Oregon loses Messiah Hampton and Jalen Lott, now four receivers short for Illinois

Oregon goes into Champaign without four of its wide receivers. Freshmen Messiah Hampton and Jalen Lott showed up as out on the Ducks' Friday night availability report. Neither had been listed earlier in the week, and OregonLive reported that no reason was given. Offensive lineman Kawika Rogers was also added as out.

The two join Evan Stewart and Jeremiah McClellan, who had already been ruled out. ClutchPoints put Stewart's numbers at a team-high 27 catches, 352 yards and four touchdowns in five games. Stewart missed last week's win over Nebraska with an injury and was arrested over the weekend. ClutchPoints reported that he was charged with driving with a suspended license and that prosecutors are still deciding on a possible DUII charge. McClellan, the Ducks' deep threat, has seven catches for 170 yards. Hampton has 18 receptions for 161 yards and two scores.

Lott had just become part of the passing game. Against Nebraska he made three catches for 23 yards, and EssentiallySports noted that two of them extended Oregon's winning drive on third and fourth down. Hampton and Lott both started that game alongside Dakorien Moore. With Moore now the only one of those three available, Sports Illustrated expects the Ducks to lean on him and tight end Jamari Johnson. Quarterback Dante Moore is still out, and Dylan Raiola is expected to make another start.

What it means for Saturday

The offense was already sputtering. Oregon (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten) has scored 15 points in a loss to UCLA and 17 in the win over Nebraska. That is a sharp drop from the 41 it put up at USC in late September. Now coordinator Drew Mehringer has to build a plan around a thin receiver group.

Illinois (3-3) has its own quarterback problem. OregonLive reported that starter Katin Houser will miss several weeks with a broken hand, which hands the offense to freshman Michael Clayton II. Clayton went 6 of 8 for 88 yards and two touchdowns in relief at Michigan State, where the Illini won 38-37 in overtime before their bye. Even so, Illinois has lost two of its last three, falling 24-17 at home to Purdue and 42-19 at Ohio State. ClutchPoints noted that the Illini defense gives up 27.8 points and 375.2 yards per game, both in the bottom four of the Big Ten. That gives a short-handed Oregon offense some room to work.

The market still has Oregon as a clear choice. The Ducks are favored at -344 on the moneyline at Novig, with Illinois at +326. On the spread, Novig lists Oregon -9.5 at -108. The best Oregon number among the 11 venues on this site's board is -8.5 at -110 at Hard Rock Bet, and the best Illinois number is +10 at -110 at BetMGM. That puts the venues a point and a half apart on the spread. The total sits at 49.5 at Novig, with the over at -104 and the under at -102. Fanatics has the best under, at 50 for -110. Sportsbook hold on the spread runs from 3.4% to 6.7%.

Kickoff at Gies Memorial Stadium is set for noon Pacific on the Big Ten Network.