Oregon vs Michigan 2026 | Nov 14 Preview

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Oregon vs Michigan

Saturday, Nov 14, 2026 | Autzen Stadium, Eugene

TV: TBD | Kickoff: TBD

Michigan 2026: 4-3

Prediction: Medium-High · Oregon 35, Michigan 17 ↓

Last: W 38-17 (2024)

Gates: 3 hrs before kickoff Clear bags only (12x6x12) Shuttle $8 adv / $12 gameday Mobile tickets only No re-entry Autzen guide → Visitor's guide →

Updated October 24, 2026 |

Sources (8)

ESPN box scores, play-by-play and team statistics (Michigan 2026, through Oct 3); ESPN game story on Minnesota 20, Michigan 14 (Oct 3, 2026); Michigan Athletics recaps, postgame notes, participation chart and player bios (Sept to Oct 3, 2026); AP game story via ESPN (Sept 26, 2026); Sports Illustrated Michigan Wolverines On SI (Whittingham postgame, Sept 26, 2026); Winsipedia (series history); ESPN (2021 Oregon-Utah results); ESPN box score, Indiana at Michigan (Oct 24, 2026)

Michigan lost 13-6 at home to Indiana on Oct 24, 2026, scoring six points against the defending national champion (official box score). Before that, two of Michigan's first six games had been decided on the final play, and the Wolverines have been on both ends of it. They beat Western Michigan 13-12 on a 47-yard Bryce Underwood touchdown pass to JJ Buchanan with no time left, then lost 20-19 to Iowa on Sept 26 when Hank Brown hit Reece Vander Zee from 16 yards out as time expired. That loss ended a 47-game streak of wins when leading at halftime, the longest active run in FBS according to the AP. Michigan is 4-3 and 1-3 in the Big Ten. After a 20-14 loss at Minnesota on Oct 3 and an open date, Kyle Whittingham benched Bryce Underwood at halftime against Penn State on Oct 17, and Tommy Carr led a 21-18 win (AP, Oct 17, 2026). That game made the August version of this preview, a rebuilding team with a young quarterback, look closer to right than we gave it credit for. Kyle Whittingham's first Michigan defense is allowing 15.8 points and 2.8 yards a carry. His quarterback threw for a career-high 276 yards against Iowa, then went 10 of 21 for 101 with two interceptions at Minnesota. We know the coach, too: Whittingham's Utah beat Oregon twice in 2021, 38-7 and 38-10. Michigan has never won in Eugene, and it arrives Nov 14 with a defense built to keep us in a one-score game.

“

I've been in this profession 40-some years, and this is the biggest challenge I've had. I promise you we're going to figure it out.

Kyle Whittingham

Michigan head coach, after the 20-14 loss at Minnesota, Oct 3, 2026 (ESPN game story)

Key Matchups

Our offense against a defense that does not give up yards

Through five games, Michigan has allowed 79 points, 241.4 yards a game and 473 rushing yards on 171 carries, 2.8 a carry. Iowa ran for 58 yards in Ann Arbor, its fewest in a game since 2024. The front has 12 sacks, led by John Henry Daley (three sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss) and Dom Nichols (2.5 sacks, five tackles for loss). Takeaways have come slowly: five in five games, two of them at Minnesota, where Nathaniel Staehling returned one 79 yards for a touchdown. Our read: this is a defense you beat with patience, not a defense you beat by waiting for gifts.

Our secondary against Underwood to Buchanan

Underwood is 67 of 113 for 881 yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions. His favorite target is JJ Buchanan, a tight end at Utah last season who followed Whittingham to Michigan and now plays receiver: 24 catches, 446 yards, 18.6 a catch and four touchdowns, including touchdowns of 47 and 49 yards. Against Iowa, which came in allowing a nation-best 176.7 yards a game per Michigan's recap, Michigan hit six pass plays of 20-plus yards. It had five explosive plays of any kind in its first three games. Andrew Marsh is the second option (25 catches, 268 yards), though Minnesota held him to 29 yards and he muffed a punt.

Discipline in the fourth quarter

Michigan has been flagged 38 times for 332 yards in five games and is minus four in turnover margin, after losing the ball three times in the second half at Minnesota. The Iowa loss turned on both: Iowa's 91-yard game-winning drive got 15 free yards from an unnecessary roughness penalty on a third-down incompletion near midfield, and an Underwood interception at the Iowa 2 cost Michigan points in the third quarter. Whittingham called the penalties "excessive" afterward. We need to make this a game where Michigan has to play clean for 60 minutes, because so far it has not.

1 more matchup

Underwood's legs against our edges

Michigan's running backs have not carried the offense. Jordan Marshall has 244 yards on 55 carries and Savion Hiter 145 on 46. The runner that has hurt people is the quarterback: Underwood has 212 yards and two rushing touchdowns on 57 carries, including 87 yards and a 38-yard score against Oklahoma. When the pocket breaks down, our ends have to keep him inside, because that is where a close Michigan game comes from.

Where Both Teams Stand

Oregon: unranked in the AP Top 25, 2-2 in the Big Ten, 4-3 overall
Michigan: unranked in the AP Top 25, 1-3 in the Big Ten, 4-3 overall

AP Top 25 (week 9, published October 25, 2026). Big Ten standings via ESPN, retrieved October 28, 2026. Full 2026 Big Ten table →

Michigan in 2026

Michigan is 4-3 and 1-3 in the Big Ten: 13-12 over Western Michigan (Sept 5), 17-10 over then-No. 11 Oklahoma (Sept 12), 52-17 over UTEP (Sept 19), a 20-19 loss to No. 17 Iowa (Sept 26) and a 20-14 loss at Minnesota (Oct 3), its first road game. It did not play on Oct 10. The defense is still the real thing: 15.8 points and 241.4 yards allowed a game, 2.8 yards a carry, 12 sacks. The offense is the problem, and Minnesota made it impossible to miss. Michigan gained 180 yards, did not score after halftime, and got one of its two touchdowns from a 79-yard interception return by Nathaniel Staehling. Bryce Underwood went 10 of 21 for 101 yards with two interceptions and was sacked three times. Michigan has scored fewer than 20 points in four of five games and is minus four in turnover margin. Afterward Kyle Whittingham said "I've been in this profession 40-some years, and this is the biggest challenge I've had," added "Everything's in play," and said he would sit down with the offense over the bye week. The honest caveat: Autzen is Michigan's 10th game, and it plays Indiana, Rutgers and Michigan State first. That is a lot of time for a coach that experienced to fix an offense. Our read: this defense will keep it close for a half, and the quarterback Michigan brings to Eugene is an open question. Sources: ESPN box scores and team statistics (through Oct 3, 2026); ESPN game story (Oct 3, 2026); Michigan Athletics recap, postgame notes and participation chart (Oct 3, 2026); Michigan Athletics player bios.

Michigan Snapshot

4-3

Oregon 2026

4-3

Michigan 2026

Head Coach: Kyle Whittingham

All-time series: 3-3 Winsipedia

Bryce Underwood

Has started every game since he arrived, all 13 as a true freshman in 2025 and all five in 2026. This season: 67 of 113 for 881 yards, five touchdowns, four interceptions, plus 212 rushing yards and two scores. Career-high 276 passing yards against Iowa, then 101 with two interceptions at Minnesota.

JJ Buchanan

Followed Whittingham from Utah, where he caught 26 passes for 427 yards and five touchdowns as a freshman tight end. At Michigan: 24 catches, 446 yards, four touchdowns, including the 47-yard game-winner on the final play against Western Michigan and a career-high 130 yards against Iowa.

John Henry Daley

Another Utah import. Walter Camp first-team All-American in 2025 with 11.5 sacks. Through five Michigan games: 16 tackles, three sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss (started at Minnesota but did not record a tackle), and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week after Oklahoma (eight tackles, three for loss, 1.5 sacks).

Andrew Marsh

Back-to-back 100-yard games against UTEP (10 catches, 105 yards, a touchdown) and Iowa (seven for 106) before Minnesota held him to three for 29. 25 catches for 268 yards on the season.

By the Numbers, so far in 2026

33.1

Oregon PPG

20.3

Michigan PPG

20.7

Oregon Opp PPG

15.7

Michigan Opp PPG

Oregon: 7 games in 2026. Michigan: 7 games in 2026, per ESPN (through 2026-10-28).

What to Watch

Whether we can make Michigan finish. Two of its five games have come down to the final snap, it has given the ball away nine times against five takeaways, and its penalties have come at the worst moments. We come home from Columbus a week earlier and Michigan comes off its rivalry game with Michigan State, so both teams will be carrying something. Our read: the team that stays cleaner in the fourth quarter wins this one, and Autzen in November is our best argument that it will be us.

Visiting Michigan Fans?

Welcome to Eugene.

Gates open three hours before kickoff; the East Gate and the seating bowl open 90 minutes before.
Getting there: the numbered lots need a reserved pass. The Autzen Express runs from four Park & Ride lots, and many fans park on campus and walk the footbridge.

Source: GoDucks Autzen game-day guide (checked Oct 4, 2026).

Ducks vs Them: Michigan

2024

Ducks vs Them: Oregon vs Michigan

The official pregame hype video from Oregon Athletics. W 38-17.

Via GoDucks / Oregon Athletics

The Call: our Oregon vs Michigan score prediction

4 for 7 on winners, 23.3 points off a game.

We say Oregon35 Michigan17

Medium-High confidence

This is our preseason call, and as of Oct 1, 2026 it stands. We revisit it in game week, with what we know then.

Think we are wrong? Say it with numbers.

Call the exact score and we put your name on this page. First name and an initial, nothing else, and a human reads it first.

How to Watch

TBD

TV Channel

TBD

Kickoff

Wear Green

Fans Wear

All 12 games →

What to Wear

Oregon Athletics is asking fans to wear green for this one. If you need it, here is Oregon gear in that color on Amazon. The official Duck Store stocks it too and the school gets the money there, which is the better call if you do not mind paying a bit more.

Color per Oregon Athletics' published 2026 fan color schedule. The Amazon link is an affiliate link and we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you; the Duck Store link is not, and we mention it anyway.

Injury Note

Current availability, from Oregon's latest Big Ten report, the one for the Illinois game (Oct 24). This is not a prediction for this game; its own report comes out during that game week. Players on our depth chart who are not at full go: Jalen Lott is out and Messiah Hampton is out. Full injury tracker →

Frequently Asked Questions

Oregon hosts Michigan on Saturday, November 14, 2026 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. Kickoff time and TV network have not been announced. It is only the second time Michigan has visited Autzen (the first was 2003).

Michigan is 4-3. Through Oct 3 its defense had allowed 15.8 points and 2.8 yards a carry, with 12 sacks. Its offense has scored fewer than 20 points in four of five games, and its penalties (38 for 332 yards) and turnovers (nine lost, five forced) have kept its games close. It beat then-No. 11 Oklahoma 17-10, lost to No. 17 Iowa 20-19 on the final play, and lost 20-14 at Minnesota, where it gained 180 yards.

Yes. His Utah teams beat Oregon twice in 2021: 38-7 in Salt Lake City on Nov 20, and 38-10 in the Pac-12 Championship Game on Dec 3. Michigan hired him on Dec 26, 2025, after 21 seasons and 177 wins as Utah's head coach.

It is only the second time Michigan has visited Autzen (first was 2003, Oregon won 31-27). Oregon and Michigan are now direct recruiting rivals in the Big Ten. A win at Autzen would send a national message. Full rivalry history on our Michigan rivalry page.

Kyle Whittingham, hired December 26, 2025 after Sherrone Moore was fired. Whittingham compiled 177 wins in 21 seasons at Utah. He brings a disciplined, run-first identity to Ann Arbor.

Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2025 class. Through Oct 3 he is 67 of 113 for 881 yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions, with 212 rushing yards (ESPN). After the Minnesota loss, Kyle Whittingham said "Everything's in play" on offense (ESPN, Oct 3, 2026). Against Penn State on Oct 17, Whittingham benched Underwood at halftime and Tommy Carr finished the 21-18 win: "The idea at halftime was to create a spark and Tommy did just that" (AP, Oct 17, 2026).

Only once. Oregon beat Michigan 31-27 at Autzen on September 20, 2003. The 2026 game will be just the second time Michigan has visited Eugene. Oregon has won the last three meetings by a combined 108-51.

Autzen Stadium is at 2700 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd in Eugene, Oregon. Michigan fans travel well, so arrive early. The Autzen Express shuttle is $8 per person in advance or $12 on gameday, sold online only (no cash). The Autzen Stadium numbered lots open six hours before kickoff (never earlier than 7:00 a.m.) and require a reserved parking pass. Clear bags only (12x6x12 max). Full details in our Autzen Stadium guide and Visitor's Guide.

Michigan is unranked in the AP Top 25. Michigan is 4-3 in 2026, most recently a 13-6 loss to Indiana Hoosiers, coached by Kyle Whittingham.

The Big Ten has not set them yet. Kickoff times and networks for games not announced before the season are selected during the season through the conference's 12-day/6-day selection process, under its media-rights agreements with its TV partners (University of Iowa Athletics, May 27, 2026, quoting the Big Ten's media-rights process). 9 of 12 kickoff times are set. Until the Nov 14 game is assigned, this page shows TBD rather than a guess.

Michigan at Autzen. How loud will it be?

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2026 Schedule

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AUTZEN IS SHAKING

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