The first-ever Big Ten conference game arrives in Eugene, Oregon on Friday night as No. 6 Oregon hosts Michigan State . The Ducks won on the road last week against fellow conference newcomer UCLA , and now comes a stretch of seven games in seven weeks, all against longtime Big Ten incumbents.
Oregon’s Big Ten baptism will include a home game against Ohio State and road trips to Maryland and Wisconsin , but the Ducks must first deal with Michigan State. The Spartans started 3-0, but are reeling a bit after losing 38-7 to Ohio State at home last week and falling at Boston College the week prior. Michigan State did open its Big Ten campaign with a win at Maryland, but that Sept. 7 victory is the team’s last against an FBS opponent.
The matchup also brings some old Pac-12 beef to the forefront as Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith was the head coach at Oregon State for six years and a former star quarterback for the Beavers. Smith went 2-4 against Oregon as a head coach, but both wins were of the spoiler variety taking down top-10 Ducks teams on rivalry weekend. This marks the rubber match for the Dan Lanning vs. Jonathan Smith rivalry, currently tied 1-1.