It's been a long time since the Michigan Wolverines made the trip out west to Autzen Stadium. With the lone exception of one assistant coach, nobody on the current coaching staff was on the sideline for that game, and the players on the team were either babies or weren't even born yet.
But for the Michigan fans who remember that game, this weekend's clash in Eugene against the Oregon Ducks might bring back bad memories.
The Ducks and Wolverines are set to meet for just the seventh time ever this weekend with bragging rights in the all-time series history on the line, splitting the first six matchups. Michigan won the first three matchups in dominating fashion, but since the turn of the century, Oregon has owned the matchup, pulling off a pair
of upsets in the process.
As Michigan arrives in Eugene for just the second time ever, the Wolverines are spiraling quickly. A 15-6 loss to Michigan State a week ago saw head coach Kyle Whittingham fire offensive coordinator Jason Beck and change up the offense. Oregon is coming off a massive road win over Ohio State and saw its playoff hopes creep back into reality.
Could the Wolverines play spoiler, or will the Ducks continue their winning streak in the tiebreaker matchup? Let's take a look back at how the matchup has unfolded over time and the history between the Big Ten foes.
Wolverine Shutouts
Oregon and Michigan met for the first time back in 1948 at The Big House. The Wolverines were one of the top programs in the country at that point, while the Ducks were still an afterthought. Michigan shut out the Ducks, 14-0, which began a tradition of hanging zeros on the scoreboard against the team from Eugene.
Norm Van Brocklin led a potent Oregon passing game into Ann Arbor, but he tossed an interception and couldn't muster any offense, while the Wolverines hit on a pair of big passes to put the game away. Michigan went on to win the national championship for the second year in a row.
The Ducks would return to Ann Arbor again in 1960 and 1973, but suffered similar results. In 1960, Michigan quarterback Dave Glinka tossed a pair of touchdowns en route to a 21-0 win. In 1973, led by Hall of Fame coach Bo Schembechler, the Wolverines blanked the Ducks again, winning 24-0. Michigan forced four turnovers, and Gil Chapman returned a punt 83 yards for a touchdown.
The Wolverines finished undefeated that season, while the Ducks won just two games. That was the last time the two programs met before Oregon started to rise as a threat out west.
Rise of the Ducks
Oregon began to make a name for itself in college football at the turn of the century, and as the years went on, the Ducks stacked wins that put them on the map. One of the biggest wins in program history at the time came in 2003, the only time Michigan ever made the trip to Autzen Stadium. Ranked No. 3 in the country at the time, the Wolverines fell behind quickly against the No. 22 Ducks, who led 21-6 at halftime.
2003 - #22 Oregon vs #3 Michigan
— WestCoastCFB (@WestCoastCFB) April 8, 2021
The Ducks stunned the Wolverines at Autzen Stadium with a blocked punt late in the 4th quarter to give them a 31-27 win.
Michigan HC Lloyd Carr said “That’s the loudest stadium I’ve ever been in”
https://t.co/6MlBMdVkuK
Michigan clawed back in the second half, but Oregon's defense stood tall at the end of the game to pull off the 31-27 upset at home, and fans rushed the field. Oregon running back Terrence Whitehead accounted for 177 total yards and two touchdowns, while the dual quarterback system of Jason Fife and Kellen Clemens led an efficient passing attack. Defensive back Steven Moore even returned a punt 61 yards to the house in the first half.
The Ducks shut down Michigan running back Chris Perry, who led the nation in rushing at the time, limiting him to just 26 rushing yards.
Oregon's win in 2007 over the Wolverines might be even more infamous in program history. The Mike Bellotti-led and unranked Ducks went to Ann Arbor as 8-point underdogs against No. 5 Michigan. However, the Ducks left no doubt, crushing the Wolverines 39-7 in The Big House and emerging as a national contender.
Dennis Dixon famously pulled off the "Statue of Liberty" play twice, faking a throw right and handing off to Jonathan Stewart in the backfield, and then later faking the handoff to Stewart and keeping the ball for a score. The crafty play calls by Chip Kelly and Dixon's big day, collecting 368 total yards and four touchdowns, thrust Oregon into the rankings. The Ducks would climb as high as No. 2 that season until Dixon tore his ACL late in the season, creating an all-time "What If?" season for the Ducks.
Statue of Liberty at The Big House 🗽
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) October 29, 2024
The last time @oregonfootball played Michigan, Dennis Dixon pulled off this electric trick play 👇#TouchdownTuesday x #B1GFootball pic.twitter.com/4LceYhpsw8
In 2024, Oregon made yet another trip to Ann Arbor, now as members of the Big Ten with Michigan. The Wolverines were coming off a national championship victory, but were just 5-3 at the time and a shell of their championship form. Dan Lanning's team took full advantage, as Dillon Gabriel threw for nearly 300 yards and added a pair of touchdowns in a dominant 38-17 victory for the top-ranked Ducks.
Jordan James rushed for 117 yards and a touchdown, while Traeshon Holden paced the Ducks through the air, making six catches for 149 yards, and Evan Stewart caught a touchdown. It was the largest crowd ever in attendance for an Oregon football game, as The Big House packed in 110,576 fans, although many filtered out by the end of the third quarter.
This weekend, Michigan will make its first trip to Eugene since the upset in 2003, and the Ducks will look to keep their playoff hopes alive at home. Oregon and Michigan will kick off at 12:30 p.m. PST.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon, Michigan to battle for edge in series history in 7th meeting
