Michigan State Spartans vs. Oregon Ducks Pick & Prediction OCTOBER 4th 2024

Preview and Prediction

Ranked sixth in the Big Ten, Oregon is a newcomer to the conference, but they are no strangers to struggling against Michigan State.

The Spartans will face their second top 10 opponent in a row as they travel to Eugene, Oregon to take on the Ducks (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) on Friday night.

Oregon's most complete game of the season came on Saturday when they defeated UCLA 34-13. Meanwhile, the Spartans (3-2, 1-1) will try to bounce back from a 31-point loss to Ohio State under the guidance of former Oregon State coach Jonathan Smith.

Smith has experience beating the highly ranked Ducks, as he led the upset in 2022 when he was named Pac-12 Coach of the Year with the Beavers and secured a 38-34 victory over then-No. 10 Oregon in a game known as the Civil War in the state.

Oregon coach Dan Lanning noted some similarities between the Spartans and past teams coached by Smith.

"Yes, there are definitely some similar aspects," Lanning said. "I think they always do a good job of challenging you in the run game, creating different looks than what you typically see in college football. They always do a great job of that. Defensively, they are a bit different from last year at Oregon State, but they are still very solid and present some challenges as well."

Oregon is seeking their first Big Ten home win and will play at Autzen Stadium for the first time since September 7th. The Ducks are currently a 23.5-point favorite and have a home record of 42-3 since 2017.

"It's a quick turnaround, but our guys are approaching it really well," Lanning said, noting that Oregon is 6-0 in Friday night games. "We are excited to get back in front of our fans. It's been a while since we've been here, so playing in front of the Autzen Stadium crowd will be a challenge and a great opportunity for us to see how we've improved and continue to get better."

Lanning is particularly pleased with his linebacker corps, who played a crucial role in holding UCLA without an offensive touchdown and limiting them to just 172 total yards.

"A lot of credit goes to those guys and the work they put in," Lanning said. "And of course, a lot of credit goes to coach (Brian) Michalowski for developing those guys and getting them ready. Our scheme isn't the easiest for linebackers, so having a coach who can really guide them is crucial, and Brian has done an excellent job with them. But that group is also one of the hardest-working and most accountable on our team. They hold themselves to a high standard as well."

The Spartans are coming off a 38-7 loss to No. 3 Ohio State and will be looking to secure their first regular-season win on the West Coast since defeating Cal 19-0 in October 1957.

Michigan State has struggled offensively in their first five games, ranking 97th nationally in rushing yards per game (132.4) and 104th in scoring offense (21.8 points per game). They have also struggled with turnovers, tying for the third most with 13 in five games.

Smith, who took over as Spartans head coach last November after six seasons at Oregon State, called Friday's game "a big-time challenge." He has taken notice of Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel and their explosive offense.

"When you look at Oregon, they are explosive offensively," Smith said. "Their quarterback is a good player, accurate with the ball and may be leading the country in completion percentage. And they have some athletes he can throw to.

"On the other side, they have a solid defense. They just continue to improve. From game one to game four, they have continued to get better and played really well."

Smith also stated that his return to Oregon will not affect his approach to Friday's game.

"Once the game kicks off, your approach as a coach is to prepare the players," Smith said. "You get locked in on the game. It's not just me, we have other guys with connections to the place as well. Once it's kicked off, it's a college football game. You approach it emotionally the same way."

The last time Oregon and Michigan State met was in the 2018 Red Box Bowl, where the Ducks won 7-6 on Justin

PREDICTION

Michigan State Spartans

15

38

Oregon Ducks

Michigan State Spartans vs. Oregon Ducks Recap OCT 4TH 2024