Big expectations for the Big House.

Byline: Rob Moseley The Register-Guard

Oregon coach Mike Bellotti spent a few minutes Monday on the phone consulting with some friends in the coaching ranks about the Ducks' trip to play Michigan at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

"They gave me certain information about the stadium and that type of thing," Bellotti said. "But they said, 'Hey, watch out, they're still a really, really good football team.' "

Bellotti chuckled as he recalled those conversations.

"I said, 'I know that. You don't have to tell me that,' " he said. "I watch the film, too, and I know who they recruit."

The matchup with the Wolverines, so highly anticipated since it was finalized a half-decade ago, is just days away. And Michigan's shocking loss to Appalachian State last week isn't tempering the Ducks' feelings about their game.

"We saw Michigan on the schedule a couple years ago and we were looking forward to going across the country a little bit and playing at the Big House against a competitive team," UO defensive tackle Cole Linehan said. "They're still a great football team, just they didn't come to play that game and they got beat. But I'm sure they'll be ready come Saturday."

Linebacker Kwame Agyeman grew up near Chicago. He said he's been looking forward to this game since signing with Oregon in 2004.

"It's one of the elite programs, one of the winningest in college football," Agyeman said. "Everyone from the Midwest, you look at Michigan, Ohio State, those are the teams. They rule recruiting wise. You grew up watching them all the time, watching them every week, so it's pretty big."

Agyeman is the rare Duck who actually has been to the Big House, as Michigan Stadium is known. He took in a game between the Wolverines and Notre Dame on a recruiting visit in 2003.

Listed capacity at Michigan Stadium is more than 107,000, nearly 50,000 more fans than the total that watched Oregon beat Houston this past Saturday.

"It can get intimidating if you're out there staring at the fans, but I don't think it's going to affect us," Agyeman said. "We play at Autzen, which I've compared it to, and Autzen is a lot louder."

Jonathan Stewart said he intends to "not treat it like any other game" when he takes the field.

"We've just got to stay focused and not let the environment get to us," he said.

Offensive tackle Geoff Schwartz said the Ducks may be able to lessen the noise factor by their play.

"Like any big game, if we get on the board early, hopefully we'll quiet the crowd a little bit," Schwartz said.

Schwartz and most of his teammates said Michigan's loss last week should make the Wolverines an even tougher opponent for the Ducks.

"I think it actually gets our excitement up a little more, because we know they'll be ready to play this week, and we have to bring our 'A' game to beat them," he said.

"I think we're really excited to go on the road, travel to a place like that and play our best game."