On a short week, Michigan State (3-2) travels to Eugene for a Friday night matchup with No. 6 Oregon (4-0). The game is scheduled for 9 p.m. Eastern Time and will broadcast on FOX.

To learn more about the Ducks, we spoke with Scott Reed, publisher of Duck Sports Authority — the website for all things Oregon on the Rivals network.

What are Oregon's strengths and weaknesses? What does quarterback Dillon Gabriel bring to the table? What are realistic expectations for the Ducks in 2024? Oh, and how is former MSU defensive lineman Derrick Harmon doing in Eugene? Scott answers these questions and more.

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Michigan State is coming off of a 38-7 loss to Ohio State. Despite the blowout loss, there were some positives to take away from the game.

I give out a “game ball” from the Ohio State game, list players to watch ahead of MSU's matchup with Oregon on Friday night and highlight a senior.

More here:

QUICK STRIKES FOR THE WEEK AHEAD ...

• Michigan State continues a stretch of three straight non-conference games, hosting Miami (Tuesday) and Kent State (Sunday) at Ralph Young Field.

• This week's games are two of MSU's final three non-conference games remaining on the schedule. The Spartans will play at Central Michigan on Oct. 13 to wrap the non-league slate.

• MIami is 5-5 on the season after a non-league loss at Michigan on Sunday. The Red Hawks are 2-1 in MAC play, including a 3-0 shutout of Ball State last Friday. Miami is 1-3 against Big Ten teams with a win over Indiana and losses to Iowa, Rutgers, and Michigan. Head coach Iñako Puzo is in his 14th year at the helm, and his squad is led in scoring by Claudia Negrete Garcia, who has a 7-0-14 scoring line. Keeper Nicky Sjouken owns a 1.61 GAA and .619 save percentage.

• Kent State has a Friday game at home against Appalachian State before coming to East Lansing for Sunday's contest. Heather Hefner is in her first season as the head coach of the Flashes, and her squad owns a 2-7 mark on the year - but is a perfect 2-0 in MAC play entering the week. Eva Usoz is the team's top scorer (5-3-13), and the Golden Flashes have played two keepers over the course of the season. Lieve Janse owns a 2.55 GA, .754 save percentage, and owns both Kent State wins in the cage. Allison Wood has started three of Kent State's contests and has posted a 2.66 GAA and .571 save percentage.

• Head coach Helen Knull is an alumna and former assistant coach at Kent State. She was a a four-year starter, two-year captain and a two-time All-American at Kent State, leading the Golden Flashes to the NCAA Tournament for four straight years (1999-2002). In 2002, Knull was named Mid-American Conference Player of the Year. She was inducted into the Kent State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008. As an assistant coach for two years and as an associate head coach in her final season (2005), Knull helped guide the Golden Flashes to two Mid-American Conference championships (2003, 2005) and cultivating the development of two Freshmen of the Year and one MAC Player of the Year.

• MSU is coming off a dramatic double-overtime victory on the road at Ball State on Sunday. The Cardinals scored midway through the first quarter and were able to withstand a consistent MSU attack, as the Green & White had 24 shot attempts to BSU's 4 and had 17 corners to Ball State's one. Freshman Caro Schafer scored her first collegiate goal at 57:10 to send the game to overtime, and classmate Lilian Knorr had the game-winner in the second overtime period.

• MSU earned its first overtime win this season in three tries - the Spartans fell at Cal (2-1) and at home against Ohio (3-2 in 2 OT). It was MSU's first overtime win since a 1-0 victory over Indiana late in the 2022 season.

• The Spartans have surpassed their win total from a year ago (4) and scored 21 goals through nine games in 2024. The 2023 offensively-challenged Spartans scored 17 goals in 16 games combined.

• Caro Schafer scored her first collegiate goal at Ball State, finding the back of the cage at 57:10 of the fourth quarter to send the game into OT.

• Lilian Knorr's Sunday game-winner was her second score of the season. She now has 2-2-6 on the year.

• Ellie Rutherford picked up her fourth assist of the season at Ball State to push her season total to eight points.

• Senior Jillian Bonczewski had a team-high nine shots at Ball State and tied for the game lead of three shots on goal with Maddie Lawler, Ellie Rutherford, and Carmen Pucheta.

• Ashley Herbert made her Spartan debut in goal for MSU against Michigan last Monday, and then earned her first start on Sunday at Ball State. She made one save in the victory.

• MSU returns to Big Ten play next week when it hosts Maryland (Friday) at Ralph Young Field. It completes the weekend slate on the road at Central Michigan on Sunday.

Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.

The game will kickoff at 8 p.m.​

EAST LANSING, Mich. - After two games away from home, Michigan State men's soccer returns home to take on Northwestern in Big Ten action on Tuesday, Oct. 1 at 8 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.

MSU holds a 3-4-2 overall and 2-1-0 mark in league play after a 1-0 win at No. 15 UCLA. Northwestern comes to town with a 5-4-0 overall record and a n 0-3-0 mark in league play.

Jack Kizer and Chris Munroe will be on the call for the Big Ten Network.

FINDING HIS GROOVE
Junior midfielder Jonathan Stout leads the team in scoring with four goals and one assist for nine points. He has now scored in three-straight games. Stout is also first on the team in shots on goal with nine just ahead of senior midfielder Sean Kerrigan with eight. Sophomore forward Richie Ludwig, senior midfielder Sean Kerrigan and freshman forward Mohamed Saad have also found the back of the net this season.

LOOKING AT THE WILDCATS
Northwestern comes to town with a 5-4-0 overall record and an 0-3-0 mark in Big Ten play. In league contests, the Wildcats have losses to Washington, UCLA and No. 19 Maryland.

Italio Addimandi and Collin McCamy lead the team in scoring with four points each. Both have one goal and two assists. Nine different Wildcats have scored this season. Rafael Ponce de León has played every minute in goal for Northwestern this season. He has allowed only eight goals in nine games for a 0.89 GAA. Five of his eight goals allowed have come in league contests.

SERIES HISTORY
Michigan State holds a 34-10-5 overall record against the Wildcats. The Spartans are 17-3-2 in East Lansing, while holding a 11-7-3 mark on the road. On neutral territory, MSU leads 6-0. Northwestern has won three of the last five games between the two squads. The last time the Spartans played the Wildcats at home was in 2022 when Northwestern came out on top 2-1.

Last year in Evanston, the No. 20 Spartans came away with a 2-1 win against No. 21 Northwestern on Oct. 20. MSU used a pair of first-half goals from Sean Kerrigan and Richie Ludwig to seal the win.

LAST TIME OUT
Michigan State captured it first road win of the season with a 1-0 win against No. 15 UCLA on Sept. 27. Junior midfielder Jonathan Stout's goal in the second minute held up. It was the first-ever meeting between the two teams.

AROUND THE B1G
Junior midfielder Jonathan Stout is tied for fourth in the Big Ten in goals scored with four. Wisconsin's Dean Boltz is first with eight.

Redshirt-junior goalkeeper Zac Kelly is third in the Big Ten in saves with 28. In conference games, Kelly has a 0.67 GAA, allowing only two goals in three games.

BIG TEN OPENER
MSU opened Big Ten action against new Big Ten member Washington on Sept. 13. The Spartans are 7-1-2 in their last 10 Big Ten openers. Last season, the Spartans tied Rutgers on the road 1-1 in the league opener. In 2022, MSU tied No. 16 Indiana to open league play. In 2021, MSU tied Wisconsin 1-1 in Madison.

Prior to the last three seasons, Michigan State had begun B1G action against RU for five-straight seasons, going 4-1-0 during that span.

UP NEXT
After taking on Northwestern at home, MSU travels to No. 19 Maryland on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 7:30 p.m.

Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.