Oregon opponent early scouting report: Michigan

An early look at Oregon’s opponents for the 2024 regular season.

Michigan

Game date & time: Michigan Stadium, Nov. 2 (time to be announced)

2023 record: (15-0)

Coach: Sherrone Moore, first year (1-0)

Returning starters: 2 offense, 5 defense

Most important returning players: RB Donovan Edwards, TE Colston Loveland, DL Mason Graham, DL Kenneth Grant

Most critical departures: QB J.J. McCarthy, RB Blake Corum, WR Roman Wilson, TE AJ Barner, OG Zak Zinter, OLB Jaylen Harrell, DT Kris Jenkins, LB Junior Colson, LB Michael Barrett, CB Mike Sainristil

Oregon storylines:

• Dillon Gabriel’s Heisman candidacy

Presuming Gabriel is performing as well as expected, November road games are where the award can be determined. Playing at the defending national champions, who will have already faced Texas and USC, in the largest stadium in the country with a sellout crowd is about as big a stage as it can get for a regular season game.

• Returning to the Big House

Oregon was last at Michigan Stadium in 2007, a 39-7 Ducks win. The Wolverines won the first three meetings of the series, all in Ann Arbor from 1948-73, all by shutouts.

Michigan had the best run defense in the country last season against winning teams, holding opponents to 84.22 rushing yards per game, and return a lot of talent on the defensive line. Oregon’s run game did not perform as well against better teams last season, though the backfield has changed and Gabriel could end up running more than Bo Nix did in 2023.

The Wolverines were potent on the ground last season but losing Blake Corum leaves a huge hole that Donovan Edwards will need to replace. The Ducks were much improved against the run last season except against Washington. By this point in the second each side will have answers for these aspects of their teams.

UM defensive coordinator Wink Martindale is back in the college ranks after 20 years in the NFL. He’s known for his aggressive play-calling and coached former Oregon edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux for the past two years with the New York Giants. Martindale has some weapons at his disposal in the front seven and will have worked out rotations by this point.

• Dante Moore’s trip home

By this point in the season it will be clear how much Moore is going to play and in what role. Regardless, the trip back home for the Detroit native will be significant.

Michigan storylines:

• Donovan Edwards’ place on the national state

Edwards has the potential to be the top back in the Big Ten and an All-American given how Michigan could divvy up the carries. How he performs against what should be one of the top three defenses Michigan faces this season will show where he ranks among running backs nationally.

• Alex Orji’s development

The 6-foot-3, 236 pound Orji is the favorite to take over as the starter. He’s only thrown one pass in college so it’s hard to project what Michigan’s offense will be capable of with so much change. But given his size and running ability Orji could be the best running quarterback the Ducks face all season.

It’s a game with CFP implications for both teams but of the two, Michigan is the more likely to come in with multiple losses. Even if both are undefeated, the loser is still in the Big Ten Championship race but can’t afford another loss. If either or both have a loss, a second could eliminate any margin for error with Oregon still needing to play at Wisconsin and against Washington and Michigan going to Ohio State.

An Oregon win would mean:

Likely staying in the thick of the Big Ten race and CFP conversation. Some of the enormity of such a win will be based on Michigan’s record entering the day. Beating an 8-0 team on the road is different than dropping a 6-2 team that is expected to lose one more regular season game.

An Oregon loss would mean:

As noted, some will depend on what records are. If UO is undefeated or even has one loss, it would not necessarily be crushing to its CFP chances to lose at UM. But given the state of each team entering the season, the Ducks have more matchup advantages and deeper talent so it would likely be an upset.