College football is steeped in history and tradition, although what a team has done in the past doesn’t always translate to what it will do currently.

Still, when a team has put together a long winning streak at home, it has been able to accomplish that feat for a reason.

Oregon currently has the third-longest home win streak in the nation at 20 straight victories, trailing only Clemson (35) and Cincinnati (28). Additionally, the Ducks have defeated 29 consecutive non-conference foes in the friendly confines of Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon (second-longest streak in the country).

Although it has been more than 30 years since BYU last visited Autzen Stadium, Cougar senior defensive back Kaleb Hayes transferred from Oregon State, so he knows what to expect.

“It’s going to be an exciting atmosphere,” Hayes said earlier this week. “Many of us have been in many stadiums that had full crowds, but Autzen Stadium brings in a lot of energy. I feel it’s going to help us because it’s exciting. This is what we dreamed of, when we were little kids to be in a spot where millions are going to be looking at us now. I’m just telling the guys to enjoy it, to be in the moment. Then just play football because it’s going to be exciting.”

While the success Oregon has had at home is daunting, the reality is that many of the BYU football players have played in tough stadiums before.

“As a defense, it’s really fun to play in a hostile environment,” Cougar junior linebacker Payton Wilgar said. “I’ve been in a few, like Tennessee in 2019 and Utah in 2018. Defenses kind of thrive on that. We like the noise and the boos and whatnot. I’m super excited about getting to play in that environment.”

BYU freshman wide receiver Chase Roberts may not have as much road experience as many of his teammates, but he feels the basics to be successful are pretty straightforward.

“I think the key is just staying cool, calm and collected, as always,” Roberts said. That’s kind of the phrase that we have, and (quarterback Jaren Hall) is the epitome of that. It’s nice to have a quarterback who kind of sets the tone, and then all the other receivers and everyone kind of has that demeanor se we are able to stay cool, calm and collected the whole game.”

There is a distinct difference in how offensive players and defensive players approach a hostile road game, since the offense is usually trying to tune out the noise while the defense is trying to embrace it and use it to fuel their performance.

BYU wide receivers coach Fesi Sitake said that the common bond between the two approaches is confidence.

“Whether the confidence turns into doing the ‘Jump Around’ (at Wisconsin in 2018) and that’s what happens organically or whether it is, ‘hey, we’re not going to worry about anything,’ confidence is something you earn,” Sitake said. “What shows up on game day is to be determined. There is no rehearsing of how we are going to respond. It’s just drilling it home what this environment is going to be like and the great opponent we have. It’s giving our guys the right to be proud and earn that confidence. Then we’ll see how they handle it.”

BYU head coach Kalani Sitake said he has tremendous respect for the Oregon football program and knows that the Ducks will be ready for the game.

“Watching Oregon on film I see a great team with a lot of talent,” Kalani Sitake said. “I know a lot of the coaches personally and the ones I don’t know have great reputations. I know they are well-coached and they made a huge improvement from Week 1 to Week 2. They have our attention. We’re looking forward to the matchup and being on the road with our guys. Hopefully we can show improvement and be our best this week. It’ll be a great matchup, a great challenge for us.”

The Ducks have been known for having explosive offenses and BYU defensive coordinator ‘Ilaisa Tuiaki said he knows his guys better be prepared to face a team with a lot of speed.

“They’re still Oregon,” Tuiaki said. “With a new coaching staff, a lot of times with an offense it takes some time to really get clicking, but they’ve got pieces out there on the field that you’re just like, Wow, these guys are really good. They have good offensive linemen and a good quarterback. Their running backs and receivers are good. They’re a capable team. So we’re excited to go into battle. It will take everything that we’ve got to win this one and I think our boys understand it. We’ve got to show up.”

Wilgar said the key isn’t to come in and focus on what the Ducks are capable of doing.

“I think we just need to come in and play BYU football,” Wilgar said. “We need to come in and not worry about the opponent or the rankings or anything, just come in and play BYU football. That is four quarters of tough physical football and I think if we can come out and do that, I think everything else will fall into place.”

And if the Cougars are able to do that and emerge victorious, it will be all the sweeter to have accomplished that in one of the great venues in college football.

“Autzen has a great crowd, so I’m excited,” BYU sophomore linebacker Ben Bywater said. “The big games are what you play for. No one wants to play in games that no one shows up for. It’s going to be primetime football on Saturday, so it’s going to be awesome. I’m ready to rock and roll.”

No. 12 BYU at No. 25 Oregon

TIME:1:30 p.m. MT

TV:FOX

WHERE: Autzen Stadium, Eugene

THE WORD: This will be the seventh meeting between BYU and Oregon with each team winning three games. BYU won the last meeting, a 38-8 blowout in the 2006 Las Vegas Bowl. The last Duck win was in Eugene in 1990 when Oregon beat the No. 4-ranked Cougars, 32-16 … BYU is 32-64-1 vs. ranked opponents, including last week’s 26-20 2OT win over then-No. 9-ranked Baylor. BYU has won three of its last four matchups when both teams have been ranked … The Cougars went 5-0 against teams from the Pac-12 in 2021, including beating the eventual league champs (Utah). BYU is 8-8 all time against teams from that conference under head coach Kalani Sitake.

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