It's back to work after a bit of time off for Oregon and Indiana.
The No. 3 Ducks (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) host the No. 7 Hoosiers (5-0, 2-0) on Saturday with both teams coming off byes.
The break couldn't have come at a more opportune time for the two unbeatens as they prepare for a game that could have Big Ten title and College Football Playoff implications.
Though Indiana coach Curt Cignetti isn't treating it that way.
“I say it all the time: you prepare
for them all the same. Otherwise you’d be doing a disservice to your team if you’re all in one game and not all in on another. From that standpoint, it’s pretty much the same,” said Cignetti, who led the Hoosiers to the CFP last season in his first year with the team.
While the approach may be the same, the game Saturday could turn out to be the biggest challenge each team will face over the second half of the season. The Ducks, who beat Ohio State during the regular season last year, don't have the Buckeyes on the schedule this year. Neither do the Hoosiers.
Many considered Oregon's last opponent, Penn State, to be its bellwether for the season. The Ducks beat the Nittany Lions 30-24 in double overtime on the road in the annual White Out game.
Indiana, which routed No. 17 Illinois 63-10 earlier in the season, faces Penn State on Nov. 8 but the Nittany Lions have fallen out of the AP Top 25 after back-to-back-losses to Oregon and last weekend at UCLA.
Of course, there are no guarantees that the winner on Saturday will still be in the mix at the top of the conference at season's end. The Ducks hope to just keep the ball rolling, much like last season when they were undefeated and won the Big Ten title game.
"Ultimately, love the position that we’re in but only love it if we keep watering the plant and keep growing and keep getting better,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said.
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza has thrown for 1,208 yards with 16 TDs and just one interception. On the other side is Dante Moore, who has thrown for 1,210 yards and 14 touchdowns with one interception.
Lanning was asked what Moore needs to do to outduel Mendoza, and the coach stated the obvious.
“He’ll never be on the field at the same time as Mendoza and Mendoza will never be on the field at the same time as him. All he has to do is go out there and play his game and the rest will take care of itself," Lanning said. "He’s competing to be the best version of himself. He’s not competing against him."
Indiana cornerback D’Angelo Ponds is expected to return after missing the Iowa game with a lower body injury. Ponds has 11 tackles, including 10 solo, and an interception. He also blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown against Illinois.
Normally, Oregon freshmen don't speak to the media, but receiver Dakorien Moore addressed reporters this week ahead of the game. A five-star recruit, Moore was expected to make an immediate impact and he has, with 19 catches for 296 yards and two touchdowns and three carries for 42 yards and one TD. He's made some notable blocks and returned several punts.
“This is not about me. This is about the team," he said. “This is about the people who got me here. This is about the support and the fans and the people who’ve always been around here. It’s bigger than me.”
Both Oregon and Indiana moved in the AP Top 25 without playing a game during the bye week. The Ducks had jumped to No. 2 after beating Penn State, but dropped down to No. 3 — supplanted by Miami — in the latest poll.
Indiana moved up a spot from No. 8 in the rankings, where they sat after a 20-15 road win at Iowa.
It’s the second straight season that Autzen Stadium will feature a Top-10 matchup. Last year, the No. 3 Ducks downed visiting No. 1 Ohio State.
___
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
