What to Expect in Big Ten Undefeated Showdown
This Saturday, college football fans will be blessed with what may be a game to remember in Autzen Stadium between the third-ranked Oregon Ducks and the seventh-ranked Indiana Hoosiers. Both squads are coming off a much-needed bye last week, one that was very rewarding after each of these teams had their own hard-fought victories just seven days earlier. There is plenty to say about this matchup and what it means for not just both teams, but the Big Ten Conference as a whole, and the rest of the teams who are fighting for a spot in the College Football Playoff. A clash that’s sure to draw attention in Eugene is the QB duel between Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza and Oregon’s Dante Moore, who are both transfer players in their second college programs, and are competing for the prestigious Heisman Trophy.
The similarities are almost eerie, as the two QBs are separated by just two passing yards from each other. Mendoza has one fewer incompletion than Moore, and two more touchdowns, while both have only one interception through the first five games. Aside from the guys behind center, both teams’ defenses have proven to be elite, with Indiana’s allowing just 10 points a game to Oregon’s 12. Indiana will also be getting back star CB D’Angelo Ponds, who missed the Iowa game despite being in uniform, and is ready to make the lives of Oregon’s wideouts a living hell. This battle isn’t just taking place on the gridiron, as the sidelines are going to offer plenty of action between the coaching matchup of Oregon’s Dan Lanning and Indiana’s Curt Cignetti. These guys are two proven winners who have led their squads to dominance over the past few years, as it will be evident on the field with the play calling.
The Hoosiers are coming into the matchup undefeated at 5-0, with Fernando Mendoza leading the Big Ten with 16 touchdowns protected by a strong offensive line with Notre Dame transfer Pat Coogan under center. This team hasn’t had the chance to prove themselves yet this year, despite beating the once ninth-ranked Illinois 63-10 at home. Oregon is the perfect test for this squad, especially coming off a gritty win in Iowa City just two weeks ago, which was an unusual game for this team given the low score of 20-15. Wide Receivers Elijah Sarrat and Omar Cooper Jr. are two of the many pass catchers whose impact has been shown immensely so far this season. However, with Oregon’s defense allowing 123 passing yards per game, we may see Offensive Coordinator Mike Shanahan go back to the Iowa game plan: running the ball.
This Ducks squad has also yet to face a “real” test. Although beating Penn State at the whiteout game, we later saw how much more fraudulent Penn State really was after losing to 0-4 UCLA this past weekend. Now, this isn’t meant to discredit Oregon and their win; however, it will be very different playing against Fernando Mendoza compared to Drew Allar. Like Indiana, this Dan Lanning-led team is also coming in 5-0, with the Hoosiers being their first real test. The Ducks' defense has proven to be strong, especially in late-game scenarios, as we saw in Happy Valley. If this defensive unit can get a bunch of stops early, they have a clear shot at sending Coach Cig and his guys home with a loss.
My Thoughts and Predictions
This game will be a lot closer than people think, as Oregon was exposed several times during the Penn State game, despite winning. The Ducks' offense had their moments of stagnation in the fourth quarter, allowing the Nittany Lions to crawl back and tie the game. Now, if they had Fernando Mendoza as their QB, Penn State would probably win; however, they did not, as he is on the team that I believe will be beating Oregon this weekend. The Hoosiers have yet to have their first-ranked win on the road in the Cignetti era, and there is no better place to do so than in the same stadium where Indiana beat Oregon in 2004, making them the last Big Ten team to win in Autzen. After an atypical game from Mendoza, I am expecting him to throw for at least 250 yards and a couple of touchdowns, with Oregon fans going home disappointed. This will be a high-scoring affair where I believe we will see Indiana come out on top 38-31, as Cignetti, once again, gets to tell his doubters they’re wrong.
