Beyond the No. 1 ranking that resides next to their name, the Oregon football Ducks (8-0) are looking like the team to beat right now. They have corrected their early-season stumbles and are thriving on both sides of the ball. What should worry their competition even further is that they might somehow get better for the last stretch of the campaign. Senior defensive end Jordan Burch is returning to action.

“Oregon star EDGE Jordan Burch is officially good to go for today’s game against Michigan,” Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports and 247 Sports reported. “Some good news for the No. 1 Ducks, who were without Burch the last three games.”

Burch, who transferred to Eugene in 2023 after starting his college career at South Carolina, has five sacks and seven tackles for loss in five games for Oregon in 2024. The defense has been stingy without him, allowing the 10th fewest points per game in the country (15.6), but the 23-year-old is a difference-maker. Assuming he has recovered from his knee injury, Burch can potentially help his squad complete its ultimate goal.

One cannot look too far ahead, though. It can be quite difficult to prepare for the adversity that awaits a visitor in The Big House.

Will Oregon football be challenged in Ann Arbor?

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Despite their well-documented offensive limitations, the Wolverines (5-3) present the Ducks with their biggest road test of the season. A shaky performance by quarterback Dillon Gabriel and company would leave fans reasonably skeptical about Oregon's national title chances.

Georgia routinely dispatched of Texas on the road and nearly left Tuscaloosa with a win, too. The Big Ten Conference co-leaders have a signature and thrilling victory over Ohio State on their résumé, but they have not beaten anyone of significance away from Autzen Stadium. Many people will feel the same way even if Oregon topples Michigan, considering the Wolverines are unranked.

Succeeding in Ann Arbor counts for something, though. Head coach Dan Lanning must make sure his team can handle a frenetic environment, because the pressure is going to rise to overwhelming levels in the coming weeks.

Though, with milestone-maker Dillon Gabriel displaying poise in the pocket, and Jordan Burch back in the fold, Oregon football may be quipped to handle any challenge that gets thrown its way during the remainder of this hopeful season.