Game Details

Where: Jones AT&T Stadium, Lubbock, Texas

When: 6:00 p.m, Saturday, Sept. 2

Watch it on: FOX

All-time series: Oregon leads, 2-0, last meeting in 1992

What you should know: Oregon

Head Coach: Dan Lanning (2nd season)

2023 Record: 1-0

2022 Record: 10-3

Projected conference finish: 4th (Pac-12)

The time has come for one of the most highly anticipated games in Texas Tech football history when Oregon comes into town Saturday. The Red Raiders return home with an 0-1 record after a less than ideal start to the season last week in Wyoming.

Putting the outcome of Tech’s week one contest aside, a storm is brewing as the Ducks are one of the highest-ranked non-conference opponents to come to Lubbock. Similar to Wyoming, it is also the first time these two have faced since 1992, the second leg of a home-and-home that swayed Oregon’s favor.

The Ducks enter the contest led by second-year coach Dan Lanning. The 37 year old and Kansas City native, Lanning was named the 35th head coach of the Ducks following a successful three year stint as defensive coordinator at Georgia which culminated in a national championship win in 2021. One of the youngest head coaches in FBS, Lanning’s inaugural season in Eugene was successful, as the Ducks finished the season with a record of 10-3. The 2022 season concluded with a victory over North Carolina in the Holiday Bowl. It was not the first time Lanning competed in this specific bowl however. A young Lanning was on staff with Arizona State when the Sun Devils suffered defeat at the hands of the Red Raiders in the 2013 edition of the Holiday Bowl.

Oregon got the ball rolling in its first game of the season. Playing in front of the home crowd at Autzen Stadium, the Ducks took no prisoners against Portland State, rolling to a convincing 81-7 win. Traveling to West Texas will be the first road test for Oregon. Playing away from home was of little issue for the Ducks in 2022, as they finished the year with a 4-1 record on the road.

ONES TO WATCH: OREGON

OFFENSE

Oregon is loaded across all aspects of the offense. At signal caller, the Ducks are led by a potential Heisman candidate in Bo Nix. Now in his fifth season of college football, Nix has accumulated over 11,000 yards through the air in his collegiate career. Standing next to Nix in the back field will be a combination of running backs. Bucky Irving will likely get the majority of snaps. A shifty back, Irving only took four carries against Portland State, racking up 119 yards and two touchdowns in the process. Noah Whittington, another elusive runner, could also be an option for the Ducks Saturday night. Wide receiver is a position of emphasis, as it is one of Oregon’s deepest position rooms. That group is led by Troy Franklin, the Ducks’ leading receiver a year ago. Transfers Tez Johnson, Traeshon Holden and Gary Bryant round out the core of the group, with talented freshman and former five star recruit Jurrion Dickey adding depth. Against Portland State, Franklin and Bryant combined for 14 catches, 206 yards and four touchdowns.

DEFENSE

Defense is where the question marks begin to rise for the Ducks. In the same way the Tech defense is anchored by defensive tackles Jaylon Hutchings and Tony Bradford, Oregon’s defense also prides itself in being stout up front. That starts with the lone first team preseason Pac-12 All-Conference selection in Brandon Dorlus. Jeffery Bassa is a name that Tech defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter remembers, the junior linebacker played in all 14 games as a freshman under DeRuyter’s tutelage in 2021. In the secondary, the Ducks are in search of an alpha with the departure of Christian Gonzalez to the NFL. Expect Oregon to lean on its experienced defensive line in this one.