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ESPN’s FPI predicts outcome of Oregon-Michigan matchup
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ESPN’s Football Power Index revealed its weekly predictions Sunday, and it gave its take on who it believes will come out on top in the marquee matchup between Oregon and Michigan on Saturday.
The FPI gives the Ducks a 77.8% chance to come out of The Big House with their ninth-straight win of the season. A victory would mean that Oregon knocked off both of the Big Ten’s historical powers in the same season, as the Ducks notably took down Ohio State in a 32-31 thriller just three weeks ago.
After a rocky start to the 2024 campaign against a pair of teams hailing from the great state of Idaho, Oregon has appeared to fully hit its stride. Blowout wins over Oregon State, UCLA and Michigan State preceded the win over the Buckeyes, and there has been no hangover since. The Ducks beat Purdue and Illinois by a combined 73-9 over the course of the past two weeks.
No teams other than Boise State and Ohio State have been able to score more than 14 points on the Oregon defense, and Dillon Gabriel has emerged as a Heisman candidate as he leads one of the most balanced and efficient offenses in the nation.
Meanwhile, a National Championship hangover has appeared to take on the Michigan program. After losing head coach Jim Harbaugh and an absurd amount of talent to the NFL, the Wolverines have struggled to find an identity under Sherrone Moore.
An early loss to Texas in a game that wasn’t all too competitive was a sign of things to come, as after it outlasted middling USC and Minnesota, Michigan fell to Washington and Illinois on the road. The offense has struggled amidst a revolving door of quarterbacks, although the unit appeared to find somewhat of a rhythm in a win over Michigan State last week, as Davis Warren stepped in and threw for 123 yards and a score on 13-of-19 passing.