Oregon football is ranked No. 1 in the nation for the first time in 12 years.
The Ducks’ first game at the top will be Saturday afternoon in a Big Ten game against No. 20 Illinois at Eugene, Ore.
Oregon (7-0, 4-0) is 6-1 all-time as the No. 1 team and is one of 10 undefeated FBS teams this season. The Ducks are 7-0 for the sixth time in program history and the first time since 2013, and have defeated two top-25 teams this season in Ohio State and Boise State.
Oregon is 35-1 over its last 36 home games and is 44-3 at home since 2017.
So what does No. 1 mean for coach Dan Lanning and the team?
“Who cares?” Lanning said, unable to contain himself. “You don’t sit in the middle of a meal and say you’re done eating and there’s still a lot of food left on the plate. That’s where we are. We’re in the middle of the season. It’s over. It’s not done yet. There are many things we still want to accomplish, that doesn’t mean anything to us.
Lanning, according to at least one Ducks news outlet, closed practice to the media a week before Saturday’s game.
The Ducks are coming off a 35-0 win over Purdue on the road last week. Oregon posted its first shutout since 2012, forced two turnovers, and held Purdue to 93 passing yards.
Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel completed 21 of 25 passes for 290 yards and two touchdowns. Gabriel’s completion percentage (77.0) leads the nation.
Illinois (6-1, 3-1) has been one of the most surprising teams in college football this season. The Fighting Illini defeated then-No. 19 Kansas on Sept. 7, then No. 22 Nebraska on the road on Sept. 20, and topped No. 24 Michigan last week.
Only a 21-7 loss to No. 3 current Penn State on Sept. 28 stands as one place on the Illinois schedule.
Quarterback Luke Altmyer ran for a touchdown and another pass last week against Michigan, and the Illinois defense has three plays to take.
Illinois will visit Eugene for the second time in program history and first time since 1995. It will be the program’s first trip west of the Rocky Mountains since the 2019 Redbox Bowl in Santa Clara, Calif.
Saturday will be Illinois’ first regular-season game on the West Coast since a non-conference trip to Washington in 2014. Illinois will face the nation’s top-ranked team for the 16th time in program history, with a 3-12 record against them. games.
“This is a team that does what it needs to do to make things happen,” Illinois coach Bret Bielema said Monday. “It’s an exciting journey we’re on right now and we’re really excited about this weekend’s opportunity and making the most of it.”
–Field Level Media
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