In the run-up to the 2015 college football season, The Oregonian is previewing each of the opponents the Oregon Ducks will meet this fall.



Today, it's the Michigan State Spartans, who host Oregon on Sept. 12.



Coach: Mark Dantonio (ninth year, 75-31 record at school)



2014 record: 11-2



For Oregon To Win ... It must find holes in a Michigan State defense that is finding its identity since the loss of coordinator Pat Narduzzi, now Pittsburgh's head coach. But doing that will also require the Ducks' offense, which has its own questions since Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota left for the NFL draft, to come up with some answers itself at quarterback. It won't be an easy environment: MSU is 13-1 at home the past two seasons.



The Offensive Player You Should Know: Whoever plays running back. The Spartans' offensive appears stronger than last season with Connor Cook back for his third year as starting quarterback and a line to protect him that was called this spring potentially the best ever assembled by Dantonio. Two offensive linemen named to Phil Steele's preseason All-Big Ten first team -- center Jack Allen and tackle Jack Conklin -- return. But even against an Oregon defense that will be rebuilding, the Spartans cannot lean too heavily on Cook, who's completed less than 59 percent of his passes in his career. Missing from that returning array of offensive talent is a seasoned running back to take pressure off the passing game since Delton Williams was suspended indefinitely. That leaves Gerald Holmes as the only Spartan with any game experience.



The Defender You Should Know: Shilique Calhoun, senior defensive end. The two-time second-team All-America remains the best defender on MSU's defense and his presence could be even more important in the absence of Narduzzi. Calhoun's 12.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks led his team. He will work against Oregon projected starting tackles Tyler Johnstone and Tyrell Crosby.



Last Year Against The Ducks: Trailing 27-18 in the third quarter, No. 3 Oregon scored the next 28 points to beat No. 7 Michigan State in a game that was used to bolster UO's case for the College Football Playoff the rest of the season. Cook has since called the loss "sickening."



Quotable: "I'd be lying if I didn't say that Oregon and Ohio State were in the back of my mind all the times when we're working and going through practice because those are the teams that beat us. Those are the teams that we need to beat to get to where we need to be, because Ohio State is the defending champion, and Oregon was right there in that championship game with them.'' -- RJ Williamson, MSU safety.

Early storyline: Just as in 2014, the winner of what figures to be a matchup of teams ranked in the top-10 will be slotted into the perceived "driver's seat" toward a College Football Playoff berth.



-- Andrew Greif

agreif@oregonian.com

503-221-8100

@andrewgreif