3 Biggest X-Factors for Oregon to Bounce Back vs Northwestern

The Oregon Ducks are entering the upcoming week looking for some sort of redemption after another poor performance last game.

Oregon fell to Illinois, sending their record to 4-3 on the season, ending any hope of the team making the College Football Playoff this year. Despite entering the year with high expectations, the Ducks have struggled heavily from the opening week.

But now, the team will be hosting the No. 20 Northwestern Wildcats this week, giving themselves a chance for a big win. Northwestern has been a major surprise this year, coming into the matchup with a record of 6-1, including going 3-1 in Big Ten games.

This will be a good test for the Ducks, seeing if this team can salvage the season at all. Here are three of the biggest X-Factors for Oregon to grab the upset win this week:

1. Dylan Raiola Shows Up

Other than his performance a few weeks ago against the USC Trojans, Raiola hasn't played up to par for the Ducks. The veteran signal-caller has struggled for the Ducks, but they need him to put together a strong outing this week.

For the season, Raiola has thrown for 761 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions for this team. If Raiola can command the offense well against the Northwestern defense, Oregon will at least have a chance to win.

2. Gets Stops in the Red Zone

With how explosive the Wildcats offense has been this season, they will likely get into the red zone during the game. But once there, Oregon is going to have to find a way to limit the team, holding them to field goals or turnovers.

The Ducks rank 61st in red zone defense, allowing opposing teams to score on 82.6 percent of trips this season. Against Northwestern, this won't get the job done, and Oregon is going to have to make this a priority heading into the game.

3. Slow Down Aidan Chilies

Chiles has put together a very strong showing for the Wildcats this season, giving the team a ton of life on the field. For the season, Chilies has thrown for 1,617 yards with 12 touchdowns and one interception.

On the ground, the veteran quarterback has rushed for 181 yards and nine touchdowns, showing an incredible dual-threat ability. The Ducks will have their hands full with Chiles in this game, but if they can slow him down, even a little, it could make a massive difference to the outcome in the game.