MSU Opponent Preview: Oregon Defense
The Michigan State Spartans are headed to Eugene to take on the Oregon Ducks for a Friday night showdown.
The Spartans are coming off a tough loss against the Ohio State Buckeyes, which looked better than the final score would indicate.
Jonathan Smith’s squad is a 24-point underdog against the No. 6 ranked team in the country. However, Smith has experience against this Oregon team from his time at Oregon State.
Could Smith’s experience against the Ducks help him take them on this Friday?
If he and his team want to pull off the upset, it starts with figuring out their tough defense.
Through four games, Dan Lanning’s Ducks are 37th in scoring defense (18.8 points per game allowed) and 16th in total defense (266.8 yards per game).
Lanning’s defensive coordinator is Tosh Lupoi, who has spent time in his coaching career at Alabama and the NFL with the Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, and Jacksonville Jaguars.
Lupoi has always been a good recruiter, bringing elite talent to Eugene to play for the Ducks. Oregon has the No. 4 overall recruiting class in 2024 and No. 8 in 2025.
Lupoi has also always been an aggressive coach, and Michigan State should expect lots of fast defenders and constant blitzes.
The Ducks’ leading tackler is linebacker Bryce Boettcher, a senior and Eugene native who has 28 tackles on the year. Boettcher has also played baseball for the Ducks and was selected by the Houston Astros in the MLB Draft.
Oregon also has tough tackling defensive backs like Kobe Savage and Tysheem Johnson. Four Ducks have recorded interceptions: Boettcher, Johnson, Nikko Reed, and Brandon Johnson.
Aidan Chiles has had a turnover problem this season, so he must be careful of all the ball-hawks Oregon’s defense features.
Michigan State will also see a familiar face in this game. Defensive tackle Derrick Harmon, who surprisingly transferred from the Spartans to the Ducks this offseason, will try to take down his former team.
Harmon is the Ducks’ second-leading tackler and has had two sacks this year. Michigan State will want to push him back and allow running backs to have running lanes.
While the numbers do not stand out, the Ducks’ defense features several talented players who Michigan State must be aware of. For a team that has struggled offensively, this match-up will not be easy.
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