EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Oregon defensive back Jabbar Muhammad is no stranger to hostile environments, and he expects nothing less as the Ducks head into their rivalry matchup against Oregon State. Muhammad, who experienced a rainy game at Oregon State’s Reser Stadium last year, vividly recalls the intensity of the atmosphere.

"It's a wild environment. The fans are right there, talking smack real loud. So we have to come in there on our A-game," Muhammad said. "They're real rowdy. They're going to be in there."

Muhammad, part of a defensive unit that deflected 12 passes last week, takes great pride in the team's ability to shut down the passing game. "We emphasize it every day. Even in practice, we come out there, do extra," he said. "We actually work on it—now we’ve got to start catching them, take them the other way. But we take pride in whenever the ball comes our way, man, not allowing them to catch."

This week, Muhammad and the defense are preparing for a team known for its run-heavy offense, something they’ve seen before. "They're kind of the same team with some of the same schemes and tools," Muhammad explained. "They open it up a little bit more, but they're still a run-heavy team, so we’ve got to be on our P’s and Q’s."

Despite Oregon State's focus on the run, Muhammad remains aware of the passing threat, particularly from the Beavers’ wide receiver, No. 5, who has emerged as a key target. "He's most definitely an explosive player," Muhammad said. "He can run a pretty good route tree, good yards after the catch and everything like that. So we’ve got to stay top-down and try to hold him as much as we can."

Preparing for a run-heavy team as a defensive back means a shift in focus, but Muhammad is ready. "Since I’ve been here, the practice is already physical. We’ve already worked on tackling a whole bunch, so just implementing that on Saturday," he said.

Though relatively new to the Oregon-Oregon State rivalry, Muhammad is no stranger to intense in-state matchups, having played in the Bedlam game while at Oklahoma State. "The Bedlam experience was crazy," Muhammad recalled. "The fans are throwing stuff at your buses and everything like that. Even when you get in there, it’s legit, like, bad blood. So I’ll probably be expecting some of that Saturday."

With the Ducks aiming to hold off their rivals, Muhammad is eager to experience the full force of the rivalry. "I’m just going to be looking forward to Saturday, to see what it’s really about."