With fall camp slated to open in just a few days, the 2024 college football season is right around the corner. In year two of the Luke Fickell era, Wisconsin has further revamped its roster but faces a daunting schedule littered with marquee matchups.

Throughout July, BadgerBlitz.com will break down each game on Wisconsin's slate. We'll continue with the Oregon, a team with national championship aspirations in 2024 and arguably the Badgers' most difficult opponent all year.

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Oregon has been in the upper echelon of college football since the mid-90s, and the Ducks have been one of the most productive and recognizable teams of the 21st century. Still without a national title, however, Oregon has poured resources into its football program and in the past three years, the Ducks have hit another gear with three-straight 10-plus win seasons, including a 12-2 campaign last year.

In head coach Dan Lanning's second go-around in Eugene, Oregon was a powerhouse, particularly on offense. Led by eventual No. 12 overall pick Bo Nix at quarterback, the Ducks boasted the top passing offense in the nation as well as the No. 2 ranked total offense. Oregon essentially obliterated every team it played except for Washington, who beat the Ducks twice — once in Seattle and once in Vegas for the Pac-12 title.

Though it must replace much of its high-end talent on offense, hopes are even higher for Oregon this season. It'll have the highest preseason ranking in the AP poll since 2014, when the Ducks checked in at No. 3. This is widely considered to be one of the most stacked rosters in the sport. Even with a significantly more challenging schedule than it had to contend with in the Pac-12, there's an inescapable feeling that this is "the year" in Eugene.

When you lose a quarterback who tossed for 4,508 yards, 45 touchdowns and three interceptions, how could you possibly have the audacity to dream even bigger the following season? The cynical among us would say booster money, which, coupled with the pick of the litter in the transfer portal, is more or less accurate.

Oregon lost its leading passer, rusher and receiver from last year's nearly unstoppable offense — the Ducks' lowest point total last season was 31. And yet, Oregon has fully reloaded and is set to once again boast one of the scariest offenses in the country. The catalyst for Oregon's big dreams? Oklahoma transfer quarterback Dillon Gabriel.

Gabriel might be the best returning quarterback in the nation. He spent the past two seasons at Oklahoma, where he amassed 6,823 passing yards, 55 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while completing 66 percent of his passes. Throw in 688 rushing yards and 18 scores on the ground, and Gabriel is an incredibly dangerous dual-threat.

Oh, but Oregon lost its top receiver, Troy Franklin, you say? That's true. Also true is that the Ducks reeled in the top available pass-catcher in the portal, former Texas A&M wideout Evan Stewart. They'll pair him with the returning Tez Johnson, who racked up 86 catches for 1,182 yards and 10 touchdowns last fall. Throw in Traeshon Holden, who causally posted 37 catches for 452 yards and six scores last year, and the Ducks now boast one of the best wide receiver corps in the country.

Oregon lost its leading rusher, Bucky Irving, to the NFL, but his replacement is more than capable of leading a backfield. Jordan James piled up 759 yards on the ground behind Irving, as well as 11 touchdowns and a whopping 7.1 yards-per-carry.

Oregon's offensive line is somewhat pieced together, with a transfer and a true sophomore expected to start on the interior. The trenches will be key for the Ducks to succeed in the Big Ten. Their skill players could play anywhere in the country, but will Oregon have the manpower up front to grind out cold, lower-scoring games? That's one of the very few questions facing this offense right now.

For all of the attention Oregon's offense received last season, the Ducks quietly deployed a remarkably stingy defense. Maybe it's because the Pac-12 wasn't known for defense, or maybe it's because the Ducks' world-beating offense (rightfully so) grabbed the headlines. But this is a unit that checked in at No. 22 nationally in total defense, and was especially tight against the run, allowing just 102.6 yards-per-game on the ground, good for 10th in the country.

Oregon restocked on this side of the ball as well, reeling in eight transfers on defense. As many as five or six of them could feasibly start this fall, so there'll be plenty of new faces on this unit in Eugene.

Jamaree Caldwell, a defensive tackle from Houston, is one of the key transfer additions. After logging 27 tackles, 6.5 sacks and a forced fumble, Caldwell was a hot commodity in the portal and figures to slide right into the Ducks' starting nose guard spot.

Jabbar Muhammad is another transfer who should start immediately. The cornerback started for Washington last season and totaled 41 tackles, three interceptions, 14 PBUs and two sacks. He's a big-time playmaker in the secondary and should immediately be one of the better corners in the Big Ten.

The secondary in particular could have five starters who transferred into the program this offseason. The talent is certainly there; now, it's about cohesion and how high of a level this team can play at together. But at least in theory, there's no obvious weak spots on this side of the ball.

The aforementioned Texas A&M transfer should have the undivided attention of every defense he faces. He's a big-play threat with excellent hands who should play on Sundays sooner rather than later.

Stewart didn't post the most intimidating stat lines with the Aggies. Last season, he reeled in 38 catches for 514 yards and two scores. But there's a reason why he was so sought-after in the portal, and why his commitment to Oregon was one of the biggest dominos to fall this offseason. Stewart rips the ball away from defenders, routinely gets open on deep routes and has some wiggle after the catch. The 6-foot receiver is very well-rounded, and paired with the Ducks' dynamic wideout Johnson, he promises to be a headache.

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