The No. 8 Oregon Ducks are three regular-season victories away from earning a berth in the College Football Playoff.
Their most critical remaining games sit on the other side of Friday’s matchup with Minnesota.
But before UO can set its sights on showdowns with No. 17 USC followed by Washington, the Ducks must avoid a Friday night upset to the Gophers at Autzen Stadium.
No. 8 Oregon (8-1, 5-1 Big Ten) vs Minnesota (6-3, 4-2)
When: Friday, Nov. 14Time: 6 p.m. PTWhere: Autzen StadiumTV: FOXCoaches: Dan Lanning, Oregon, fourth year (43-7). P.J. Fleck, ninth year at Minnesota, is 94-64 overall and 64-42 with the Gophers. Latest line: Ducks by 25.5. Stream: DirecTV (free trial) or Fubo (promotional offers) or Sling (college football season pass is just $199). Streaming broadcasts for this game will be available on these streaming services locally in Oregon and Washington, but may not be available outside of the Pacific Northwest, depending on your location.What’s at stake
LEFT: Head coach Dan Lanning of the Oregon Ducks watches his team during warm-ups before the match-up against the Iowa Hawkeyes on November 8, 2025 at Kinnick Stadium, in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)
RIGHT: Head coach P.J. Fleck of the Minnesota Golden Gophers reacts on the sideline during a college football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes on October 04, 2025 at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)Getty Images
The Ducks could get into the playoffs at 10-2, but that likely doesn’t happen if their second loss comes to the Gophers, who lost 41-3 at Iowa two weeks ago.
Minnesota, coming off a bye, has a solid win over Nebraska (7-3, 4-2), but that’s not nearly enough to make it acceptable for the Ducks to have trouble with these Gophers.
Minnesota last defeated a top 10 opponent on the road in 2000 when the Gophers won 29-17 at No. 6 Ohio State during a 6-6 season.
Their last win over a top 10 opponent anywhere came on Jan. 1, 2010, when the Gophers won 31-24 over No. 9 Auburn in the Outback Bowl.
Minnesota leads the all-time series 3-1. The last meeting was in 2003. Oregon won 31-30 in the Sun Bowl.
Oregon’s offense vs. Minnesota’s defense
Minnesota’s defense is rock solid, ranking 21st in yards allowed (311.6) and 39th in scoring defense (21.6).
In the loss at Iowa, 14 points came via special teams and the defense. Minnesota held the Hawkeyes to 133 yards rushing and quarterback Mark Gronowski to 135 through the air.
Dante Moore #5 of the Oregon Ducks drops back to pass during a college football game against the Iowa Hawkeyes on November 08, 2025 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Minnesota has proven stout against the run this season, allowing 108.1 yards on 3.4 yards per carry. Opposing teams forced to pass must contend with a fierce pass rush that ranks fourth nationally, averaging 3.56 per game and totaling 32. The Gophers had seven sacks during their 23-20 overtime win over Michigan State on Nov. 1.
Defensive end Anthony Smith leads the Gophers with 8.5 sacks.
But Oregon’s rushing attack has looked virtually unstoppable as of late. Two games ago against Wisconsin, Oregon’s running backs rushed for 227 yards at 7.1 per carry against what was the No. 10-ranked defense nationally against the run.
Last week at Iowa, which entered the game ranked 10th nationally against the run, the Ducks rushed for 261 yards at 7.3 yards per carry.
Expect running backs Noah Whittington, Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill to help UO surpass 200 yards on the ground for the fourth consecutive game.
However, the Ducks would do themselves a favor by working to get Dante Moore and the passing game back on track. He hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass since tossing four during a 56-10 win at Rutgers on Oct. 18.
Oregon’s defense vs. Minnesota’s offense
Minnesota ranks 118th in total offense (313.1 yards per game), 121st in rushing (110.9) and 96th in scoring (23.8 points per game).
Redshirt freshman quarterback Drake Lindsey has shown promise, passing for 1,743 yards with 10 touchdowns. But he has been wildly inconsistent.
Iowa wide receiver Jacob Gill (5) catches a pass in front of Oregon linebacker Bryce Boettcher (28) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, in Iowa City, Iowa.Charlie Neibergall/AP Photo
During a 31-28 win at Rutgers, he passed for 324 yards and three touchdowns. In his team’s loss at Iowa, Lindsey managed to pass for just 109 yards with three interceptions.
Not helping him at all is a weak rushing attack, a reflection of a mediocre offensive line.
The Ducks will likely hold Minnesota under 100 yards rushing and get after Lindsey on third down.
“When you’re talking about the defensive side, they have incredible talent over there,” Fleck said. “It’s one thing to have it, another to connect it, have them all play together, understand how the top affects the bottom and vice versa.”
Matchup to watch
If anyone could disrupt Oregon’s offense, it’s Smith, who could prove to be a handful for Oregon’s offensive tackles.
However, UO’s use of the run game and solid pass protection prevented Iowa standout defensive end Max Llewellyn from registering a sack last week.
Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive lineman Anthony Smith (0) during the Duke Mayo Bowl college football game between the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Virginia Tech Hokies on January 3, 2025 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. (Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)Icon Sportswire via Getty Images. . .
What Dan Lanning said: “I’ve gotten to know (Fleck) a little bit more, since our move to the Big Ten … He’s an unbelievable human, has a cause, believes in what he believes in. Like I said, you watch his team play, and you can see it on film—the energy they play with, how they do things. I think he’s just a guy that does it the right way. And he’s been very consistent with his message and how he attacks, he challenges you in a lot of ways, and all phases, prepares the right way. So, just a lot of respect for him and his program.”
What P.J. Fleck said: “I think Lanning doesn’t get enough credit for how he connects that football team, how invested they are, how good they are, how well they play collectively together, especially on the defensive side of the ball. We know he’s a really good defensive mind. He’s a great person, he’s a great coach.”
Key stats
Oregon has allowed just 33 points during its last three wins against Rutgers, Wisconsin and Iowa. Along the way, the Ducks surrendered 334 yards rushing on 114 carries for an average of 2.9 yards per attempt.
Prediction
Minnesota’s defense could be good enough to allow the Ducks from turning this game into a complete blowout. But the Gophers lack the offensive firepower needed to keep the game close.
Score: Oregon 37, Minnesota 13.
Oregon football 2025 season schedule, scores
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