Oregon entered last season’s College Football Playoff undefeated and ranked No. 1 but the Ducks only lasted one game in the College Football Playoff though thanks to Ohio State and Jeremiah Smith. Oregon will look different in 2025 but the talent is still there to make another title run.
Oregon must replace a lot of key contributors from last year’s team. Don’t cry for Dan Lanning just yet though. No coach in college football does a better job of working the transfer portal and replenishing talent than Lanning. The Ducks are still loaded on both sides of the ball.
The big difference entering this season is at quarterback. Oregon had the luxury of starting one of the most experienced quarterbacks in the country the last two years in Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel. That won’t be the case this year when sophomore Dante Moore takes over. Moore started a handful of games for UCLA in 2023 but was inconsistent with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Moore will have a lot more talent around him at Oregon and he is always a threat to create plays with his legs. Another advantage Moore has is Oregon will be a big favorite in its first four games. That should give all the new pieces on offense time to gel before heading to Penn State on Sept. 27.
The defense must perform better in big games for Oregon to take the next step. In three games against Ohio State and Penn State last year, the Ducks allowed 109 points. It’s great to shutout the Purdues of the world. Now, the defense needs to stop getting pushed around by top competition or it could be another one and done in the CFP. The Ducks are replacing 15 starters but Lanning is an elite recruiter and he knows how to structure a roster. If Moore is the real deal at quarterback, expect Oregon to once again compete for a Big Ten title and National Championship.
Let’s look at Oregon’s futures odds and how bettors should approach the Ducks this season.
Oregon Ducks odds (via FanDuel)
- +1200 to win National Championship
- +360 to win the Big Ten
- Win total 10.5 (Over +130, Under -160)
One thing in Oregon’s favor this season is the schedule. Outside of the trip to Penn State, Oregon could be favored in the rest of its games. The Ducks avoid Ohio State, Michigan and Illinois, while road games against Northwestern, Iowa, Rutgers and Washington are all winnable.
Oregon best bet
- Oregon Over 10.5 wins (+130)
While the Ducks’ ceiling may not be as high as last season, there is a strong chance Oregon finishes the regular season with just one loss. I think there is some value backing the Ducks to win the National Championship at +1200, although my favorite bet is Oregon Over 10.5 wins at plus money.
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