The ‘Cats first Big Ten game of 2025 is against the 2024 Big Ten Champions.
This is the third of InsideNU’s summer preview of Northwestern Football’s 2025 opponents. The first Big Ten game of the season for the Wildcats will be against the defending Big Ten Champion, Oregon. The Ducks went undefeated in the regular season before falling in the second round of the College Football Playoff to the eventual national champions, Ohio State.
The Basics
Returning Production: 43% overall (40% offense, 45% defense); 104th in FBS
2024 Record: 13-1 (9-0 B1G)
Head Coach: Dan Lanning (fourth season)
The Stats
2025 SP+ Overall: 7th
2025 SP+ Offense: 4th
2025 SP+ Defense: 11th
2025 SP+ Special Teams: 3rd
2024 Capsule
Oregon took the Big Ten by storm in its first year in the conference. After a weird win against FCS Idaho and a kick-return frenzy to beat Boise State, the Ducks dominated most of the rest. Their biggest test was against No. 2 Ohio State at the time while ranked at No. 3 in their sixth game of the season. Oregon would win that game 32-31 in a thriller and didn’t face another real test until Week 12’s road game against Wisconsin.
The Badgers didn’t have the best season in 2024 but really tested Dillon Gabriel’s squad as they led headed into the fourth quarter. It was then running back Jordan James who took over the game and helped Oregon tie it up, before it eventually kicked a field goal in the final minutes to win 16-13. Two games later, it was the Big Ten Championship against Penn State. The Ducks took a seven point lead in the first quarter and never trailed, winning the Big Ten Title in their first season, 45-37 over the Nittany Lions.
The Ducks were the consensus No. 1 team for much of the season as they were undefeated with some big wins under their belt and entered the College Football Playoffs as the top seed with a first-round bye. However, Oregon only played one playoff game, as Ohio State crushed any chance Oregon had at hoisting the College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy with a blowout victory in the quarterfinals.
Offensive Overview
Oregon’s offense is very much taking a new form. Dillon Gabriel, Jordan James, Terrance Ferguson, Tez Johnson and Josh Conerly, among others, were either drafted to the NFL or signed UDFA contracts. The roster turnaround for the Ducks this offseason on the offensive side of the ball brings in some of the top players at their respective positions. The big headliner is Makhi Hughes from Tulane. In his two seasons with the Green Wave, Hughes rushed for 2,779 yards and 22 touchdowns. He now brings his talents to Eugene and will be the bell cow for this offense.
Hughes also has some new blockers transferring with him to Oregon. Isaiah World from Nevada is coming to play left tackle after starting every game over the last two seasons. USC’s Emmanuel Pregnon is joining World on the offensive line at left guard after starting every game last season without giving up a sack. The Ducks also picked up right tackle Alex Harkey from Texas State after he was selected to the All-Sun Belt Third Team.
Oregon’s pass catching group also looks very different this season. With Evan Stewart tearing his patellar tendon and likely out for all of the 2025 season, it will be a new-look receiving corps. Dakorien Moore was the highest rated wide receiver in the 2025 recruiting class and will be featured immediately. Malik Benson joins him as well after transferring in from Florida State. Kenyon Sadiq returns at tight end, this time as the number one option at his position with Ferguson now in the NFL. The Ducks have a bunch of athletes who are going to be featured extensively for the first time in their college careers, all with sky-high potential.
Coach Lanning will also be fielding a new starting quarterback. Dante Moore transferred to Oregon after his freshman season at UCLA in 2023. He was set to start for the Ducks in 2024, but Gabriel’s arrival from Oklahoma delayed his takeover. Now a rising junior, Moore is ready to be under center and show what he’s got. At UCLA, Moore appeared in nine games with five starts and threw for 1,610 yards and 11 touchdowns, but also nine interceptions. Oregon is set to compete in the Big Ten once again, and the play from the new starting quarterback will be a big reason for its success or failure.
Defensive Overview
Defensively, Oregon has changed a bit. Derrick Harmon, Jordan Burch and Jamaree Caldwell were all drafted off of the Ducks’ defensive line, along with Jeffrey Bassa at linebacker. However, star linebacker and tackle leader in 2024 Bryce Boettcher is returning for his final season after deciding to not pursue a baseball career. Returning with Boettcher is the double-digit sack machine and All-Big Ten First Team (media) selection Matayo Uiagalelei. The star edge rusher has made his mark for the Ducks in his first two seasons and is poised to be among the elite at his position in the country.
Oregon also brought in three major transfers on defense. The first of these is Bear Alexander, entering his fourth season. Alexander is now at his third school after being with Georgia and then USC. His 2023 season was his best, and after a strange 2024 campaign, he is looking to bounce back in a massive way. The second of the headline transfers is former Purdue defensive back Dillon Theineman. Theineman had six interceptions for the Boilermakers in 2023 and 210 total tackles across his two seasons played. The last big-name transfer is cornerback Theran Johnson, formerly of Northwestern. Johnson had 10 pass deflections in 2024 and was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team. This trio of top-notch transfers, plus the returners for the Ducks, have them set up to be a stifling unit to go against.