How Oregon's Defense Can Find Success Against Northwestern in Week 9

The Oregon Ducks and head coach Dan Lanning will look to get their season back on track in Week 9 of the 2026 college football season against the Northwestern Wildcats.

To the surprise of many, the Ducks enter Saturday’s contest as the unranked program after beginning the regular season with a 4-3 record. To make matters worse, the Wildcats are putting together an impressive campaign this season, as the fellow Big Ten Conference members are the No. 20-ranked team with a 6-1 record.

Luckily for Lanning and his squad, the outcome of Saturday’s matchup at home will be determined by the battle in the trenches. Northwestern’s offense heavily relies on its run game, which means Oregon’s front seven on defense must do everything in their power to limit the run game.

Despite one hiccup midway through the regular season against the Indiana Hoosiers, Northwestern has been able to find success on a consistent basis this season.

One of the main reasons for the Wildcats’ hot start this year is due to newly hired offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and the rushing attack he brought to the program. Through the first seven games of the season, Northwestern is averaging 204.6 rushing yards per game and 5.2 yards per carry, with both ranking second in the Big Ten.

The primary contributor to the program’s lethal run game has been running back Caleb Komolafe. The junior playmaker has been nothing short of remarkable this season — recording 551 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground while averaging 5.6 yards per carry. In addition to his stout efforts on the ground, Komolafe is also a solid receiving threat out of the backfield, as he has 11 catches for 132 receiving yards.

While Komolafe may get most of the recognition for Northwestern’s strong showing on the ground this year, quarterback Aidan Chiles can strain opposing defenses with his legs. The former Oregon State and Michigan State transfer tallied 181 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on 72 carries during his first seven games, making him a dynamic threat in the red zone.

Last week, Oregon’s Achilles' heel on defense was the Illinois Fighting Illini’s rushing attack. The Ducks allowed a total of 225 rushing yards in the Week 8 battle, with running back Aidan Laughery accounting for 123 of the rushing yards.

Still, there is hope that Oregon can turn it around on Saturday. The combination of EDGE rushers Matayo Uiagalelei and Teitom Tuioti can disrupt Chiles when it comes to his zone-read plays, which should help limit Northwestern’s run game.