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That means the most important game for the Ducks is their Week 8 road test against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, who are losers of three straight after beginning the season with three straight victories. Despite the string of losses, all coming in Big Ten play, there's still talent on the roster. The offense in particular has shown signs of explosiveness, as they're averaging 35.6 points per game. The defense has been a rough spot — but there's several standouts who have the ability to turn a game on their own. Let's check out five Scarlet Knights that Duck fans should know as Oregon heads across the country in search of their sixth win of 2025. Five Rutgers Scarlet Knights who Oregon Duck fans should know before Week 8 There are going to be a lot of things for the Ducks to clean up and improve upon after last week, but a game against the 3-3 Scarlet Knights will offer the chance to build some confidence before a tough stretch of games in the month of November. After what we saw last week, there are a lot of questions to be answered. What will we see from this Oregon team on Saturday, and in particular, what kind of challenge will Rutgers present? Let's dive in. What should the Oregon Ducks expect from Rutgers Scarlet Knights offense?

Behind Enemy Lines: Rutgers insider Bobby Deren answers five questions Rutgers insider Bobby Deren answers five questions leading up to Saturday's game on the road in New Jersey.

Yeah, that's an awful name!

Yes, how the Ducks respond is everything right now.

Yeah, out coached for sure!

Duck fans must find the right lesson in James Franklin's shocking dismissalAutzen ZooDuck fans must find the right lesson in James Franklin's...Conference realignment, the Transfer Portal and NIL have changed college football forever. There's more parity than ever before.

Riley’s lynchpin would probably be a loss to UCLA which could very likely happen if the Bruins keep improving.

Teams usually recover quicker from losses than fans do. Once they’ve recalibrated for the loss of wiggle room that the season once had, but realize the goal is still alive, a cold, hard focus is often the result - hopefully!

Disagree on this one. Losses aren't inherently needed but can have a silver lining. Did Michigan need a loss two seasons ago? Adversity without losing can be just as beneficial. Good coaching can keep an undefeated team motivated and prepared, not easy I know, but one of the things that makes for a great coaching staff.

High expectations brings disappointment after any loss. Been to this rodeo a few times. Take whatever disappointment you felt, multiply by 10, and that is the disappointment of the players and coaches after that loss. Most of us were prepared for this team to have a 5 -1 record. We just took a different path. Time to lace up, strap on the pads, and take it out on the next opponent.

Plus, depending upon what happens to sc in the next few weeks, Riley might make the list.

It certainly feels better that way. But the lesson often sets in better from a loss than a win. The reality is that at some point the Ducks were going to need a loss for the culture to be reaffirmed. Everyone let's stuff slide when winning. Coaches might not approve of it and the best coaches actively fight against it. But few people can ever keep themselves perfectly disciplined while winning. Losing is a call for back to basics.

Probably one more to go, Fickel @ Wisc. If he lasts until our game.

Sure, as in potentially the next head coach at either Penn State or Florida.

Oregon Ducks On SIThree Coaches Fired Weeks After Facing Oregon Ducks This...The No. 8 Oregon Ducks' 2025 regular season is more than halfway over, as Oregon prepares to travel out East for their first ever game against the Rutgers Scarl

For those that don't know, Geoff Schwartz is a former duck and was a starting NFL Offensive Lineman for over a decade, so he is as qualified as anyone to study film on offensive line performance and diagnosing where the issues are.

While the home loss to Indiana was a major disappointment on a number of levels, there is an upside to having your butt kicked and your hat handed to you. There are no longer any excuses for complacency. Last year a 6-5 Michigan team that was a nearly three touchdown underdog went into the 'Shoe and beat the Buckeyes 13-10. Ohio State was the much better team on paper, at home and only a play at Autzen away from being undefeated. The OSU fanbase was apoplectic and calling for Ryan Day's head. Something happened in the Bucknut locker room after that embarrassing (much worse than Oregon falling to Indiana) loss. Coaches and players stepped up and fixed what was wrong. We all know what happened next. What matters is how DL, the coaches, the players and their leaders respond to this setback. I just can't see things going the way of Penn State. Rutgers needs to be a get right game and I believe it will be.

I remember our last regular season loss before this (Washington in 2023). I recall us being the most dominant team in the country the remainder of the regular season afterwards. Hopefully that was a function of the culture that is still in place and we'll see a similar response where Oregon becomes the team "nobody wants to play". P.S. It was a similar situation then of encountering a team with coaches that knew how to beat us, and players motivated enough to pull it off. I'm glad we played IU and lost to their superior coaching and player motivation. It exposed all the flaws of this team so they can be corrected going forward.

This is a great take. PSU will indeed most likely target an existing head coach, but really the only slam dunk is Cignetti. Hartline or Patricia would be great choices, plus it could potentially weaken tOSU.

Nebraska QB Dylan Riola's comment on Matt Ruhle's possibly leaving for Penn State - "He ain't goin' nowhere," provides further justification for Nebraska being the only member of the Big Ten without AAU accreditation. 😁 https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/nebraska-qb-dylan-raiola-addresses-matt-rhule-being-linked-to-the-penn-state-job-he-aint-going-nowhere/?eid=c7d8647c6247db8d08c59fe44bc30380a147aa90b9e33099045cd46ddc6a485b&ftag I hopes Dylend ain't a Englesh majer. 🤪

Another take on the proposed private capital deal from a Michigan site on the Wolverines and the Trojans possibly vetoing the deal. Strange bedfellows after SC blew out the Wolverines in LA last Saturday? 😁 I understand the concern. With the fluidity of all things college football, is it in the best interest of sure-thing Super League teams to lock into an existing conference affiliation through 2046? Even members of the conference currently in the lead, finance-wise? Maize n BrewThe Big Ten’s $2.4 billion private equity deal may be in...The Big Ten wants to ink a $2.4 billion private equity deal, but needs unanimous approval from university presidents. The University of Michigan seems highly skeptical and perhaps even opposed to it,

Good points. Preseason, I would have predicted that Oregon would be 5-1 right now with a loss to Penn State. Unfortunately, some teams are looking better than I expected and it’s never easy to win road games against good teams so we could have a few more loses on the remaining schedule, if Oregon doesn’t continue to improve. We’ll have to see how things shake out but I’m not as confident in our odds to make the playoffs as I was a week ago. Oregon’s margin of error just shrunk considerably.

One problem with these mega conferences is that Ducks vs. Hoosiers could be one heck of a rivalry, but the return game in Bloomington is not until 2028. Maybe payback in the Playoffs?

Thank you, Darren. If it's Good Rocky on the rebound, bouncing back against Apollo Creed and Clubber Lane at Rutgers: Yo! Adrian! 😍 A loss could mean going on the road and coming up short, not to, but in Mason Dixon. Or worse? 🤬 GET RIGHT AT RUTGERS! Knock the SHI out of Schiano in SHI Stadium! (SHI Stadium! You cannot make things like Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), being a Rutgers graduate, and the name of the stadium up. 🤪 It's only a movie, right?) Thanks again for another entertaining and timely read.