Michigan State is facing a short turnaround while traveling to the Pacific Northwest for a matchup in hostile Autzen Stadium against its second straight top-10 opponent. That’s far from ideal but this brutal stretch of the season was set before Jonathan Smith even took over the program.

Oregon started the 2024 season slowly as they acclimated to new QB Dillon Gabriel’s play style, winning a surprisingly close 24-14 contest against Idaho in Week 1 before Boise State took Oregon to the limit in a 37-34 victory in what is now known as The Ashton Jeanty Coming Out Party.