Preview: No. 1 Oregon Ducks face Wisconsin in Rose Bowl rematch

The last time the Oregon Ducks (10-0) and Wisconsin Badgers (5-4) met was in the 2020 Rose Bowl, where Justin Herbert led the team to a major victory. This time, they will face off, and both teams are members of the Big Ten Conference. The No. 1 Ducks are rolling, and Wisconsin has a tall task ahead.

Where These Teams Stand

The Oregon Ducks are currently at the top of the college football world, or at least as much as you can be in the regular season. They sit at No. 1 in both the College Football Playoff and AP Top 25 rankings. The goal for Oregon is clear; take care of business and win out. If the Ducks beat Wisconsin and Washington, their spot in the Big Ten Championship is more than secured. After all, who doesn't want to be undefeated and have a first-round bye in the new playoff format?

Wisconsin doesn't have the same aspirations this season as the Ducks, but there is no doubt that they want the upset. There is no better feeling than being an unranked team and taking down the top dog. However, if they can't get the impossible done, there is still hope. The Badgers have Nebraska and Minnesota left on their schedule, and if they can just get one win, they will be bowling this season.

Players to Watch

For the Ducks, quarterback Dillon Gabriel is must-see TV. Oregon will look to put this game away early on, so expect Gabriel to air it out. Evan Stewart and Tez Johnson could have potential monster games receiving-wise, and Jordan James will be there to establish the run. With all these weapons at his disposal, Gabriel has emerged as a Heisman hopeful. Gabriel has thrown almost 3,000 yards this season per ESPN stats, and could possibly hit that mark in this game.

For the Badgers, expect running back Tawee Walker to be a focal point on offense. Walker has 676 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns this season. The senior back has been very impressive this year and hopes to make a dent in the Ducks' stout defense. Given how talented this Ducks offense is, Badgers' linebacker Jaheim Thomas will have his hands full. Should Thomas continue to play as he has been, he might be able to help stop the bleeding. This season, Thomas leads the team in total tackles with 52.

Prediction

The Oregon Ducks are just too strong right now and will handle business on the road, beating the Badgers 41-21. Oregon will improve to 11-0, while the Badgers drop to 5-5. This Big Ten matchup will take place at 7:30 p.m. EST on Nov. 16 and will be broadcast on NBC with streaming available on Peacock.