Oregon’s surge has changed the betting picture in a hurry.
Fresh off a road upset of then-No. 12 Ohio State, the Ducks are back at Autzen Stadium this week as favorites over Michigan, a matchup that looked very different not long ago. Oregon enters Saturday with momentum, a home-field edge and a chance to keep pushing its way through the final stretch of the regular season.
FanDuel has Oregon installed at -10.5 (-115), with Michigan at +10.5 (-105). The moneyline sits at Oregon -465 and Michigan +360, while the over/under is 41.5 total points.
That number reflects how much has changed for the Ducks in a short span. A few weeks ago, after a loss to Illinois, Oregon was in the middle of a rough run that included three straight defeats and fewer than 20 points scored in each of those games. Now the Ducks have put together back-to-back wins over ranked opponents and suddenly look far more dangerous.
The turnaround started with a 34-26 rally against No. 20 Northwestern, when Oregon erased a 14-point deficit.
It continued in Columbus, where the Ducks beat then-No. 12 Ohio State 41-28 in one of the sport’s toughest environments.
Those two results have given Oregon a new sense of life, even if its playoff path remains complicated.
At 3 losses, Oregon does not have much margin for error, and the rest of the schedule does not offer many chances to impress the College Football Playoff committee. The Ducks still have Michigan, Michigan State and Washington ahead, but much of their postseason outlook will depend on what teams above them do in the weeks ahead.
Still, Saturday gives Oregon another chance to keep building. The Ducks have played better offensively since Dan Lanning turned play-calling duties over to veteran assistant Jay Johnson after relieving offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer of his duties. Over the last two games, Oregon has averaged 37.5 points per game, and quarterback Dylan Raiola appears to be settling in with his playmakers, including wide receiver Dakorien Moore and running back Dierre Hill Jr.
Michigan comes in heading the other direction. The Wolverines lost 15-6 to Michigan State and have struggled to find any kind of offensive rhythm all season, averaging 21.2 points per game to rank 115th nationally. On Sunday after that loss, Michigan parted ways with offensive coordinator Jason Beck, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
That late change only adds to the challenge for the Wolverines as they try to sort out their offense on the fly against an Oregon defense that has taken advantage of shaky attacks. With the Ducks at home and rolling, they’ll get a chance to keep the momentum going against a Michigan team searching for answers.
In Other News...
Michigans MSU Loss Forced A Change Whittingham Couldnt Delay
The loss to Michigan State pushed Michigan football coach Whittingham to make a change he said he could not put off any longer. After reviewing the performance, he dismissed offensive coordinator Jason Beck, the Utah import who had been guiding the offense, and turned the play-calling duties over to offensive line coach Jim Harding on an interim basis.
Whittingham framed the move as a direct response to offensive regression, and he was clear that the decision came from his own evaluation rather than any outside pressure. For a program trying to steady itself after a disappointing showing against its in-state rival, the change signals both urgency and accountability as the Wolverines try to reset on offense. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Just Hit A New Low And Bigger Changes May Follow
The latest loss only deepened what has become a rough season in Ann Arbor, as Michigan fell to Michigan State 15-6 and kept searching for answers on both sides of the ball. The offense has sputtered for much of the year, the defense has not been able to carry the load often enough, and the result was another reminder that the Wolverines are dealing with more than just a bad night.
Kyle Whittingham has already signaled that bigger roster changes could be coming next year, which adds another layer of uncertainty to a program already staring at a difficult stretch ahead. With ranked opponents still on the schedule and questions hanging over key leadership roles, Michigan is running out of time to stabilize the present while also figuring out what the future should look like. [Read more 🡒]
Michigans Quarterback Debate Is Back At The Worst Time
The quarterback picture at Michigan has shifted again at exactly the wrong moment, with Kyle Whittingham saying the starter for the upcoming game against Oregon is still undecided after the firing of offensive coordinator Jason Beck. Freshman Tommy Carr has opened the last three games, but his most recent outing raised fresh questions after a noticeable dip in performance, while Bryce Underwood remains in the mix because of the athleticism and leadership that made him the previous starter.
Whittingham has been here before with quarterback changes, and he is not tipping his hand this time either. For Michigan, the uncertainty adds another layer to a week already defined by change, with the Ducks looming and the offense still searching for the right answer under center. [Read more 🡒]