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Michigan Wolverines vs. Oregon Ducks Football

Vaseline November 2, 2024

Angelique S. Chengelis, Connor Earegood, John Niyo and Bob Wojnowski of The Detroit News predict the outcome of Saturday’s Michigan-Oregon game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor (3:30 p.m., CBS/950).

▶ Angelique S. Chengelis: Oregon is as complete a team as they come and will pose problems for Michigan, which is incomplete in so many areas. The Wolverines are coming off a confidence-boosting win over Michigan State and have taken the approach of destroying seasons for the ranked teams they face, starting with the No. 1 Ducks. If Michigan has a chance to wreak havoc on Oregon, the Wolverines will need a game like last week’s, where they had no turnovers, no penalties and allowed no sack of Davis Warren, who will start for a second. game in a row and fifth time this season. They could also use cornerback Will Johnson back in the starting lineup. Sure, it’s tough to play across the country, but there’s not much slowing down the Ducks and quarterback Dillon Gabriel these days. Pick: Oregon, 31-14

▶ Connor Earegood: The defending national champions versus the team that will probably win next. Passing the torch won’t be much fun for the Wolverines. They lost this game six months ago when they failed to find a quarterback in the transfer portal, which has led to Davis Warren taking the reins again. The Ducks, meanwhile, signed Dillon Gabriel to complement a number of already talented returners. Gabriel is a likely Heisman Trophy finalist who has already thrown for 2,371 yards this season. Even if you ignore the difference makers on offense, Oregon has the 10th best defense in the country, allowing 15.6 points per game. Michigan’s own defense could be without its best individual player in cornerback Will Johnson, which will only make for a more difficult outing. The Ducks are legit, and I don’t think the Wolverines are that upset. Pick: Oregon, 34-9

▶ John Niyo: Davis Warren won back the quarterback job, but his reward is the No. 1 team in the country and a defensive front that could overwhelm Michigan’s leaky pass protection. Unless the Wolverines can find a way to mix in some QB runs or get some play-action shots downfield, the Ducks should be able to replicate MSU’s success in limiting Kalel Mullings and the run game. A disruption is possible, but this will probably require some turnover. And Michigan will have to come up with a third-down plan that makes sense against one of the most efficient offenses in the country. That didn’t happen against Texas earlier this season. It wasn’t clear last week against Michigan State either. Pick: Oregon, 28-17

▶ Bob Wojnowski: If this has a familiar, nauseating vibe to Michigan fans, that’s understandable. No. 1 Oregon is just as dynamic as Texas, which went 31-12 in the Big House. UM’s quarterback situation gained some semblance of clarity, with Davis Warren playing solidly and Alex Orji scoring big runs against Michigan State. But the Wolverines don’t have nearly the number of skill players of Oregon. From the QB (Dillon Gabriel) to the star receiver (Tez Johnson) to the shifty runner (Jordan James), the Ducks can score any way they choose. If Sherrone Moore can solve UM’s quarterback crisis, coordinator Wink Martindale needs to tighten up his defense. That means moving defensive tackles Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant under center and releasing Josaiah Stewart in the pass rush. It’s not impossible, but UM will need a lot of pockets and turnovers to have a chance. Pick: Oregon, 30-15