Oregon’s Week 5 bye doesn’t mean a quiet Saturday for Ducks fans. With the No.
15 Ducks off before their Oct. 10 meeting with the No. 23 UCLA Bruins at Autzen Stadium, there are a handful of games that could shape both the rankings and Oregon’s path through the Big Ten.
The biggest one on the board is No. 5 Ohio State at No.
14 Iowa. ESPN College GameDay will be there, and kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m.
PT on CBS at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. For Oregon, there’s plenty riding on this one.
The Ducks are scheduled to play Ohio State on Nov. 7, and both teams enter the weekend ranked ahead of Oregon in the AP Poll.
That makes the outcome worth watching twice over. An Iowa loss would open the door for Oregon to climb in the rankings.
If Ohio State falls, the Buckeyes would already have two losses, giving Oregon a chance to potentially wreck their College Football Playoff hopes in November. Iowa matters, too, because the Hawkeyes have quietly worked themselves into the Big Ten conversation and could end up affecting Oregon’s CFP and Big Ten Championship picture.
If that one feels like the heavyweight bout, Nebraska vs. Maryland is the kind of game Ducks fans should track for the schedule alone.
Nebraska is 4-0, Maryland is 2-2, and the Cornhuskers are heavily favored with a 92.7 percent win probability, according to the ESPN matchup predictor. The game kicks off at 1:00 p.m.
PT on FS1 from Memorial Stadium.
The reason it matters in Eugene is simple: Nebraska is next on Oregon’s schedule after UCLA. The Cornhuskers will come to Autzen Stadium on Oct. 17, after another matchup with No.
6 Indiana on Oct. 10.
Oregon hasn’t faced Nebraska since joining the Big Ten in 2024, and the programs have met eight times overall, with six of those games coming before the 21st century and the last one in 2017.
There’s also a little extra intrigue because Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola transferred from Nebraska in the offseason. That move has had a ripple effect on the Cornhuskers’ offense this season, with Anthony Colandrea taking over as the starter.
The other game with real implications for Oregon’s view of the national picture is No. 7 Alabama at No.
16 Mississippi State. That one kicks at 9 a.m.
PT on ABC from Davis Wade Stadium in Mississippi. The series has long belonged to Alabama, which owns an 88-17-3 edge, and Mississippi State hasn’t beaten the Crimson Tide since 2007.
The teams haven’t played since 2023.
Still, this is not a routine SEC matchup for the Bulldogs. Mississippi State comes in ranked higher than it has in a game against Alabama since 2017, and an upset would send a shock through the sport. From Oregon’s standpoint, either result would matter: Alabama could drop, or the Ducks could create more separation from a Bulldogs team that sits just one spot behind them.
One more game to keep on the radar is Washington against No. 18 USC, with Oregon’s previous opponent facing the Ducks’ rival in the Pacific Northwest.
That game is set for 4:30 p.m. PT on NBC.
There are also a few games tied to former Ducks coordinators. Will Stein’s No.
24 Kentucky Wildcats play South Carolina and quarterback LaNorris Sellers, with kickoff at 1:15 p.m. PT on SEC ESPN Network.
Tosh Lupoi’s California Golden Bears visit UNLV at 12:30 p.m. PT on CBSSN.
Kenny Dillingham’s Arizona State Sun Devils host Baylor at 7:30 p.m. PT on ESPN.
In Other News...
Nebraska Injury Report Just Raised The Stakes For Maryland
Nebraskas latest availability report brought a little more clarity, and a little more uncertainty, as the Cornhuskers continued sorting through their health ahead of the Maryland matchup. Jamal Rule moved from doubtful to questionable, while Jacory Barney Jr. went from questionable to probable, giving Nebraska a better chance to have more of its roster available when it matters most.
The report also added another layer to the backfield picture, with junior running back Mekhi Nelson listed as questionable after seeing action in the previous game. Several other statuses shifted as well, including some players who remain out for the season, so Nebraska still has some important decisions to monitor before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Suddenly Has A Backfield Concern Fans Didn't See Coming
Nebraskas backfield picture got a little murkier this week heading into the Maryland game, with the injury report listing running back Mekhi Nelson as questionable and Jamal Rule still doubtful. For a team trying to keep momentum in conference play, any uncertainty at running back matters, especially when depth can be tested quickly and game plans often have to adjust on the fly.
At the same time, the program has a notable recruiting moment on deck with 5-star EDGE prospect David Jacobs expected on campus for a visit, a reminder that the staff is still working the long game while sorting out immediate availability issues. It also comes against a busy stretch around the athletic department, with Nebraska volleyball just sweeping Penn State to extend its win streak and give Dani Busboom Kelly her 250th career win. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska's 4-0 Start Feels Real For One Big Reason
Nebraskas 4-0 start has given the program something it has not had in a while: a reason to believe the early momentum is more than just a September fluke. For the first time since 2016, the Cornhuskers have opened with four straight wins, and the mix behind it has been encouraging in a few different ways, from favorable officiating moments to quarterback Anthony Colandrea settling in and a defense that has carried real weight.
Now the next test arrives with Maryland, and that matchup should tell a lot about how sturdy this start really is. The Terrapins bring an offense capable of stressing Nebraska in ways it has not seen every week, while the Cornhuskers are still leaning on key pieces such as Kwazi Gilmer to keep the attack balanced enough to support what has been a strong defensive foundation. [Read more 🡒]