EUGENE — With limited exception, the greatest pressure Dante Moore has faced this season has come from the circumstances Oregon has been in and less from opposing defenses.

The No. 8 Ducks (8-1, 5-1 Big Ten) have allowed just 11 sacks this season, which at a rate of 1.22 per game is tied for 23rd nationally. However, 10 of those sacks have come against No. 2 Indiana and Wisconsin, the top defenses at getting after the quarterback that Oregon has faced.

Minnesota (6-3, 4-2) enters Friday night’s matchup averaging 3.56 sacks per game, fourth nationally, and could end up as the defense with the most sacks that Oregon faces this season.

“They pin their ears back, especially when they have opportunities, and do a good job of recognizing,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. “They do a good variety of things on defense. There’s a lot of change-ups but when they get to advantageous situations to rush the passer they take advantage of it.”

The Golden Gophers have 12 players with sacks this season, including seven with multiple sacks. The top four are all defensive linemen, led by Anthony Smith, whose 8.5 sacks are tied for the Big Ten lead.

Moore called Minnesota defensive line “huge” and “very powerful,” but is confident in Oregon’s offensive line to keep him protected again.

“Those guys up front have really made it tick for the guys in the backend,” Lanning said. “Obviously they’ve created some negatives.”

Smith has feasted on the Big Ten’s cellar dwellers to notch 26 tackles (11.5 for loss), but has been less impactful against the better offensive lines Minnesota has faced. Top-ranked Ohio State kept him out of the backfield and he had just .5 tackles for loss against Iowa.

Moore has attempted just 56 passes over the last three games, due in part to weather conditions, breaking his nose early in the third quarter against Wisconsin and blowing out Rutgers.

Rain could be a factor again on Friday, but regardless, despite its ability to generate pressure Minnesota’s defense is weaker at defending the pass than stopping the run. So Moore and the Ducks could air things out as long as he has time against a Gophers defense that uses a variety of fronts and coverages.

“I feel like we’ll be ready for sure with anybody that’s out there on the front five,” Moore said.

ECHO, Summit County — A Minnesota man is accused of transporting more than 100 pounds of marijuana through Utah.

Kristopher Jon Mathiowetz, 47, was charged Monday in 3rd District Court with possession of 100 pounds or more of marijuana, a second-degree felony; and being a restricted person in possession of a gun, a third-degree felony.

On Oct. 27, about 2:40 a.m., Mathiowetz was pulled over on I-80 near Echo Reservoir by a Utah Highway Patrol trooper for allegedly failing to dim the high beams of his minivan as oncoming traffic approached, according to charging documents.

As the trooper spoke with Mathiowetz, charges say he detected an odor of marijuana.

“A subsequent search by police revealed 133 pounds of raw marijuana, 400 pre-rolled marijuana joints, (nearly 23) pounds of THC wax and a handgun,” the charges state. “Mathiowetz admitted … that he was being paid by a friend of a friend to transport the THC products.”

Mathiowetz’s arrest that morning marked the second large drug bust by UHP troopers in the same area just 2½ hours apart.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A warmer and brighter Tuesday is ahead for much of Minnesota, with clear skies overnight offering a chance to catch the northern lights.

Tuesday’s forecast in Minnesota 

What to expect:

Morning cloud cover gradually clears, leading to a sunnier afternoon. The day will be breezy with northwesterly winds at 10-20 mph. 

After a frozen start, temperatures warm back into the upper 40s and low 50s across much of Minnesota, though staying cooler in the 30s for northern regions. The Twin Cities metro will top out at around 50 degrees. 

Overnight, breezes linger as temperatures fall back into the low and mid-30s. The skies will be mostly clear, offering a chance to try and see the northern lights. 

Extended Minnesota forecast

What’s next:

Wednesday brings plenty of sunshine with highs similar to Tuesday, but likely a few degrees warmer. 

A surge of warmth later in the week and into the weekend will push temperatures into the upper 50s to the low 60s, about 25 degrees above average for some areas. 

A cold front on Sunday brings temperatures back closer to seasonable with highs in the 40s to start the week. 

Here’s a look at the seven-day forecast: