Ranking Oregon’s four remaining opponents by upset potential

The Ducks are rolling right now. After beating Ohio State in a thriller a few weeks back, Oregon did not miss a step, outscoring Purdue and Illinois 73-9 combined in the following two weeks. In this week's AP Top 25 rankings, the Ducks received all but one first-place vote — someone wanted to be different and vote for Georgia, apparently.

With Heisman hopeful Dillon Gabriel at quarterback, a stronghold on the top spot in the rankings, and zero ranked opponents left on the schedule, the Ducks appear to be in prime position to run the table in the Big Ten and enter the B10 Championship Game having already punched its spot to the College Football Playoff. Is the road ahead as clear as it looks, or is there a chance the Ducks trip up during these last four games and make things complicated in the Big Ten landscape? Here's what Dan Lanning's team has in front of it.

Week 10: At Michigan (5-3)

Before the season started, this looked like one of the most fun games in the new-look Big Ten as the Ducks travel to Ann Arbor for the first time in over 15 years, and the first time ever as a Big Ten team. But as the season has progressed, and Michigan has slogged its way to a 5-3 record, this game has lost a little luster. Still, the Wolverines enter this game coming off a win against in-state rival Michigan State and hoping to qualify for a bowl game with a giant win over the Ducks.

Michigan's dual-quarterback system has been a little funky this year — it looked its best last week against Michigan State — and both Davis Warren and Alex Orji will have to be at their very best to even hang with the Ducks on Saturday, with Warren doing most of the passing and Orji providing a change of pace as a running quarterback. It's fun, but does it seem likely that it will fool the Ducks? Not particularly!

The Big House crowd will be jumping and homefield advantage could be big for the Wolverines here. Still, everything has to go right for the Wolverines to have a chance. It's not impossible, but it's hard to think Dan Lanning's team won't also be hyped up for this game.

Upset potential: Low to medium

Week 11: Vs. Maryland (4-4)

Yeah, probably not. Maryland's four wins have come against UConn, Villanova, Virginia and USC. That's not a murderers row of opponents and the only ranked opponent Maryland has played was Indiana, to whom it lost by two touchdowns.

The Terrapins can move the ball down the field, though. Quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. is second in the Big Ten in passing yards behind just Oregon's Dillon Gabriel so there's potential for fireworks, but the team also gives up the most passing yards in the conference. A shootout will likely ensue but it's hard to believe the Terps can keep pace with the Ducks for four quarters.

The Ducks can overlook Maryland and still probably get a win.

Upset potential: Almost non-existent

Week 12: At Wisconsin (5-3)

This is where things start to get a little sticky. Wisconsin isn't a powerhouse — it lost 42-10 to Alabama, 38-21 to USC and 28-13 to Penn State — but it handles business in games it should win and just needs one of those performances in Week 12 to spring an upset against the Ducks. This defense has shown that it can be reminiscent of Wisconsin defenses of the past, it just hasn't done that against a high-caliber opponent yet.

Plus, this game being right before Oregon's bye (which is right before its big rivalry game with Washington) kind of makes you think it has all the makings of a trap game. Wisconsin has something to prove, the Ducks will likely still be undefeated with a CFP berth basically in hand, and a week off staring them in the face. If Wisconsin wants to be the first team to defeat the Ducks, this game is the perfect setup for that to happen.

Upset potential: Medium to high

Week 14: Vs. Washington (4-4)

One of the most aesthetically pleasing rivalry games in the country — the purple and green look so nice on the field — this game won't have quite the stakes that Oregon vs. Washington games have had in recent years, but that won't take any of the hype away for either side. These schools don't like each other no matter which conference they're facing off in and no matter how either team's season has gone up to this point.

Washington has been a tad disappointing in its first Big Ten season but if there's a game the Huskies are going to "get up" for, it's against the hated Ducks.

Upset potential: Medium