No. 8 Oregon Ducks Face Rutgers in First-Ever Matchup
The No. 8 Oregon Ducks (5-1, 2-1) will travel to Piscataway, New Jersey, today to face the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (3-3, 0-3) in the first-ever football game between the two programs, a significant event as both teams navigate their new conference alignment within the Big Ten.
The game is scheduled for Saturday, October 18, with a 3:30 PM PT / 6:30 PM ET kickoff at SHI Stadium, which is sold out with an expected crowd of 55,942. Oregon is looking to rebound after a 38-28 loss to Indiana last weekend, while Rutgers aims to break a three-game losing streak following a 38-19 defeat at Washington. Rutgers currently ranks third in the Big Ten in passing offense, averaging 309 yards per game, according to the Big Ten Conference website.
Quarterback play will be a key factor, with Oregon’s Dante Moore having completed 72 percent of his passes for 1,396 yards and 15 touchdowns, and Rutgers’ Athan Kaliakmanis posting a 66 percent completion rate for 1,785 yards and 11 touchdowns. Oregon Head Coach Dan Lanning addressed the team’s recent performance, stating, “Nobody was satisfied with the result on Saturday. There’s a lot of pieces that could’ve been better, but these guys came to work.” You can find more information about the Oregon Ducks here.
Following this contest, Oregon will face four consecutive Big Ten games against currently unranked opponents, offering an opportunity to solidify their position in the conference standings. Officials stated the team is focused on regrouping and executing their game plan against Rutgers.
