Oregon

Big Ten power rankings after Week 3: Tons of shuffling behind top-tier

Published

1 year ago

September 15, 2024

Big Ten power rankings after Week 3: Tons of shuffling behind top-tier

It wasn’t the most exciting week of college football, but the highlights came with the two former Pac-12 teams taking on their historical rivals who remain in the conference.

Oregon took awhile but it finally looked like Oregon as it upended Oregon State in stunning fashion. Washington, however, fell to Wazzu, unable to convert on the goal line with a minute to go, down one score. Wisconsin had its big showdown with Alabama and learned just how far away they are from being a championship contender in Luke Fickell’s second year. Michigan looked better against an overmatched opponent — for a half. But it still looks completely unready for the schedule that lies ahead. Indiana under Curt Cignetti continues to impress, MSU looked competent and functional against an FCS opponent, and Purdue got blown out by an angry Notre Dame team.

Ohio State, Penn State, USC, and Rutgers all had early bye weeks.

With all of that said, here is how we’d rank the Big Ten now that Week 3 is in the books.

Photo: Isaiah Hole

Record: 1-1

Hi/Lo: 16/18

Change: -1

Last game: Loss vs. Notre Dame, 7-66

Biggest win: vs. Indiana State, 49-0

The Boilermakers didn’t even come close to doing what NIU was able to do a week ago, showing just how overmatched they are against a team with a pulse. The whole of the run and pass game were bad, and the whole of the defense was bad. Perhaps they’ll fare better next week against a rebuilding Oregon State team that was just as overmatched on Saturday..

Marco Garcia-USA TODAY Sports

Record: 1-1

Hi/Lo: 17/18

Change: +1

Last game: Loss vs. Indiana, BLANK

Biggest win: at Hawaii, 16-13

It’s amazing how quickly UCLA fell off the map. Last year, there were stretches where the Bruins were ranked under the tutelage of Chip Kelly. But this team is not that. Indiana looked dominant against this Bruins team and it looks like what Indiana used to.

Photo: Isaiah Hole

Record: 2-1

Hi/Lo: 12/16

Change: –

Last game: Win vs. Eastern Illinois, 31-7

Biggest win: vs. Miami (Ohio), 13-6

It was exactly what Northwestern needed after the first two weeks, a ho-hum victory over an FCS team. Jack Lausch was excellent at QB and he found former Michigan WR A.J. Henning early and often for 117 yards. The run game was very good as was the defense.

Photo: Isaiah Hole

Record: 2-1

Hi/Lo: 9/15

Change: -2

Last game: Win at Virginia, 27-13

Biggest win: vs. UConn, 50-7

Virginia is no joke of a team, but Maryland envisions a future when it can take down a middling ACC team with ease. However, it wasn’t easy. Still, the Terps got it done in a back-and-forth game. It. wasa good bounce-back after the inexplicable loss to MSU.

Photo: Isaiah Hole

Record: 2-1

Hi/Lo: 14/15

Change: +1

Last game: Win vs. Nevada, 27-0

Biggest win: vs. Rhode Island, 48-0

Nevada is a bad Mountain West team but Minnesota looked functional moving back up from the FCS win last week. The run game and the defense reigned supreme which is the formula for PJ Fleck’s team. Not sure what the ceiling is here, but the Gophers are a tough team that could get some momentum in Big Ten play.

Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

Record: 3-0

Hi/Lo: 13/16

Change: +1

Last game: Win vs. UCLA, 42-13

Biggest win: vs. Western Illinois, 77-3

The Curt Cignetti effect is real. This is a fun team that is still figuring things out, but winning the first in-conference game is a sign of real improvement. Not to mention, when was the last time Indiana won a conference game by 29 points? The defense played very well and it will be interesting to see what the Hoosiers do against better Big Ten teams. That will wait another week as Charlotte is on deck next.

Nick King-Lansing State Journal

Record: 3-0

Hi/Lo: 13/16

Change: –

Last game: Win vs. Prairie View A&M, 40-0

Biggest win: vs. Maryland, 27-24

MSU was impressive, albeit against a bad FCS team. Though it was very good in all phases of the game, it’s difficult to really ascertain what this team is given the past three games. The only team with a pulse it’s faced has been Maryland, and that’s a team that appears to be on a downswing. But the Spartans did what they were supposed to and we’ll know more when they face a resurgent Boston College team next week.

Photo: Isaiah Hole

Record: 2-1

Hi/Lo: 10/11

Change: -1

Last game: Loss vs. Alabama, 10-42

Biggest win: vs. Western Michigan, 28-14

Wisconsin tried to beat Alabama, and it failed miserably! So the lesson here is never try. Joking aside, it’s difficult to take on a historically dominant team when your quarterback gets knocked out early in the game. The offense was OK considering, but couldn’t find the end zone. But the defense was overmatched by Jalen Milroe and what ended up being a stellar rushing attack by the Crimson Tide. Next week is the bye before hosting USC.

Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Record: 2-1

Hi/Lo: 9/10

Change: -1

Last game: Loss vs. Washington State, 19-24

Biggest win: vs. Weber State, 35-3

What a heartbreaker. Jedd Fisch literally had his team on the precipice only to call an ill-advised fourth down play on the goal line which could have given the Huskies the lead and likely the win. This was going to be a rebuilding year, but now we just know it for certain.

Photo: Isaiah Hole

Record: 3-0

Hi/Lo: 9/13

Change: +2

Last game: Win vs. Central Michigan, 30-9

Biggest win: vs. Kansas, 23-17

Illinois was impressive yet again, with the most important thing being that quarterback Luke Altmeyer still took care of the football. The run game needs some work and so might the run defense, but this is starting to more and more resemble that of Bret Bielema’s 2022 team rather than last year’s disappointing outfit.

Matthew Holst/Getty Images

Record: 2-1

Hi/Lo: 4/7

Change: -3

Last game: Win vs. Troy, 38-21

Biggest win: vs. Illinois State, 40-0

The good news is that the offense is functional. The bad news is the defense and special teams showed some uncharacteristic lapses. And that was all it took to make it a game. Iowa eventually ran away with it, but Troy kept the game interesting much longer than you’d expect. A road trip to Minnesota will be next.

Photo: Isaiah Hole

Record: 2-1

Hi/Lo: 3/7

Change: -1

Last game: Win vs. Arkansas State, 28-18

Biggest win: vs. Fresno State, 30-10

It was a tale of two halves, with Michigan looking like it was going to run away with this one, but with three interceptions by Davis Warren, Arkansas State disallowed the expected bludgeoning. The score is a bit of a paper tiger as Michigan was never in any danger and 15 points were scored on the third and fourth-string defense, but some of the same issues from the last two weeks continued to pop up. This team is undisciplined and we won’t really know what this team is capable of until it hosts USC next week. If Alex Orji starts, that could set the team on a different trajectory.

Photo: Isaiah Hole

Record: 2-0

Hi/Lo: 7/8

Change: +2

Last game: Win vs. Akron, 49-17

Biggest win: vs. Howard, 44-7

Rutgers was on bye this week but we moved them ahead of Michigan and Iowa due to both teams struggling with lesser teams. The Scarlet Knights at least look like they have a strong identity and ability within that.

Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

Record: 3-0

Hi/Lo: 3/7

Change: -2

Last game: Win vs. Northern Iowa, 34-3

Biggest win: vs. Colorado, 28-10

Nebraska moves down, not because it deserves to, but because another team ahead of it deserved to move up. Beating up on Northern Iowa is expected, and the Huskers did what they were supposed to. But we don’t see them beating any of the teams ahead of it — and it’s not even clear if it would beat some of the ones below it.

Photo: Isaiah Hole

Record: 2-0

Hi/Lo: 2/4

Change: –

Last game: Win vs. Bowling Green, 34-27

Biggest win: at West Virginia, 34-12

Despite being on bye, we moved Nebraska beneath the Nittany Lions, because we think that Penn State had a bit of an aberration week last week. Kent State is up next.

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Record: 3-0

Hi/Lo: 1/6

Change: +2

Last game: Win vs. Oregon State, 49-14

Biggest win: vs. Oregon State, 49-14

Now that’s what we were expecting from Oregon all along! The offense was humming in both the run and the pass and the defense was stellar against the rival Beavers. If Oregon continues to play like it did against Oregon State and not how it did against the Idaho teams, it may live up to the lofty preseason expectations

Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Record: 2-0

Hi/Lo: 2/8

Change: –

Last game: Win vs. Utah State, 48-0

Biggest win: vs. LSU, 27-20

USC was on bye but has a big showdown with Michigan football in Ann Arbor next week.

Photo: Isaiah Hole

Record: 2-0

Hi/Lo: 1/2

Change: –

Last game: Win vs. Western Michigan, 56-0

Biggest win: vs. Western Michigan, 56-0

Ohio State was on bye this week but faces off against Marshall in Week 4.

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Where Oregon Ducks rank in industry recruiting rankings for 2027 class

Published

6 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Where Oregon Ducks rank in industry recruiting rankings for 2027 class

With the winter evaluation period of high school football recruiting now behind us, we’ve seen some of the top recruiting sites update their rankings over the past few weeks and start to reset their boards for the 2027 class. In February, On3 shifted players around after getting fresh looks at the class, and 247Sports did the same earlier this week.

So with Oregon’s handful of commits getting new ratings, where does the Ducks’ class rank nationally in this cycle?

If you look at sites individually, it looks different, with 247Sports having Oregon sitting at No. 13 in the nation. At Rivals, though, they take the industry ranking, which factors in their own rankings, plus an average from 247Sports and ESPN.

In the industry rankings, Oregon sits at No. 9 in the nation, with five commitments.

Going into the summer months, the Ducks are in a great spot, leading or among the top schools for a handful of the top prospects in the nation, like 5-star QB Will Mencl or 5-star WR Dakota Guerrant. We will see what movement Oregon can make in the coming months after official visits take place early in the summer.

Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.

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New Data Shows Oregon E-Scooter Injuries on the Rise

Published

18 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

New Data Shows Oregon E-Scooter Injuries on the Rise

Data released by the Oregon Health Authority this week suggests Oregonians are getting hurt on electric scooters more every year.

In recent years, according to OHA, an “e-scooter-specific code” was developed for health care tracking purposes.

From 2021 to 2024, annual injury reports under this code from Oregon hospitals and emergency departments jumped from 211 to 418.

And in just the first nine months of 2025, there had been 509 such reports.

“These injuries are not minor scrapes,” said Dagan Wright, an OHA epidemiologist, in a written statement. “They often involve head injuries, broken bones, and other serious trauma that requires emergency or inpatient care.”

The city of Portland signed contracts with three e-scooter rental companies in 2018, as the transportation craze spread across the country. But e-scooter injury diagnosis codes are relatively new in health care reporting, Wright said in the OHA statement.

“While the overall numbers remain smaller than for other transportation-related injuries, the rapid increase over a short period of time is a clear safety signal,” OHA added.

The agency highlighted the story of Portland e-scooter commuter Daniel Pflieger, who it says was riding a scooter home when he reportedly slid on ice. He bruised several ribs.

Sometimes outcomes are worse. OHA identified 17 deaths linked to electric or motorized scooters since 2018, and seven of those occurred in 2025.

OHA says that e-bikes raise many similar safety concerns as e-scooters. The first full year for which e-bike injuries were coded for reporting was 2023. State data shows 392 reported e-bike injuries that year, 683 in 2024, and 760 in the first nine months of 2025.

“Injuries involving e-bikes and e-scooters share common risk factors—speed, lack of helmet use, roadway design, and interactions with motor vehicles,” Wright said.

Oregon E-Scooter Injuries on the Rise (Source: Oregon Health Authority)

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Oregon women’s basketball playing for March Madness seeding vs. Purdue

Published

1 day ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Oregon women’s basketball playing for March Madness seeding vs. Purdue

At times, the Oregon women’s basketball team has certainly made things much harder on themselves than it needs to be. The team has also produced some miraculous comeback victories, putting itself in position to make women’s March Madness for the second straight season.

March 1, in their final regular season game, the Ducks (20-11, 8-10 Big Ten) finished on the wrong end of yet another tight game to Washington, 70-69. It’s the second time this season Oregon has come back from a double-digit deficit, but ended up losing to the Huskies (20-9, 10-8).

Those aren’t the only times Oregon has come back from a double-digit deficit, like it did in wins vs. Nebraska and USC. The No. 11-seed Ducks are hoping they won’t need heroics in a Big Ten tournament first-round game against No. 14 Purdue this Wednesday.

Watch Oregon basketball on Peacock

“I think our biggest weakness this year has been our inconsistency,” coach Kelly Graves said, “something we’ve battled all year. The great thing is our kids know, regardless of the score, we’ve got a chance. We’ll make it a game at some point. As a coach, it drives you nuts. Hopefully we can figure it out and play more consistent basketball.”

Oregon’s volatility has seen it earn three double-digit comeback wins this year, but also blow several games in the final moments.

Against Wisconsin, the Ducks held a 6-point lead with less than a minute remaining, but lost in overtime. Against Illinois, Oregon held a 21-point lead at halftime, blew it in the third quarter, trailed by eight with minutes to play and somehow eked out a win.

That makes UO somewhat of a wild card heading into the conference tournament this week at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

“It’s definitely (been) a rollercoaster,” guard Katie Fiso said. “A lot of highs and a lot of lows. But one thing that I try to see through all games is our grittiness and our toughness. One thing that stays consistent throughout the season is our toughness and our grittiness. The game isn’t over until the last bell rings.”

The Ducks will be taking on a Boilermakers (13-16, 5-13) team that has struggled against most of the top competition in the league, but played Oregon tight in a Feb. 25 Ducks win.

Graves said when the Ducks went throughout the postgame handshake line after, the Boilermakers felt like their season would end after the regular season. Thanks to some upsets, Purdue is in the Big Ten Tournament as the No. 14 seed.

“We’re playing a team that probably feels like it’s playing with house money,” Graves said. “We’ve got to pick ourselves back up and get it done.”

What channel is Oregon vs. Purdue on today in Big Ten tournament?

Oregon will tip off vs. Purdue on Peacock, with no TV option to watch the game.

Oregon vs. Purdue start time in Big Ten tournament

Date: Wednesday, March 4
Time: Around 5:30 p.m. PT

Oregon and Purdue will play around 5:30 p.m. PT at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The first game of the day begins at 12:30 p.m. PT, with the next game 25 minutes after the first game ends, and so on. The Ducks play in the third game of the day, so no official tip time is listed.

Oregon women’s basketball schedule 2025-26

Below are the past five games of Oregon’s 2025-26 basketball season. For the full schedule, click here.

Feb. 15	Washington 51, Oregon 43
Feb. 19	Oregon 80, Nebraska 76
Feb. 22	Indiana 72, Oregon 65
Feb. 25	Oregon 71, Purdue 65
March 1	Washington 70, Oregon 69
March 4	Oregon vs. Purdue (Big Ten tournament)

Purdue women’s basketball schedule 2025-26

Below are the past five games of Purdue’s 2025-26 basketball season. For the full schedule, click here.

Feb. 14	Purdue 72, Rutgers 57
Feb. 19	Iowa 83, Purdue 74
Feb. 22	Maryland 99, Purdue 66
Feb. 25	Oregon 71, Purdue 65
March 1	Purdue 67, Northwestern 62
March 4	Oregon vs. Purdue (Big Ten tournament)