Oregon is undefeated, coming off its third straight convincing win and despite some unremarkable plays in recent weeks, is starting to look more and more like a team that should to be favored to land a spot in the College Football Playoff in December.

Now comes the most anticipated game of the regular season.

Bring on the Buckeyes.

The No. 6 Oregon (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) will play No. 3 Ohio State – which is 4-0 heading into its game Saturday against Iowa – at 4:30 p.m. next Saturday in Autzen Stadium, a game between the two highest ranked teams in the conference.

“I think it’ll be a great challenge and a great opportunity for us in front of our home crowd,” quarterback Dillon Gabriel said after Oregon defeated Michigan State 31-10 Friday in Autzen Stadium. “You dream for moments like these and games like this and I think everyone’s excited for it.”

Despite this mid-October gem on its schedule, coach Dan Lanning said his team hasn’t looked ahead to Ohio State while it opened the season with wins against Idaho, Boise State, Oregon State, UCLA and now the Spartans.

“They’ve done a really good job of not listening to you guys, right?” Lanning said to media members Friday night. “But finally, you guys can talk about it. We’re finally there. We’re going to play them now. A great team. … There’s a reason why they’re one of the best teams in the country. It’s going to be a great challenge for us, and our fans are gonna have to show up.”

Lanning said the team would turn its focus to the Buckeyes at midnight on Friday. That wasn’t soon enough for wide receiver Tez Johnson.

“Right now,” Johnson said. “We turn the page right now. Obviously, it’s a big game … we’ll got out here and practice physical knowing that they got some really good players. But so do we. It’s going to be a really good matchup.”

Heading into their game against the Hawkeyes, the Buckeyes are the most prolific team in conference. With former Oregon coach Chip Kelly in his first season as offensive coordinator, Ohio State is ranked No. 1 in the Big Ten in scoring (48.8 points) and yards (534.8) per game, and No. 2 in passing yards (307.8) and No. 4 in rushing yards (227.0) per game.

They’ve also allowed the fewest points per game (6.8) for a No. 1 point differential of 42.0.

“I played Ohio State two years,” said defensive tackle Derrick Harmon, a Michigan State transfer. “I know what they bring. We just have to compete that game. That’s a game we’re gonna have to compete. Everybody run to the ball, everybody in the right gaps, everybody playing for each other. That’s what we gotta do.”

In 2021, the Ducks upset the Buckeyes in Columbus, 35-28, the only victory for Oregon in 10 games against Ohio State. The two games prior were a 42-20 loss in the 2015 national championship game and a 26-17 defeat in the 2010 Rose Bowl.

“We’re two great programs that have been known for playing good football,” Gabriel said. “The things you look to as a young man playing the game is big-time moments and great atmospheres. So, super excited for it.”

Chris Hansen covers University of Oregon football, men’s basketball, track and field, cross country and softball for The Register-Guard. You can reach him on X @chansen_RG or by email at chansen@registerguard.com. 

MSU closes gap in waning seconds

A nice drive by Tommy Schuster puts points on the board for the Spartans. 31-10 looks like the final with 25 seconds to play. I’m sure there many out there that were more interested in that field goal than others.

Defense gets a stop, Chiles’ day is done

Tommy Schuster enters for the Spartans with six minutes and change remaining. Looks like the rest of the starting crew is still out there.

Touchdown, MSU!

In year one of a new coaching staff, and against teams that are probably in a different weight class, little things like getting on the scoreboard matter. A 75-yard drive ended with a Kay’ron-Lynch Adams one yard scoring run, and it’s 31-7 late. Chiles found a few receivers, including two first downs to Jack Velling, and a 35-yard strike to Montorie Foster. 8:27 remains to close the gap further.

Score blown open after long Oregon TD drive

After holding the ball for over eight minutes, the Ducks hit paydirt on fourth and goal from the two. For the second week in a row, there are just too many weapons for Michigan State to keep up with. 31-0 Oregon is your score now.

Fourth quarter looms with Oregon in control

Oregon has really slowed the pace and is taking a bunch of time off the clock while moving the ball. The Ducks are threatening again, as the end of the third quarter arrives. MSU’s defense needs the breather, they are getting leaned on right now. Let’s see if they can keep the end zone clean.

Ducks add field goal, 24-0 score

Well, it could be worse. A promising Oregon drive stalled out, and it was a nice job by Michigan State to force a 50-yard field goal, especially with an iffy Ducks kicking game. The attempt was good, and now Michigan State takes over on offense, still trying to put some points on the board.

Oregon takes over after empty possession

Michigan State’s offensive line is breaking down, and Chiles is doing his best to scramble around. Oregon’s defensive line is a handful for anyone. Jaron Glover had an opportunity to haul in a big play inside the red zone, but had the ball punched out at the last second. Still 21-0 early third quarter.

Lead extends to 21-0 going into half

That’s huge. Oregon marches right down the field, eats up the rest of the clock, and scores a touchdown. Gabriel throws his 135th TD pass and now the Spartans have dug quite a first half hole against a top 10 team for the second week in a row.

MSU gives ball back at two minute timeout

A few sacks derailed a drive that started off strong. Michigan State will get the ball to begin the second half, so this upcoming drive for the defense will be crucial to get a stop.

Ducks punch one in to go up 14-0

It is becoming clear that there isn’t much Spartan resistance for the Oregon ground game tonight. Oregon back Jordan James is up to 133 rushing yards on 14 carries, with the team up to 174. There is still 5:26 left in the half. Offense needs to put some points up quick.

Second quarter starts another turnover

Plot twist, this was NOT another Michigan State turnover. Charles Brantley is on an interception hot streak, and he just got the second red zone pick of the night for the Spartans. In a game with three drives that got inside the five, it is 7-0 Oregon with 11:17 left in the first half.

Gabriel runs in late first quarter score

The Ducks have gotten to at least the one-yard line in their last two drives, but no turnover this time. A couple big plays were capped off by a nine-yard touchdown run by Gabriel, and it’s 7-0 Oregon. End of the first quarter in Eugene.

Three-and-out for MSU, Ducks takeover

Nice decision from Chiles to not force anything on a third and a million. A nice punt from Ryan Eckley and another play by Spencer flips the field.

Oregon returns the favor; Spartans pick off Dillon Gabriel

Call it even! Fresh off of forcing a turnover at their own one yard-line, Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel throws an interception at the Spartan one. Malik Spencer made a very athletic diving catch to secure the pick, and Michigan State takes over after the touchback.

Chiles fumble at the 1 squanders golden scoring chance

This is getting ridiculous. Yet another drive where Michigan State marches the ball right down the field ends with a turnover. This one is an Aidan Chiles fumble as he was reaching into the end zone. The most frustrating thing for Spartan fans is how good Chiles also looks. Multiple great throws, including a deep bomb to Nick Marsh that set the Spartans up at the two, set up the scoring chance. But one step forward has been followed by a step back too many times so far to hang with the big boy teams.

Hello Defense!

Michigan State won the toss and gave the Ducks the ball. That turned out to be a good choice. The Spartans force a three and out and the offense has an early chance to punch ahead.

Let’s get this party started

Nice surprise on this late-night for Michiganders. Tigers’ announcer Jason Benetti is on the call in Eugene for Fox. 3-2 Spartans and 4-0 Ducks on deck.

The Spartans continue the meat of their schedule with a trip across the country to face unbeaten and No. 6-ranked Oregon on the national stage.

Coming off a 38-7 home loss to Ohio State, Michigan State faces another top-10 team, but this time it’s on the road. The Spartans moved the ball well against the Buckeyes, and did not look physically outmatched for most of the night, but costly turnovers and mistakes proved too much to keep up with Ohio State.

Those mistakes will need to be limited, as the Spartans head into one of the most hostile environments in the country. However, Oregon has let opponents hang around in home games so far. The Ducks needed a late score to put away FCS Idaho in Week 1 and only beat Boise State out of the Mountain West by a 37-34 score. Oregon is coming off a pair of dominant road performances the last two weeks, with a 49-14 rout at Oregon State and 34-13 win at UCLA.

Follow along here for live updates from Detroit News contributor Griffin Beers.

Michigan State at Oregon

▶ Kickoff: 9 p.m. Friday, Autzen Stadium, Eugene, Oregon

▶ TV/radio: FOX/760 AM

▶ Line: Oregon by 24½

▶ Records: Michigan State 3-2, 1-1 Big Ten; No. 6 Oregon 4-0, 1-0 Big Ten

▶ Series: Oregon leads 4-3 (Last game: Dec. 31, 2018 (Redbox Bowl, San Francisco) ― Oregon 7, Michigan State 6)

After a rough first two weeks of the season, during which Oregon struggled with FCS Idaho and then brushed with defeat against Boise State, the Ducks have found their groove. They’ve done so versus familiar faces, starting with an unusually-early game against the Pac-12’s Oregon State in Corvallis. Then they went to the Rose Bowl and took care of Pac-12-turned-Big Ten foe UCLA.

Although head coach Dan Lanning and his sixth-ranked Oregon squad will take its first real Big Ten plunge Friday night against longstanding conference member Michigan State, the Ducks will, again, get a taste of their old league in the process.

That’s because the Spartans are coached by Jonathan Smith and quarterbacked by Aidan Chiles, both of whom were previously at Oregon State.

“Yeah, I think it probably gives a benefit to both teams,” Lanning said Friday afternoon on ESPN’s “SportsCenter,” when asked about the familiarity he has with Smith.

“Jonathan runs an unbelievable program. He’s done a really good job there. He continues to be aggressive and gives you pictures that are different from some other teams you’re going to see. But then he has that same thing that he’s going to see with us. So there’s a little bit of give and take where you can prepare for each other. But he’s got a new team, and we have a different team here as well.”

Smith posted a 25-13 record, including a 16-11 mark in Pac-12 play, over his final three seasons at Oregon State. That stretch included a 38-34 win over Lanning’s Ducks in 2022.

Chiles, however, didn’t start a game in his lone season at Oregon State. He arrived as the On3 Industry Ranking’s No. 12 quarterback in the 2023 class and sat behind then-Beavers starter DJ Uiagalalei. That said, Chiles threw completed 24-of-35 passes with four touchdowns and no picks, plus three rushing scores, in nine games of action as a true freshman.

He followed Smith to Michigan State, where he became QB1 and has experienced a roller coaster start to his sophomore campaign. The Spartans are 3-2 with a Big Ten road win over Maryland under their belt. But Chiles has already thrown eight interceptions, as opposed to just five touchdowns, while completing only 56.3% of his passes. He’s been up and down, at times flashing great passing ability downfield, not to mention his three additional rushing touchdowns so far in 2024.

“Well, he’s a talented player, and he probably throws the ball down the field as well as anybody right now in college football,” Lanning said Friday, when discussing Chiles on “SportsCenter.”

“And he’s really elusive with his feet. What we have to do is try to be advantageous when the ball’s in the air, take advantage of some of those opportunities when they do throw it and try to go attack it.”

Michigan State is coming off a 38-7 loss to Ohio State. Oregon will face the Buckeyes next week — that’s when the Ducks’ run of strong Pac-12 ties will come to an end.