
No. 6 Ducks Host Michigan State Under Friday Night Lights
09/30/24 | Football
The Matchup
#6 Oregon vs. Michigan State
Friday,October 4, 2024
6:00 p.m. PT | FOX
Autzen Stadium | Eugene, Ore.
#6 Oregon Ducks (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten)
AP/Coaches Rank: 6/6
Head Coach: Dan Lanning (William Jewell College, 2008)
Record at Oregon: 26-5 (3rd Season)
Career Record: Same
Michigan State Spartans (3-2, 1-1 Big Ten)
AP/Coaches Rank: NR/NR
Head Coach: Jonathan Smith (Oregon State, 2001)
Record at Michigan State: 3-2 (1st Season)
Career Record: 37-37 (7th Season)
TV: FOX
Play-By-Play: Jason Benetti
Analyst: Brock Huard
Sideline: Allison Williams
Radio - Oregon Sports Network
Local: KUJZ-FM 95.3 (Eugene) | KFXX-AM 1080 (Portland)
Sirius: 133 | XM: 197
Play-by-Play: Jerry Allen
Analyst: Mike Jorgensen
Sideline: Dusty Harrah
Pre-Game Show: Joey McMurry

B1G Home Opener
After earning its first conference win as a member of the Big Ten last week at UCLA, No. 6 Oregon will host a Big Ten game in Autzen Stadium for the first time on Friday night against Michigan State. The Ducks will welcome a familiar foe in MSU head coach Jonathan Smith, who led rival Oregon State for the past six years prior to taking over with the Spartans. UO owns a 4-3 lead all-time against Michigan State and is 3-0 against the Spartans in Autzen Stadium, including a 46-27 win in a top-10 showdown in 2014. In the last meeting between the two teams, Oregon grinded out a 7-6 win in the 2018 Red Box Bowl.
A Win Would...
» Be the Ducks' first Big Ten home victory.
» Make Oregon 5-0 to start the season for the second year in a row and fifth time since 2010.
» Improve UO to 3-0 at home to open a season for the seventh year in a row (excluding 2020).
» Make Oregon 4-0 all-time at home against Michigan State.
» Improve the Ducks to 7-0 in Friday night games at Autzen.
Ducks Win Big Ten Debut
The Big Ten era of Oregon football got off to a successful start last Saturday night at UCLA, as the Ducks improved to 4-0 on the season with a 34-13 win at the Rose Bowl. Oregon was led by a disruptive defense, which held the Bruins to just 172 total yards and 47 rushing yards while keeping the UCLA offense out of the end zone. Bryce Boettcher and Tysheem Johnson each came away with interceptions, and Jordan Burch had two of UO's seven tackles for loss. UCLA's lone touchdown came on an interception return just before halftime, but Oregon's offense was otherwise efficient and explosive as Dillon Gabriel completed 31-of-41 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns. Two of those scores went to Tez Johnson, who finished with 11 catches for 121 yards, and Traeshon Holden caught the first for Oregon's first Big Ten touchdown. Jordan James matched his career-high with 103 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Lannings' Personal Touches Abound on Latest "Stomp Out Cancer" Uniform
In less than three years, Dan Lanning has put his stamp on the Oregon football program. When the Ducks take the field against Michigan State on Friday, the Lanning family's impact will be even more viscerally apparent. For the fifth time, the UO football team will debut a uniform designed to show support for those who have battled cancer, and raise awareness and resources for research into beating the disease. The latest iteration is Oregon's "Heroes" uniform, which is replete with personal touches designed by Lanning and his family, including his wife, Sauphia, who completed treatment for bone cancer in 2017. The Heroes uniform incorporates specific elements suggested not only by Dan and Sauphia Lanning but each of their three sons as well.
The base color is yellow, in acknowledgment of Sauphia's battle with osteosarcoma, but the helmet, cleats, gloves and sleeve patches all feature a multi-color panel acknowledging victims of all cancers. The helmet features Oregon's trademark "O" logo incorporated with a yellow ribbon, a concept Sauphia sketched herself. That sketch also included the phrase "Take Flight + Fight," purposefully utilizing a plus sign because it mimics the sign of the cross that is an international symbol for health care providers. That logo is featured prominently on the back of the helmet and also a sleeve patch, at the urging of the Lannings' middle son, Kniles. Their oldest son, Caden, suggested the use of an ice cream cone, acknowledging the treat the Lannings would enjoy to lift their spirits after Sauphia's treatment sessions. Youngest son Titan suggested the use of the multi-color panel on the cleats, while Lanning himself brought to the uniform the molecular structure of the "red devil" chemotherapy treatment, which is a background image on the gloves and sleeves players will wear Friday.

Friday Night Magic
Oregon will look to remain unbeaten when playing on Friday nights in Autzen Stadium. The Ducks have gone 6-0 in those games since first hosting on a Friday night in Autzen on Nov. 26, 2010, vs. Arizona (48-29), including a 31-7 win over Oregon State on Friday night to conclude the 2023 regular season. Overall, Oregon is 12-4 on Friday nights since 2010.
Ducks After Dark
The Ducks will aim to continue their recent success in night games as they prepare for Friday's 6 p.m. start. The Ducks are 6-0 under head coach Dan Lanning in games that begin at 6 p.m. PT or later, including their 34-13 win at UCLA last Saturday (8 p.m.) and a 37-34 win at home against Boise State on Sept. 7 (7 p.m.). As a program, Oregon has won 14 of its last 15 games when kicking off at 6 p.m. PT or later, and the Ducks are 24-5 since 2018 when kicking off at 5 p.m. PT or later.
Home Cookin'
Oregon has been one of the most dominant teams in the nation at home over the last decade-plus, and the Ducks are off to a 2-0 start in Autzen Stadium this season after going a perfect 7-0 at home in 2023. It was Oregon's fourth undefeated season at home since 2019 and 11th in program history, and the Ducks were one of eight teams in the nation go go unbeaten at home while playing at least seven home games. Oregon is 33-1 (.971) at home since an overtime loss to Stanford on Sept. 22, 2018, a span that included 23 straight home wins that matched the longest home win streak in program history. UO is 42-3 (.933) at home since the start of the 2017 season, boasting the nation's fifth-best win percentage at home during that time while tying for the sixth-most wins.
Completion Machine
Dillon Gabriel has had a productive and milestone-filled first four games at Oregon while leading the Ducks to a 4-0 start. Gabriel went a staggering 41-of-49 for 380 yards and two touchdowns in his Duck debut against Idaho, and he completed at least 80.0 percent of his passes in each of his first three games while posting three UO single-game top-10 marks for completion percentage. In his first Big Ten game last week at UCLA, Gabriel completed 31-of-41 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns. He is 110-of-135 on the season for 1,192 yards and nine touchdowns, leading the nation in completion percentage at 81.5 while ranking ninth in passer rating (176.17), 12th in passing yards per game (298.0) and tied for 14th in completions. Gabriel's highly-efficient start to the season comes after Bo Nix set the NCAA single-season record in 2023 with a 77.4 completion percentage.
» The only FBS quarterback with a completion percentage of 80.0 or better entering Week 6.
» 85.7 completion percentage vs. Boise State was second-best in UO single-game history (min. 20 attempts), 83.7 vs. Idaho was the ninth-best and 83.3 vs. Oregon State tied for 10th-best.
» 41 completions vs. Idaho were a new career high and matched the Oregon single-game record (Danny O'Neil, 1995).
» 41 completions are the most by any FBS QB this season; only quarterback to complete 40-plus in a game.

Top Target
Coming off a stellar debut season with the Ducks in 2023, wide receiver Tez Johnson has been Oregon's top weapon in the passing game through four games in 2024. Johnson is tied for third in the Big Ten and 11th nationally with a team-high 33 receptions while also leading the Ducks with 331 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Johnson is coming off his second straight 100-yard game, racking up 11 catches for 121 yards and two touchdowns last week at UCLA following a seven-catch, 110-yard game at Oregon State on Sept. 14. Johnson also had a standout performance in the season opener vs. Idaho, matching his career high with 12 receptions for 81 yards and two touchdowns in his first game with new UO quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
» Named the Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in Oregon's win at UCLA last week.
» Now has nine career 100-yard receiving games and six career games with double-digit receptions.
» First player in Oregon history to have five career games with 11-plus receptions.
» 12 receptions vs. Idaho tied for the third-most in Oregon single-game history; also had 12 last year vs. California (11/4/23).
» In last 13 games dating back to 2023, Johnson has 104 receptions for 1,290 yards and 10 touchdowns.
JJ Leading the Way
Junior RB Jordan James has carried the load on the ground this season for the Ducks, leading the team in carries and rushing yards in all four games. James entered the season with three career games of 10 or more carries, and has toted the rock at least a dozen times in all four contests this season - including a career-high 20 carries for 103 yards last week at UCLA. The 103 rushing yards matched his career high and was his second 100-rushing yard performance of the season, and third of his career. In four games, James has amassed 386 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
» James averaged 7.1 yards per carry in 2023, and is averaging 6.0 yards a rush this season with 96.5 rushing yards per game.
» His yards-per-game total is good for seventh in the Big Ten while his 16.0 rushing attempts per game rank third.
» James has 14 runs of at least 10 yards, tied for third-most in the conference and tied for 19th nationally.
» Rushing touchdown last week at UCLA was his 20th career rushing score.
You Shall Not Pass
The Ducks have dominated on both sides of the passing game once again this season. While the offense is averaging 301.8 yards per game through the air and leads the nation with an 80.7 completion percentage, the defense has limited opposing QBs to just a 50.8 percent completion rate and 154.8 yards per game. The Ducks rank second in the nation with 28 PBUs through the first four games of the year and are holding opposing signal callers to a 90.95 passer rating, the sixth-lowest in the country.
» Oregon is second in the FBS with 8.00 passes defended per game and is No. 3 nationally with 32 total passes defended.
» 13 PBUs against Boise State were the program's most since Oct. 6, 2011, vs. California.
» Opponents have completed just 50.8 percent of passes against the Ducks, the seventh-lowest mark in the nation.
» UO has only allowed 11 passes of 15+ yards, tied for the 13th-fewest in the nation.
» The Ducks' PFF pass coverage grade of 92.3 ranks fourth nationally and leads the Big Ten.
» Held UCLA to 125 passing yards, its fewest since 2021; no opponent has thrown for over 180 yards against the Ducks.
» Limited Boise State to just 33 yards on 5-of-19 passing in the second half; UO allowed only 158 passing yards for the game.
» Held Idaho to its fewest yards through the air (168) since Sept. 30, 2023.

Numbers To Know
3 - The Ducks are 3-0 against Michigan State at Autzen Stadium, outscoring the Spartans 129-48 in those games.
5 - Oregon is one of five teams in the nation to return both a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown this season.
6 - UO is 6-0 all-time in Friday night games at Autzen Stadium.
13 - With 13 in his career, Terrance Ferguson is just two touchdown catches away from the UO record for TDs by a tight end.
13 - Oregon's 13 pass breakups vs. Boise State were the program's most since breaking up 14 against California on Oct. 6, 2011.
14 - Jordan James is tied for third in the Big Ten with 14 rushes of 10-plus yards through four games this season.
15 - Dillon Gabriel (163) is just 15 total touchdowns away from Case Keenum's all-time NCAA record of 178.
28 - Oregon ranks second nationally with 28 pass breakups and is third in the country with 32 passes defended.
31 - Oregon is tied for No. 3 nationally with 31 receptions by tight ends entering Week 6; one of 7 teams with at least 30 catches by TEs.
41 - Dillon Gabriel is the only FBS quarterback to complete 40-plus passes in a game this season (41 vs. Idaho).
47 - UO held UCLA to 47 rushing yards, the second-fewest under Dan Lanning and fewest on the road since the 2020 Pac-12 title game.
50.8 - The Ducks are holding opposing QBs to just a 50.8% completion rate, the seventh-lowest rate in the nation.
81.5 - Dillon Gabriel leads the nation with an 81.5 completion percentage and is the only FBS quarterback above 80.0 percent.
104 - In his last 13 games going back to 2023, Tez Johnson has racked up 104 receptions for 1,290 yards and 10 touchdowns.
#6 Oregon vs. Michigan State
Friday,October 4, 2024
6:00 p.m. PT | FOX
Autzen Stadium | Eugene, Ore.
#6 Oregon Ducks (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten)
AP/Coaches Rank: 6/6
Head Coach: Dan Lanning (William Jewell College, 2008)
Record at Oregon: 26-5 (3rd Season)
Career Record: Same
Michigan State Spartans (3-2, 1-1 Big Ten)
AP/Coaches Rank: NR/NR
Head Coach: Jonathan Smith (Oregon State, 2001)
Record at Michigan State: 3-2 (1st Season)
Career Record: 37-37 (7th Season)
TV: FOX
Play-By-Play: Jason Benetti
Analyst: Brock Huard
Sideline: Allison Williams
Radio - Oregon Sports Network
Local: KUJZ-FM 95.3 (Eugene) | KFXX-AM 1080 (Portland)
Sirius: 133 | XM: 197
Play-by-Play: Jerry Allen
Analyst: Mike Jorgensen
Sideline: Dusty Harrah
Pre-Game Show: Joey McMurry

B1G Home Opener
After earning its first conference win as a member of the Big Ten last week at UCLA, No. 6 Oregon will host a Big Ten game in Autzen Stadium for the first time on Friday night against Michigan State. The Ducks will welcome a familiar foe in MSU head coach Jonathan Smith, who led rival Oregon State for the past six years prior to taking over with the Spartans. UO owns a 4-3 lead all-time against Michigan State and is 3-0 against the Spartans in Autzen Stadium, including a 46-27 win in a top-10 showdown in 2014. In the last meeting between the two teams, Oregon grinded out a 7-6 win in the 2018 Red Box Bowl.
A Win Would...
» Be the Ducks' first Big Ten home victory.
» Make Oregon 5-0 to start the season for the second year in a row and fifth time since 2010.
» Improve UO to 3-0 at home to open a season for the seventh year in a row (excluding 2020).
» Make Oregon 4-0 all-time at home against Michigan State.
» Improve the Ducks to 7-0 in Friday night games at Autzen.
Ducks Win Big Ten Debut
The Big Ten era of Oregon football got off to a successful start last Saturday night at UCLA, as the Ducks improved to 4-0 on the season with a 34-13 win at the Rose Bowl. Oregon was led by a disruptive defense, which held the Bruins to just 172 total yards and 47 rushing yards while keeping the UCLA offense out of the end zone. Bryce Boettcher and Tysheem Johnson each came away with interceptions, and Jordan Burch had two of UO's seven tackles for loss. UCLA's lone touchdown came on an interception return just before halftime, but Oregon's offense was otherwise efficient and explosive as Dillon Gabriel completed 31-of-41 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns. Two of those scores went to Tez Johnson, who finished with 11 catches for 121 yards, and Traeshon Holden caught the first for Oregon's first Big Ten touchdown. Jordan James matched his career-high with 103 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Lannings' Personal Touches Abound on Latest "Stomp Out Cancer" Uniform
In less than three years, Dan Lanning has put his stamp on the Oregon football program. When the Ducks take the field against Michigan State on Friday, the Lanning family's impact will be even more viscerally apparent. For the fifth time, the UO football team will debut a uniform designed to show support for those who have battled cancer, and raise awareness and resources for research into beating the disease. The latest iteration is Oregon's "Heroes" uniform, which is replete with personal touches designed by Lanning and his family, including his wife, Sauphia, who completed treatment for bone cancer in 2017. The Heroes uniform incorporates specific elements suggested not only by Dan and Sauphia Lanning but each of their three sons as well.
The base color is yellow, in acknowledgment of Sauphia's battle with osteosarcoma, but the helmet, cleats, gloves and sleeve patches all feature a multi-color panel acknowledging victims of all cancers. The helmet features Oregon's trademark "O" logo incorporated with a yellow ribbon, a concept Sauphia sketched herself. That sketch also included the phrase "Take Flight + Fight," purposefully utilizing a plus sign because it mimics the sign of the cross that is an international symbol for health care providers. That logo is featured prominently on the back of the helmet and also a sleeve patch, at the urging of the Lannings' middle son, Kniles. Their oldest son, Caden, suggested the use of an ice cream cone, acknowledging the treat the Lannings would enjoy to lift their spirits after Sauphia's treatment sessions. Youngest son Titan suggested the use of the multi-color panel on the cleats, while Lanning himself brought to the uniform the molecular structure of the "red devil" chemotherapy treatment, which is a background image on the gloves and sleeves players will wear Friday.

Friday Night Magic
Oregon will look to remain unbeaten when playing on Friday nights in Autzen Stadium. The Ducks have gone 6-0 in those games since first hosting on a Friday night in Autzen on Nov. 26, 2010, vs. Arizona (48-29), including a 31-7 win over Oregon State on Friday night to conclude the 2023 regular season. Overall, Oregon is 12-4 on Friday nights since 2010.
Ducks After Dark
The Ducks will aim to continue their recent success in night games as they prepare for Friday's 6 p.m. start. The Ducks are 6-0 under head coach Dan Lanning in games that begin at 6 p.m. PT or later, including their 34-13 win at UCLA last Saturday (8 p.m.) and a 37-34 win at home against Boise State on Sept. 7 (7 p.m.). As a program, Oregon has won 14 of its last 15 games when kicking off at 6 p.m. PT or later, and the Ducks are 24-5 since 2018 when kicking off at 5 p.m. PT or later.
Home Cookin'
Oregon has been one of the most dominant teams in the nation at home over the last decade-plus, and the Ducks are off to a 2-0 start in Autzen Stadium this season after going a perfect 7-0 at home in 2023. It was Oregon's fourth undefeated season at home since 2019 and 11th in program history, and the Ducks were one of eight teams in the nation go go unbeaten at home while playing at least seven home games. Oregon is 33-1 (.971) at home since an overtime loss to Stanford on Sept. 22, 2018, a span that included 23 straight home wins that matched the longest home win streak in program history. UO is 42-3 (.933) at home since the start of the 2017 season, boasting the nation's fifth-best win percentage at home during that time while tying for the sixth-most wins.
Completion Machine
Dillon Gabriel has had a productive and milestone-filled first four games at Oregon while leading the Ducks to a 4-0 start. Gabriel went a staggering 41-of-49 for 380 yards and two touchdowns in his Duck debut against Idaho, and he completed at least 80.0 percent of his passes in each of his first three games while posting three UO single-game top-10 marks for completion percentage. In his first Big Ten game last week at UCLA, Gabriel completed 31-of-41 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns. He is 110-of-135 on the season for 1,192 yards and nine touchdowns, leading the nation in completion percentage at 81.5 while ranking ninth in passer rating (176.17), 12th in passing yards per game (298.0) and tied for 14th in completions. Gabriel's highly-efficient start to the season comes after Bo Nix set the NCAA single-season record in 2023 with a 77.4 completion percentage.
» The only FBS quarterback with a completion percentage of 80.0 or better entering Week 6.
» 85.7 completion percentage vs. Boise State was second-best in UO single-game history (min. 20 attempts), 83.7 vs. Idaho was the ninth-best and 83.3 vs. Oregon State tied for 10th-best.
» 41 completions vs. Idaho were a new career high and matched the Oregon single-game record (Danny O'Neil, 1995).
» 41 completions are the most by any FBS QB this season; only quarterback to complete 40-plus in a game.
Top Target
Coming off a stellar debut season with the Ducks in 2023, wide receiver Tez Johnson has been Oregon's top weapon in the passing game through four games in 2024. Johnson is tied for third in the Big Ten and 11th nationally with a team-high 33 receptions while also leading the Ducks with 331 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Johnson is coming off his second straight 100-yard game, racking up 11 catches for 121 yards and two touchdowns last week at UCLA following a seven-catch, 110-yard game at Oregon State on Sept. 14. Johnson also had a standout performance in the season opener vs. Idaho, matching his career high with 12 receptions for 81 yards and two touchdowns in his first game with new UO quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
» Named the Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in Oregon's win at UCLA last week.
» Now has nine career 100-yard receiving games and six career games with double-digit receptions.
» First player in Oregon history to have five career games with 11-plus receptions.
» 12 receptions vs. Idaho tied for the third-most in Oregon single-game history; also had 12 last year vs. California (11/4/23).
» In last 13 games dating back to 2023, Johnson has 104 receptions for 1,290 yards and 10 touchdowns.
JJ Leading the Way
Junior RB Jordan James has carried the load on the ground this season for the Ducks, leading the team in carries and rushing yards in all four games. James entered the season with three career games of 10 or more carries, and has toted the rock at least a dozen times in all four contests this season - including a career-high 20 carries for 103 yards last week at UCLA. The 103 rushing yards matched his career high and was his second 100-rushing yard performance of the season, and third of his career. In four games, James has amassed 386 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
» James averaged 7.1 yards per carry in 2023, and is averaging 6.0 yards a rush this season with 96.5 rushing yards per game.
» His yards-per-game total is good for seventh in the Big Ten while his 16.0 rushing attempts per game rank third.
» James has 14 runs of at least 10 yards, tied for third-most in the conference and tied for 19th nationally.
» Rushing touchdown last week at UCLA was his 20th career rushing score.
You Shall Not Pass
The Ducks have dominated on both sides of the passing game once again this season. While the offense is averaging 301.8 yards per game through the air and leads the nation with an 80.7 completion percentage, the defense has limited opposing QBs to just a 50.8 percent completion rate and 154.8 yards per game. The Ducks rank second in the nation with 28 PBUs through the first four games of the year and are holding opposing signal callers to a 90.95 passer rating, the sixth-lowest in the country.
» Oregon is second in the FBS with 8.00 passes defended per game and is No. 3 nationally with 32 total passes defended.
» 13 PBUs against Boise State were the program's most since Oct. 6, 2011, vs. California.
» Opponents have completed just 50.8 percent of passes against the Ducks, the seventh-lowest mark in the nation.
» UO has only allowed 11 passes of 15+ yards, tied for the 13th-fewest in the nation.
» The Ducks' PFF pass coverage grade of 92.3 ranks fourth nationally and leads the Big Ten.
» Held UCLA to 125 passing yards, its fewest since 2021; no opponent has thrown for over 180 yards against the Ducks.
» Limited Boise State to just 33 yards on 5-of-19 passing in the second half; UO allowed only 158 passing yards for the game.
» Held Idaho to its fewest yards through the air (168) since Sept. 30, 2023.
Numbers To Know
3 - The Ducks are 3-0 against Michigan State at Autzen Stadium, outscoring the Spartans 129-48 in those games.
5 - Oregon is one of five teams in the nation to return both a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown this season.
6 - UO is 6-0 all-time in Friday night games at Autzen Stadium.
13 - With 13 in his career, Terrance Ferguson is just two touchdown catches away from the UO record for TDs by a tight end.
13 - Oregon's 13 pass breakups vs. Boise State were the program's most since breaking up 14 against California on Oct. 6, 2011.
14 - Jordan James is tied for third in the Big Ten with 14 rushes of 10-plus yards through four games this season.
15 - Dillon Gabriel (163) is just 15 total touchdowns away from Case Keenum's all-time NCAA record of 178.
28 - Oregon ranks second nationally with 28 pass breakups and is third in the country with 32 passes defended.
31 - Oregon is tied for No. 3 nationally with 31 receptions by tight ends entering Week 6; one of 7 teams with at least 30 catches by TEs.
41 - Dillon Gabriel is the only FBS quarterback to complete 40-plus passes in a game this season (41 vs. Idaho).
47 - UO held UCLA to 47 rushing yards, the second-fewest under Dan Lanning and fewest on the road since the 2020 Pac-12 title game.
50.8 - The Ducks are holding opposing QBs to just a 50.8% completion rate, the seventh-lowest rate in the nation.
81.5 - Dillon Gabriel leads the nation with an 81.5 completion percentage and is the only FBS quarterback above 80.0 percent.
104 - In his last 13 games going back to 2023, Tez Johnson has racked up 104 receptions for 1,290 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Players Mentioned
Dan Lanning Weekly Press Conference | September 15, 2025
Tuesday, September 16
Ducks vs Them | 2025 Oregon Football Game 3 | “Learn From Our Locker Room"
Monday, September 15
The Shoe Duck Uniform | Design Deep Dive - Oregon Football
Sunday, September 14
Dante Moore | Postgame vs Northwestern
Saturday, September 13