5 Things to Watch: Michigan - University of Oregon Athletics

EUGENE, Ore. — It's not even the middle of November, and already the Oregon football team is in postseason mode.

The Ducks remain in the hunt for the College Football Playoff but have zero margin for error over the final three weeks of the regular season. It's win-or-go-home already, beginning when the UO football team hosts Michigan in Autzen Stadium on Saturday.

Oregon is 6-3 overall and 4-2 in Big Ten play after knocking off then-No. 12 Ohio State on the road last week, and on Tuesday the No. 16 Ducks were the top-ranked three-loss team in the latest CFP selection committee rankings. The Ducks have won their last two games and look to maintain momentum when they host the Wolverines at 12:30 p.m.

The Wolverines are 5-4 overall and 2-4 in conference, coming off a 15-6 loss at home to Michigan State. Michigan is playing its first season under former Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham.

The all-time series is tied 3-3. Oregon has won the last three meetings, including last season at Michigan Stadium and in the only previous meeting in Autzen Stadium, in 2003.

Saturday's game will be televised by FOX and FS1, with Tim Brando providing play-by-play, analysis from Devin Gardner and sideline reporting by Josh Sims.

Some storylines to watch when the game kicks off …

1. After their roller-coaster October, the Ducks need help to make the Big Ten Championship Game, or to reach the College Football Playoff as an at-large team. All they can control is their own results — continuing to stack wins.

Earlier in the season, the Ducks may have been guilty of getting too caught up in how they stacked up nationally. They're finally hitting their groove after narrowing their focus.

"I think what's happened within our team is a lot of guys making the choice of, hey, let's not worry about the outcome," UO coach Dan Lanning said. "Let's focus on adding value and getting better and taking advantage of the limited opportunities you have when it comes to football."

2. The resiliency the Ducks have shown has mirrored the resiliency of their starting quarterback, Dylan Raiola.

Earlier this season, such as his first start against UCLA, a couple of early mistakes could snowball and Raiola struggled to recover. Last week at Ohio State, he nearly had a couple of early turnovers but gathered himself and helped Oregon rally back from a 14-0 deficit by scoring 38 straight points.

The Ducks will need maturity like that from Raiola the rest of the way to stay in the CFP discussion.

"If he keeps sharpening his tools, continues to make himself better, continues to prepare like he's prepared, and then realizes that he doesn't have to make every play — let the guys around him go make the plays, and just do his job — he's going to be operating at a really high level," Lanning said.

3. Oregon is averaging 37.5 points per game during its current two-game winning streak. The Ducks face a challenge if they intend to keep scoring at that rate through another week.

Michigan hasn't allowed more than 21 points by an opponent this season, and the Wolverines are No. 4 nationally in total defense. Michigan has only scored more than 21 points itself twice this season, but when you're playing that kind of defense, you don't need to score a ton.

"Their defense is probably as good as any defense that we played this season," Lanning said.

4. A lot went right for the Ducks at Ohio State last week, but not everything. And one of the low points was the second-half injury to senior outside linebacker Teitum Tuioti.

Tuioti, who leads the Ducks in tangible areas like tackles for loss (nine) and intangible ways like effort and heart, is out for the season with the knee injury, Lanning confirmed this week. It's a heartbreaking development.

"I don't know if he'll get another chance to play as an Oregon football player, but whoever gets to have that guy on their team in the future is going to be really, really lucky," Lanning said.

The options to replace Tuioti include young pass-rush threat Nasir Wyatt, a bigger option such as Aydin Breland or Elijah Rushing, or other pieces that could be shuffled around by the coaching staff.

"There's already been a rotation along our defensive line, so I think you'll see a lot of the familiar faces," Lanning said. "But you don't just replace a guy like Teitum Tuioti and his experience and what he's been able to do."

5. While Oregon will be looking to replace the pass-rush ability of Tuioti on defense, the Ducks will also look to continue limiting the effectiveness of the opposing pass rush on offense.

Oregon's two-game win streak has been fueled by more explosive offense, helped by no sacks allowed by the UO offensive line. The Ducks have settled on a consistent starting five up front in recent weeks, and it's paying dividends. But that's not the only factor in the lack of sacks, Lanning said.

"I think we've been better schematically," Lanning said. "I think our O line has improved, and I think our quarterback has improved in those categories, in the decisions you make and the timing of when the ball is supposed to be out."