ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Top-ranked Oregon is expected to roll past Michigan, favored by BetMGM Sportsbook to win by more than two touchdowns on Saturday at the Big House.
Despite being a heavy underdog, the defending champion Wolverines sound very confident about their chances.
“This is a big-time program, and we’ve got a lot of great players in this building,” quarterback Davis Warren said. "I’m confident that we’re more than capable of beating any team in the country.”
The Ducks (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten) have routed five of their last six opponents, and Michigan (5-3, 2-2) might be the next team to suffer a lopsided loss.
Oregon coach Dan Lanning is looking forward to the next chance for his team to show what it can do.
“We’re getting an opportunity to play the reigning national champions," Lanning said. “In this conference, it’s hard every single week. We know we’ll get their best.”
Advantage: Oregon
The Ducks seem to have a clear edge at quarterback with Dillon Gabriel, favored by BetMGM Sportsbook to win the Heisman Trophy.
The sixth-year player is four touchdowns away from breaking the NCAA record held by former Houston star Case Keenum.
Gabriel ranks No. 2 in NCAA history with 175 career TDs, 143 passing TDs and 18,401 total yards.
“He’s elite in every way, reading coverages, making plays, making throws down the field, controlling the offense with his feet,” Michigan coach Sherrone Moore said. “You've got to do things to confuse him and make him uncomfortable.”
Michigan, meanwhile, plans to start Warren and to give Alex Orji some snaps as a change-of-pace option as a running quarterback.
Warren won the job in the preseason and lost it after three games. Orji had an opportunity to start the following three games and was benched in favor of Jack Tuttle, who announced his retirement from football earlier this week due to concussions and an elbow injury.
Warren was given a chance to start again in last week's win over Michigan State and kept the job in large part because he played turnover-free football.
Planning to peak
Oregon's six-game stretch has included only one team game that was close, a one-point win over then-No. 2 Ohio State.
The Ducks might not get tested in November, playing at Michigan and Wisconsin and hosting Maryland and Washington.
“At the beginning of every year everybody asks me what success looked like, to me it looks like us playing our best football at the end of the season,” Lanning said.
Business decision
Michigan cornerback Will Johnson did not play in last week's win over Michigan State due to an injury and even though the team is relegated to playing for pride, Moore fully expects the junior to return this season instead of focusing on preparing to be a top pick in the NFL draft.
“Will has no plans to shut it down or anything like that,” Moore said. “There’s zero doubt in my mind that he's a competitor that wants to be out there with his teammates.”
Compact back
Oregon's Jordan James, a 5-foot-10, 210-pound running back, is averaging 100 yards rushing a game and had one of his best games, a 115-yard performance, in a one-point win over then-No. 2 Ohio State.
“He's a smaller guy, but he's a violent runner,” Moore said.
Another chance
The last time Michigan played a highly ranked team, it was not a good day for the maize and blue. The Wolverines were dominated by then- No. 3 Texas 31-12 and the game didn't even seem that close.
“We're way more prepared and better equipped, especially as an offense,” Warren said.
