Oregon is smarting from its first regular-season loss since 2023 while preparing to play Rutgers in Piscataway, N.J., on Saturday night.
The Ducks (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten) fell from third to eighth in the AP rankings after falling 30-20 to then-No. 7 Indiana last weekend.
Oregon’s high-volume offense was limited to 267 total yards by the Hoosiers, and the Ducks’ defense couldn’t come up with enough stops.
Quarterback Dante Moore, so effective in earlier games, wasn’t at his best, throwing two late-game interceptions and getting sacked six times.
“I think he’s handled it the right way. Everybody looks internally and then goes out back and says ‘OK, what could I have improved on, what could I have done better?’ Oregon coach Dan Lanning said Monday. “… He came in today and attacked it really well (in practice).”
Moore and the Ducks will hope to get well against a slumping foe. The Scarlet Knights (3-3, 0-3) have lost three games in a row, though Lanning isn’t ready to assume a victory in the first-ever meeting between the teams.
“Rutgers … does a lot of things that really challenge you,” Lanning said. “You see it in all phases. You see it on defense. They’re in your grill, they play tight coverage. You see offensively. They’ve got real weapons outside at wide receiver (and) one of, if not the … best running back we’ve seen this year.”
That reference was to Antwan Raymond, who has 560 rushing yards (fourth in the Big Ten), nine touchdowns (second) and a 5.5-yard average per carry.
The Scarlet Knights expect a sellout crowd on Saturday, according to coach Greg Schiano. He added that his defense will need to limit explosive plays, an area that was an issue in a 38-19 loss at Washington on Oct. 10. The offense is seeking to solve season-long problems in the red zone.
Schiano spent a part of his weekly press conference Monday addressing questions about the name, image and likeness (NIL) funding disparity between his program and that of Oregon.
“Yeah, how wide the gap is really doesn’t matter. That’s where we find ourselves today, right? So I’ve never believed in that,” Schiano said. “I’ve been doing this for 37 years. There’s always been haves and have-nots, right? I think the gaps are actually going to start to close a little bit, which is good.”
Schiano said the university is trying to do something it has not done before in an effort to raise NIL money.
“Now we have a plan,” he said. “There has been no efforts of the level that it takes to play in the Big Ten. I’m not saying that people haven’t tried.”
Scarlet Knights quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis is averaging 297.5 passing yards per game with 11 touchdowns and three interceptions. He will be up against a Ducks defense that allows only 138.7 passing yards per game, second in the Big Ten.
When Oregon has the ball, Moore is supported by a rushing attack that includes Dierre Hill (9.2 yards per carry) and Jordon Davison (seven rushing touchdowns).
“They’re very talented, big, strong and very, very fast,” Schiano said of the Ducks. “Probably the fastest team we’ve played in a while.”
Dating back to last season, the Ducks have earned nine straight wins away from home, the country’s top active streak.
