD Pickell of On3 Sports is having his beliefs reaffirmed, as he picked the Ducks to be national champions way back in the winter.
In the words of Nick Saban, all of that is "rat poison." Oregon will need to shut out the external noise this Saturday, and for the remainder of the season in order to stay consistent and stack wins.
Oregon will take on Northwestern at 9AM pacific time, at Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium in Evanston, Illinois. It is Fox's "Big Noon Kickoff" game, with their number one team of Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt, and Jenny Taft on the call.
Northwestern should not provide much of a test for Oregon, if the last two weeks are any indication. The talent gap is immense, Oregon will out-coach Northwestern, and there are very few ways in which this game could be even remotely close. Nonetheless, here are Oregon's three keys to their first road win of the season.
1) Don't let the game circumstances be a factor
It is no secret that this is an odd environment to play in. Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium, the temporary home of the Northwestern Wildcats has a capacity of roughly 12,000 with temporary seating added for football purposes carrying that number. Some FCS stadiums trump that capacity, and it has been the topic of questions throughout Oregon's media availabilities this week.
Dan Lanning jokingly commented about his experience playing NAIA football being at even smaller venues, but affirmed that the size of the stadium will make no difference for his squad. After all, I'm sure the Ducks would take this venue over the soon-to-be rocking atmosphere in Happy Valley when they take on Penn State for their "whiteout" game in two weeks time.
Moreso than the stadium, the travel and kickoff time would be the factors which could pose the biggest threat to the Ducks. The flight duration from Eugene to Chicago is about six hours, with a two-hour time difference baked in to the equation.
The 11 AM kickoff local time is 9 AM Pacific time, and regardless of how prepared the team is on the field, adjusting their body clocks can be a whole other issue.
Oregon breakout corner Ify Obidegwu mentioned in his press availability that the defensive backs have been waking up at "4, 5 AM" and arriving at the facility earlier than normal in order to prepare for the early kick. It is worth noting that the Ducks practice in the morning, so they should be prepared for the pads to pop early in the day.
This weekend's matchup will be Oregon's second appearance on "Big Noon Kickoff" in the central time zone, their last one coming in 2021 against Ohio State. Oregon went on to upset the #6 Buckeyes 35-28.
All that to say, do not allow these factors to impact the game. Everything coming out of the program to the media this week would suggest that they will be ready to roll.
2) Finish in the backfield
Through two games, Oregon has totaled five sacks, good for 26th in the nation. While that is certainly not a bad number, it could be even higher. The pressures have been there, but Oregon could demonstrate an even better ability to bring the quarterback to the ground.
They certainly have the talent to do so, and Oregon fans can rest assured that the sacks will start to pile up as the season progresses. Whether it is the traditional four-man pass rush, a blitzing linebacker, or a defensive back coming hot off the edge on a simulated pressure, they will start to come. Getting after the passer may turn this game on its head very quickly.
Northwestern QB Preston Stone is a transfer from SMU, who stood out for the Mustangs when they were in the group of five, throwing for nearly 3200 yards, with 28 passing touchdowns to just six picks. He struggled to begin the 2024 season when SMU transitioned to the ACC, before being bencheed in favor of Kevin Jennings, who became an all-conference performer en route to an ACC championship appearance.
Stone is in search of a fresh start with the Wildcats, and has not impressed thus far. He put up some impressive numbers in last weeks 42-7 win over FCS Western Illinois, but the WIU is one of, if not the worst FCS programs in the nation.
When Northwestern went to New Orleans to face the Tulane Green Wave, it got very, very ugly for Preston Stone and the team as a whole. They lost 23-3, and Stone threw for just 161 yards, with a miserable four interceptions. Pressure the quarterback and force him into mistakes, throwing into one of the nation's premier secondaries.
3) Keep winning on the ground
Though the flash and speed of Dakorien Moore and Malik Benson have made national headlines, and the arm talent of Dante Moore have some thinking Heisman, the Ducks have found reliability, consistency, and outright dominance on the ground. Twelve different Oregon players have had the ball handed off to them, from versatile weapons like Dakorien Moore and Kenyon Sadiq, to the traditional backs like Noah Whittington and Dierre Hill Jr.
Ra'Shaad Samples' unit have ran the rock behind the road-pavers up front to the tune of 282.5 yards per game, with 10 rushing touchdowns (2nd in the FBS). The run game has created plenty of explosive plays, a key difference from last year's opening struggles, and throughout Big Ten play as well. The Ducks have seven rushes for 20 or more yards, and two for 50 or more yards.
Maintaining the ground dominance will allow Oregon to utilise their ultra-effective RPO game at a high clip, and bring the safeties down to give the can't miss speed room to run downfield. Will Stein's offense stretches defense vertically and horitzontally, creating nightmares for opposing coordinators.
Keep it simple, keep it on the ground, and walk (or run) out with another dominant performance from the offense.