Tag: Oregon Football

Wisconsin welcomed two Badger legends back to Camp Randall for game vs. No. 1 Oregon

Wisconsin welcomed two Badger legends back to Camp Randall for game vs. No. 1 Oregon

Wisconsin football welcomed a pair of iconic Badger alumni back to Camp Randall for its marquee matchup vs. No. 1 Oregon on Nov. 16.

2016 consensus First-team All-America team member Ryan Ramczyk served as UW’s honorary captain during the opening coin toss, while 2014 Heisman Trophy runner-up Melvin Gordon was honored at halftime of the 16-13 loss.

Ramcyzk, who played offensive line at Wisconsin from 2015-16, started all 14 games of the 2016 season at left tackle for head coach Paul Chryst. He was selected with the No. 32 overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints and earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2019.

He has been sidelined for the entire 2024 season with the Saints after starting in all 101 of his appearances with New Orleans from 2017-2023.

Gordon, meanwhile, was honored to a chorus of applause during the first quarter. Wisconsin took time to celebrate the former Badger on the 10-year anniversary of his 408-yard explosion against Nebraska on Nov. 15, 2014.

In 2014, Gordon wrapped up his final year in Madison with 2,587 rushing yards. He was picked No. 15 overall in the 2015 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers before making a pair of Pro Bowls in 2016 and 2018.

Even though the Badgers dropped the contest to the Ducks in nail-biting fashion, the team’s commitment to honoring its alumni is evident. The team also took time to celebrate Heisman winner Ron Dayne in its game vs. the Alabama Crimson Tide earlier this season.

Wisconsin will be back in action on Nov. 23 vs. the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Lincoln.

Photo Gallery: Ducks sneak out of Camp Randall with a close win

Photo Gallery: Ducks weasel out of Camp Randall with a close win to keep their perfect season alive.

It certainly wasn’t drawn up this way, but no one can argue with the end result.

The Oregon Ducks football team strolled into Camp Randall Stadium and quickly found themselves in a dogfight with the Wisconsin Badgers. The game was tight throughout, but the Ducks made just enough plays to escape with a 16-13 victory, keeping their perfect season alive.

They’re now 11-0 on the year and are looking forward to a much-needed bye week after playing eight straight games without a break. Oregon doesn’t play until Nov. 30 when Washington comes calling to Autzen Stadium for the regular season finale.

Oregon can also heal up a bit before the playoffs as well. Tez Johnson, Jordan Burch and Marcus Harper II were all out for this Wisconsin matchup. No telling what the extra week of rest will do as there is no guarantee those injuries will heal up in time for Washington, but the bye week can only help those chances.

Here are the best photos from Oregon’s close victory at Wisconsin.

Oregon holds on to No. 1 ranking in US LBM Coaches Poll after close win on the road

Oregon holds on to its unanimous No. 1 ranking in the US LBM Coaches poll after its close 16-13 win on the road at Wisconsin.

The college football playoff is beginning to take shape and so is the US LBM Coaches poll.

After their 16-13 win at Wisconsin, the Oregon Ducks are still the unanimous No. 1 team in the nation with Ohio State right on their heels at No. 2. The Buckeyes had a bye this week before their huge home game with No. 5 Indiana this week.

No. 3 Texas and No. 4 Penn State rounds up the Top 5.

The big winner this week was No. 8 Georgia, who moved up two spots and will most likely be one of the 12 playoff teams after defeating No. 11 Tennessee 31-17. The Vols dropped seven big spots after being in the Top 5 the previous week.

BYU also dropped seven spots to No. 15 after suffering its first loss of the season to Kansas.

Tulane moved into the rankings at No. 20 with its big season, 8-2 overall. In a few weeks, it will play for the American Conference title.

UNLV and Memphis also get into the poll at Nos. 23 and 24, respectively.

Here is the complete poll for Week 13.

Rank Team Record Points
1 Oregon Ducks 11-0 1,375 (55)
2 Ohio State Buckeyes 9-1 1,316
3 Texas Longhorns 9-1 1,263
4 Penn State Nittany Lions 9-1 1,158
5 Indiana Hoosiers 10-0 1,109
6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 9-1 1096
7 Alabama Crimson Tide 8-2 996
8 Georgia Bulldogs 8-2 993
9 Ole Miss Rebels 8-2 984
10 Miami Hurricanes 9-1 847
11 Tennessee Volunteers 8-2 823
12 SMU Mustangs 9-1 744
13 Boise State Broncos 9-1 714
14 Texas A&M Aggies 8-2 646
15 BYU Cougars 9-1 633
16 Clemson Tigers 8-2 569
17 Army Black Knights 9-0 509
18 Colorado Buffaloes 8-2 464
19 South Carolina Gamecocks 7-3 379
20 Tulane Green Wave 9-2 280
21 Iowa State Cyclones 8-2 268
22 Arizona State Sun Devils 8-2 251
23 UNLV Rebels 8-2 93
24 Memphis Tigers 9-2 77
25 Kansas State Wildcats 7-3 67

Schools Dropped Out

No. 18 Washington State; No. 21 Missouri; No. 22 LSU; No. 24 Louisville;

Others Receiving Votes

Washington State 65; Illinois 56; Missouri 44; Syracuse 18; James Madison 11; Duke 9; Pittsburgh 7; Louisiana 5; Louisville 2; Vanderbilt 1; Sam Houston 1; LSU 1; Colorado State 1;

Oregon Ducks lead nation in College Football Playoff probability, per ESPN FPI

A look at the Oregon Ducks’ remaining win probability in every game of the 2024 season, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index.

There are just two weeks between us and the end of the regular season in the college football world, and while Conference Championship games in Week 15 will decide what seeds teams get in the first expanded 12-team College Football Playoff, we will get a good sense of who should be playing in the postseason before then. For instance, the Oregon Ducks not only virtually clinched a spot in the Big Ten title game with their 16-13 win over the Wisconsin Badgers on Saturday night, but they also all but guaranteed a trip to the CFP as well, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index. Going into Week 13 — a much-needed bye for the Ducks — Oregon has the best odds in the nation to make it to the playoffs, with a 99.6% chance, per the FPI. The next closest team is Indiana at 96.6%, followed by Ohio State at 94.6%. Oregon Ducks — 99.6% Indiana Hoosiers — 96.6% Ohio State Buckeyes — 94.6% Texas Longhorns — 93.7% Georgia Bulldogs — 92.0% For those unfamiliar with ESPN’s FPI, it is an index that “relies on past performance on offense and defense, returning and transfer production and past recruiting data for players on the roster to form a rating.” In essence, it’s ESPN’s way of declaring the top teams in the nation, looking at their roster, their schedule, their percentage to win each game, and where that ultimately lands them after the season comes to an end. In short, it looks at Oregon’s 2024 schedule and predicts what percentage the Ducks have to win each game, and make it into the postseason and beyond. Throughout the year, the numbers change based on past performance, injuries, and other variables. Let’s take a look at what the numbers say following Week 12:

Oregon vs. Washington Huskies — Week 14

Oregon Percent Chance to Win, per FPI: 88.1% Previous FPI Win %: 89.3%

Oregon Ducks Overall Season Outlook

Percent Chance to Win Out: 33.8% Previous Odds: 26.8% Percent Chance to Win Conference: 38.0% (Ohio State Conference Title Odds: 46.2%) Previous Odds: 37.8% Percent Chance to Make College Football Playoff: 99.6% Previous Odds: 95.3% Percent Chance to Make National Championship: 19.2% Previous Odds: 19.3% Percent Chance to Win National Championship: 7.3% Previous Odds: 7.8% [lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Jordan James’ angry running makes him the Ducks Wire Player of the Game

Oregon Ducks RB Jordan James’ angry running earns him the Ducks Wire Player of the Game against Wisconsin.

Things looked bleak for a while in the Oregon Ducks Week 12 matchup with the Wisconsin Badgers, but ultimately, the Ducks came out on top, winning 16-13. Oregon is now 11-0, but without running back Jordan James, the Ducks may not still be undefeated.

On a night when offense came at a premium for both teams, James was electric. The junior RB finished with 121 rushing yards on 25 carries (4.8 YPC), 25 receiving yards on two catches, and he scored the Ducks’ only touchdown. James also eclipsed 1,000 season rushing yards in Saturday’s game, the first time he’s done so in his career.

James was playing through an injury this Saturday, after after getting dinged up last week against Maryland. But even below full capacity, James was able to carry the Ducks to a win. James runs angry, and it makes him a powerful back. But as strong as he is, James is just as fast. That mix of skills has served him well throughout his career, and this week, an injury wasn’t enough to prevent James from playing like his typical self.

This game, and this win, can be boiled down to one drive. After Oregon was fortunate enough to hold Wisconsin to a field goal after a long third-quarter series, the Ducks started their march inside the 20-yard line — down 13-6 with an offense running on nothing. On that drive, James was given a much heavier dose of the football, and he finished the drive with 38 yards. His final touch was an 11-yard dash to the pylon which tied the game 13-13.

Oregon finished the game with 354 total yards, 146 of which came from James (41.2%). That’s a staggering statistic, but it still doesn’t encapsulate James’ full impact. Oregon’s offense struggled for so long because the ball wasn’t in James’ hands enough, and once Will Stein committed to James as the leader on offense, the Ducks instantly began to move the football. Without James’s impact, the Ducks would’ve lost.

The Ducks are looking forward to a much-needed bye week before their rivalry week matchup against Washington. After not looking great against Maryland, the Ducks looked flat and had a major scare. With some rest, Oregon will, hopefully, be better prepared for Washington and the pending postseason.

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Oregon Ducks clinch spot in Big Ten Conference Championship Game after win vs. Wisconsin

With a 16-13 win over the Wisconsin Badgers on Saturday night, the Oregon Ducks clinched their spot in the Big Ten Conference Championship.

The Oregon Ducks joined the Big Ten Conference less than a year ago. On Saturday night with a 16-13 win over the Wisconsin Badgers, they clinched a spot in the Big Ten Conference Championship Game.

That didn’t take long.

With an 11-0 record — their first since 2010 and second in program history — and a No. 1 ranking in the nation, Dan Lanning and his team officially locked in their spot in Indianapolis to play for the conference title on December 7.

They will likely play the winner of the Indiana Hoosiers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes game that takes place next week, but there are scenarios where they could also face the Penn State Nittany Lions, as well.

Oregon has only played one of those potential opponents so far this year, beating Ohio State at home on October 12, 32-31 in a thriller that will go down as one of the best games of the year.

Indiana has been splendid this year in the first season under new head coach Kurt Cignetti, while Penn State has been a force, as usual, in the conference as well.

While we wait to see next week who the Ducks will face in the conference title game, Lanning and his team will enjoy the bye week at long last to recover and rest up, looking to host the rival Washington Huskies in Week 14.

After that, we now know that their season will continue in Week 15 with a trip to Indianapolis.

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Is Jordan James playing today? Injury updates for Oregon Ducks RB

Oregon Ducks RB Jordan James is dealing with a minor lower-body injury. Here are the latest updates.

The Oregon Ducks are going on the road for their final away game of the regular season against the Wisconsin Badgers in Week 12. It will be an electric environment, playing in the historic Camp Randall at night.

While two scores favor the Ducks, they could potentially be dealing with several minor injuries going into this game. That shouldn’t come as a surprise, seeing as Oregon is the only power conference team in the nation to play eight straight weeks this year, all against conference opponents.

We saw last week against the Maryland Terrapins that both RB Jordan James and DE Jordan Burch left in the second half with what appeared to be minor lower-body injuries. Head coach Dan Lanning confirmed as much this week, saying that they are being contentious of those two players, and limiting them in practice.

On Saturday, Burch was listed as OUT, while James wasn’t listed at all on the team’s availability report. Here’s some more information on the situation.

Oregon Ducks injury report

  • Tez Johnson — Out
  • Marcus Harper — Out
  • Jordan James — Available
  • Jordan Burch — Out

Jordan James injury update

James was limited in practice this week as he deals with a minor lower-body injury that has been nagging him for the past few weeks. However, he is not listed on the injury report, so you can expect to see him on Saturday night vs. Wisconsin. How much he plays, though, will be a different question.

Jordan Burch injury update

After sustaining a knee injury in early October, Burch sat out for several weeks but was able to return a few weeks later. On Saturday against Maryland, Burch appeared to suffer another minor lower-leg injury that held him out of some practice time this week.

It is apparently serious enough to keep Burch out for this game, which makes sense considering the bye week is coming for the Ducks, and they want to take advantage of the extra rest.

Tez Johnson injury update

After suffering a shoulder injury on the road vs. Michigan a few weeks ago, Tez Johnson has been held out with an expectation of returning at the end of the year. Whether that’s in time for a potential Big Ten Conference Championship Game or not is yet to be determined.

Marcus Harper injury update

Starting right guard Marcus Harper also sustained an injury against the Michigan Wolverines, but he is expected to make a return before the regular season ends, likely after the bye week against the Washington Huskies. That return will not be this week vs. Wisconsin, though.

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3 keys to victory for the Oregon Ducks against Wisconsin

Three keys for the Oregon Ducks to beat the Wisconsin Badgers in Week 12 of the college football season.

The Oregon Ducks have two games left on their regular-season schedule, and the Ducks are in position to finish the 2024 season undefeated. The biggest road block between Oregon and their 12-0 aspirations is Wisconsin, its next opponent.

This Saturday afternoon, the Ducks will take on the Badgers in Camp Randall Stadium, one of the most hostile road environments in the Big Ten. The Badgers are 5-4 this season, but among the teams on Oregon’s 2024 schedule, Wisconsin is in the upper echelon.

Despite the tricky road environment, Oregon shouldn’t have much trouble with Wisconsin — as long as it executes. I’ve listed my three keys to a Ducks victory below, but the biggest thing for Oregon is each player doing his job with consistency. Under Dan Lanning, that’s something the Ducks seldom  struggle with.

Run the ball

Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

A big reason Wisconsin is 5-4 is its elite pass defense. Led by cornerback Ricardo Hallman, the Badgers are allowing just 158.9 passing yards per game — the third-fewest in the Big Ten. In contrast, Wisconsin has not done a good job slowing the run this season, allowing 164.6 yards per game on the ground — the second-most in the conference. Oregon has one of the top offenses in the country because it runs and passes well, but against Wisconsin, when they’ll be without star wide receiver Tez Johnson, running the ball should be a focus.

Front-seven solidity

Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Oregon’s defense had a poor performance against Maryland’s passing attack, last week, but this week, the defensive focus will need to be against the run. Wisconsin has a top five rushing offense in the Big Ten, but Oregon’s run defense has been good since the Boise State game. If the Ducks defenders, particularly the front seven, can do their jobs once again this week, Oregon will be in good shape defensively.

Win the turnover battle

This has been a key for Oregon all season when playing teams not quite up to there skill level. The easiest way to lose games like these is by giving the opponent extra possessions through turnovers. If Dillon Gabriel is smart with the football, as he’s been for much of the year, and the Ducks skill players are sure-handed, Oregon has nothing to worry about. And if the Ducks grab a takeaway or two themselves, that’s a ticket to victory.

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Oregon injury update for Week 12 game vs Wisconsin

The full Oregon injury update for the Week 12 game at the Wisconsin Badgers.

Considering it’s Week 12 of the college football season, Oregon’s injury report is very manageable and it shouldn’t affect the outcome of the game against Wisconsin one way or another.

Gary Bryant, Jr. and Dave Iuli are finally completely off the report, which is great news, but they’ve been replaced with Jordan Burch and Jordan James. But it looks like those two will be available to play on Saturday for the Ducks. They appear on the report because they’re a little banged up.

There’s also some encouraging news on Tez Johnson as well. It seems as if he’s healing quicker than most.

Here’s the complete report.

Oregon injury report

  • Tez Johnson — Shoulder — Out
  • Marcus Harper — Knee — Questionable
  • Matthew Bedford — Knee — Out
  • Jordan Burch — Ankle — Questionable
  • Jordan James — Unspecified — Questionable
  • Jahlil Florence — Leg — Out
  • Kyler Kasper — Leg — Out
  • Jack Ressler — Unspecified — Out
  • Fox Crader — Unspecified — Out
  • My’Keil Gardner — Foot — Doubtful
  • Dakoda Fields — Knee — Out

Tez Johnson injury update

Johnson was injured during the Michigan game on the first drive and he missed the majority of that game as well as the contest with Maryland. But the sling that he was wearing came off and although he’s out vs. Wisconsin, Oregon does have a bye week next. That would give Johnson almost four weeks to heal and it’s becoming more promising that he’ll be available on Senior Day against the Huskies Nov. 30.

Marcus Harper II injury update

Offensive lineman Marcus Harper II went down in the second half of the Michigan game holding his knee. He walked off the field, but he wasn’t able to return. Harper missed the Maryland contest, but it looks as if the minor tweak to his knee has mostly healed and he should be available on Saturday in Wisconsin injury update

Jordan James injury update

James just had seven carries for 29 yards, but he score an early touchdown. While his unspecified injury doesn’t seem to be serious, he’s still listed as questionable. Should James miss this week, the Ducks will go to Noah Whittington and Jaden Limar and not miss a beat.

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Wisconsin Badgers vs. Oregon Ducks: Series history, all-time record

Wisconsin Badgers vs. Oregon Ducks: Series history, all-time record

The Wisconsin Badgers (5-4, 3-3 Big Ten) will host the No. 1 Oregon Ducks (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten) at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET, 6:30 p.m. CT. It will be the seventh all-time meeting between the two programs.

The Badgers and Ducks have split their six prior matchups, but Oregon comes in on a three-game win streak, including Rose Bowl wins in 2011 and 2019.

The Ducks defeated Wisconsin 28-27 in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1, 2020 with quarterback Justin Herbert leading the Ducks to a game-winning drive with less than eight minutes left while trailing 27-21.

In the contest, Herbert was limited to 14 completions on 20 pass attempts for 138 yards and an interception, but he did score three times on the ground, churning out 29 rushing yards in the game.

Over on the Badgers’ side of things, quarterback Jack Coan completed 23 of 25 passes for 186 yards and a touchdown, also throwing an interception in the contest. Wide receiver Quintez Cephus was on the receiving end of the touchdown, finishing his day with 59 yards and the score on seven receptions.

Oregon enters Saturday’s matchup after a 39-18 win over Maryland in Week 11, reaching the 30-point threshold for the ninth game in a row. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel had 183 passing yards and three touchdowns in the win.

Wisconsin was idle in Week 11 after getting crushed by Iowa 42-10 on the road in Week 10, losing their second game in a row. Luke Fickell and his squad have a tough task ahead of them against the top team in the country for their first meeting as Big Ten foes Saturday.