Oregon’s latest College Football Playoff projection comes with a familiar name attached, and it’s the kind of matchup Duck fans will immediately circle.
After climbing to No. 13 in the AP Top 25 Poll without taking the field on Oct. 3, Oregon got another boost in the postseason picture on the morning of Oct.
- In On3’s newest projection, the Ducks are slotted into a rematch with Oklahoma State in Stillwater.
That means Oregon would be heading back to the same place where it suffered its first loss of the season, and where Oklahoma State announced itself with that stunning win over the then-No. 2 Ducks.
On3 has the game as a No. 8 vs. No. 9 seed matchup, with the Cowboys hosting - a setup that also suggests On3 is buying into an Oklahoma State turnaround from 1-11 to Big 12 champion in one year.
For Oregon, the appeal is obvious. It would give Dan Lanning, Dante Moore and the rest of the Ducks a shot at payback, especially for the players who didn’t meet their standard in Boone Pickens Stadium.
The Ducks are still in position to help keep the Big Ten’s grip on the national championship game alive. The conference has produced the last three winners, and Oregon is one of the league teams On3 sees making noise.
But it’s not the only Big Ten program in the mix. Northwestern has forced its way into the projection after moving to 3-1 and hammering previously ranked Penn State at the new Ryan Field. That makes the Wildcats the fourth Big Ten team in the field.
That also puts Oct. 31 at Autzen Stadium in a new light. Northwestern is projected to come to Eugene that night, and the trip would bring offensive coordinator Chip Kelly back to the Ducks’ home turf after his run leading Oregon in the late 2000s and early 2010s.
Northwestern quarterback Aidan Chiles also knows Oregon well from his start at rival Oregon State in 2023. In the latest projection, Northwestern is headed to Columbus for a road game against No.
7 Ohio State.
Oregon should get another lift when Moore returns from the concussion he suffered against USC. Even without him, the Ducks got past the Trojans 41-27 with backup Dylan Raiola at the controls.
Before any of that, though, Oregon has a tricky home game waiting on Oct. 10.
The Ducks return to Eugene to face No. 23 UCLA, now coached by former James Madison leader Bob Chesney.
Chesney will be looking to leave his own mark after his last trip to Eugene ended in a 51-34 Oregon win over his final Dukes team.
UCLA is one of only two ranked opponents left on Oregon’s schedule, but the Ducks still have a potentially tough date with an unbeaten Nebraska team on Oct. 17. By then, Nebraska could be 6-0.
If Oregon keeps stacking wins, that projected No. 9 seed can move up fast. A run through the rest of the schedule would improve the Ducks’ chances of reaching Indianapolis for the Big Ten title game in December, and it could still put them in line for a top-four playoff seed and a first-round bye.
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