The Oregon Ducks had an incredibly successful start to the season, and with a bye week giving them a chance to sit back and assess the first five games of the year, they now look to enter the back-half of the schedule and be just as dominant as they were in the first half.
That will start with a top-10 showdown against the Indiana Hoosiers this weekend, with ESPN’s “College GameDay” coming to Eugene for the matchup. It will feature two very good teams looking to stay undefeated and remain in the lead in the race for a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game.
Autzen Stadium will be alive and rocking with students back in town for the start of school, and the Ducks will be ready to showcase what their home-field advantage looks like after getting to witness Happy Valley a couple of weeks ago.
With all of the hype and intrigue going into this Big Ten matchup, there are questions. What will we see on Saturday? Let’s dive in.
What do the Indiana Hoosiers do well on defense?
While Indiana’s offense is good at running the ball, the Hoosiers’ defense has found a lot of success stopping the rushing attack, as well. Indiana gives up just about 100 yards per game on the ground this year, and uses a strong duo of edge-rushers to collapse the pocket and get after the quarterback. While their defensive line is not as big as Oregon’s, their rushers do a good job of mucking up running lanes and getting early penetration.
In the secondary, they are led by All-American cornerback D’Angelo Ponds, who is an undersized by supremely talented defender. They also thrive in the turnover battle, with seven interceptions so far this year.
Who are the top players to know about?
CB D’Angelo Ponds
A Second-Team All-American in 2024, Ponds is set to return for this game after missing the Week 5 game against Iowa. That’s huge news for Indiana, as the stud CB offers lockdown protection on one side of the field.
S Louis Moore
Louis Moore has been one of the best players on Indiana’s defense this year, leading the team with 29 tackles and three interceptions. After winning a ruling against the NCAA that will allow him to play for the remainder of the season, Moore presents a high upside in the secondary and is someone that Oregon will have to scheme against.
LB Aiden Fisher
Fisher is the quarterback of the defense; the entire unit looks to him for his leadership and knowledge. Though he hasn’t necessarily impressed on the stat sheet this season, largely due to the strong personnel around him, Fisher is a tackling machine, recording 108 and 118 tackles in 2023 and 2024, respectively. He’s widely considered one of the top linebackers in the Big Ten.
Are the Oregon Ducks built to score on Indiana?
With the number of weapons that Oregon has at every level of the offense, the simple answer is “yes.” While Indiana excels with their rushing defense, the Ducks should be able to open up the field and air it out if they need to, trusting in Dante Moore’s arm and a foursome at WR that includes Dakorien Moore, Gary Bryant, Malik Benson, and Jeremiah McClellan. Even then, should Indiana prove they can shut that down with their defensive backs, the Ducks can turn to Kenyon Sadiq and Jamari Johnson, creating mismatches against safeties and linebackers.
Ultimately, the Ducks are far too dynamic on offense to be shut down by just about any defense in the nation.
What should we expect on Saturday?
As we saw in Week 5 against Penn State, I think this is a game where Oregon focuses on running the ball early and often, trying to create a physical game where their size can win out. Assuming that the Ducks can get into a lot of 2nd-and-manageable, 3rd-and-short situations, Moore’s ability to run the offense, choosing either to throw it downfield or use his legs to move the chains, will certainly show itself. While the Hoosiers are a well-coached team and they have a lot of solid pieces, I simply believe that the Ducks are more talented and will have their skill-position players win the day.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: What the Oregon Ducks should expect from Indiana Hoosiers’ defense
