It won't get much easier for MSU Friday night against No. 6 Oregon. But, with the way it moved the ball in the first half against Ohio State and made momentous plays defensively, the Spartans know they can pull off an upset.

Ultimately, a win at Oregon in primetime would thrust MSU back into the national college football eye, a position it hasn't graced since 2021.

The last time Michigan State played two straight games against top ten opponents was 2019, when it faced Ohio State, Wisconsin and Penn State in order. MSU lost all three games.

With another top-ranked team coming up and a shortened week of practice due to the Friday night game, MSU offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren said the Spartans have to execute at a high level, a level they've displayed at times, with more consistency.

"Big challenge for us will be being efficient on first and second down, putting ourselves in better, more manageable third-down situations," Lindgren said after practice Tuesday.

After suffering two consecutive losses, the Spartans enter Friday as underdogs for the third straight week and face a lack of momentum. MSU linebacker Jordan Turner, who had an important interception in the second quarter against OSU, emphasized the importance of not letting the losses impact their practices.

"We gotta let it go," Turner said. "We got another top team and we’re going to their home, so we really gotta be on our stuff."

In Eugene, Smith will see a familiar face: Oregon head coach Dan Lanning. In his previous position as Oregon State's head coach, Smith was 5-8 against Oregon and 1-1 against Lanning.

Oregon leads the head-to-head series, 4-3. The last time the Spartans played Oregon was the Redbox Bowl at Levi’s Stadium in 2018. The Spartans lost 7-6.

Michigan State is 0-3 in Autzen Stadium. Its last win against Oregon came in 2015 in a Top 10 matchup at Spartan Stadium. 

As MSU looks to change its fortunes against the well-coached, physical Ducks, sophomore quarterback Aidan Chiles will face another grueling test in his young career. Chiles has committed eight turnovers in five weeks, seven of them interceptions. 

If Chiles’ turnover rate is true on Friday, an upset is likely out of the question for the Spartans.

Chiles said he's already gained a lot of experience from being the starter week to week. On the opposing side, Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel is on track to set the NCAA record for the highest completion percentage in a season, with the best in the country at 84%.  

Gabriel is the definition of an experienced college quarterback. He started his first year at UCF before transferring to the Oklahoma Sooners, where he started for two years. This offseason, the lefty field general transferred to Oregon. Even as a seasoned quarterback, Gabriel will be tested against the Spartans’ reliable defense so far, which has the potential to manage the Ducks’ balanced attack. 

"Coach (defensive coordinator Joe) Rossi said, if you give a team two explosive plays a game, it’s a 60% chance or 70% chance they win," Turner said. "So, our goal is to limit those explosive plays as much as possible."

The Spartans will square off against the undefeated Oregon Ducks on Friday, Oct. 4 at 9 p.m. in Autzen Stadium. FOX will air the game.