While Oregon vs. Washington may be the biggest concern currently on the minds of Ducks football fans, the release of the Big Ten schedule for 2024-2028 took over headlines on Thursday morning, providing a fascinating glimpse into the future. Oregon, of course, will be joining the Big Ten beginning in 2024, alongside Washington, USC, and UCLA from the moribund Pac-12.
So, what can we glean from the Ducks’ list of opponents?
The matchups that first pop out are a 2024 road game in Ann Arbor against the Michigan Wolverines and a home game that season against the Ohio State Buckeyes. Both Michigan and Ohio State are traditional powers that have remained strong in recent years, with both schools currently sitting in the top 5 of the AP Poll. Unless something drastic happens, they’ll remain highly ranked heading into next season.
Oregon’s remaining schedule this season is no joke, with games against four current top-15 teams (Washington, Washington State, USC, and Oregon State) plus a road game against ranked Utah. Even if both Michigan and Ohio State turn out to be top 10 teams by the time Oregon plays them, the remaining schedule is fairly light and could actually be easier than this year (and for what it’s worth, Oregon did beat Ohio State in Columbus just two seasons ago, so they’re certainly up to the task). That’s not to dismiss the overall schedule, but it’s a testament to the difficulty of the Ducks’ 2023 schedule and to the much more top-heavy nature of the Big Ten.
Oregon plays Michigan and Ohio State again in 2026, and both of those teams, plus Penn State in 2027. With the expanded 12-team Playoff beginning in 2024, these types of high-profile games could determine whether Oregon has a disappointing season or a high seed in the postseason.
Also of note is the preservation of the Border War rivalry between Oregon and Washington as one of 12 protected matchups. Consequently, Washington and Oregon will continue to play each other every year. Games against USC and UCLA appear to have been of lesser importance, as Oregon is on some kind of biannual rotation with those schools: they will play UCLA in 2024, USC in 2025, both in 2026, UCLA in 2027, and USC in 2028.
Additionally, Oregon currently has 13 games scheduled for 2024, with four non-conference games to go along with nine conference matchups. If that number looks weird, it’s because their trip to Hawai’i allows them to schedule an extra game. The fact that they are choosing to play 13 regular-season games is interesting, though, considering that the new Playoff will involve a quarterfinal game. Should the Ducks play in the quarterfinals, they may find their Playoff ceiling self-capped by injuries and the physical rigors of playing extra football.
Unfortunately, it looks like Oregon-Oregon State will not be happening anytime soon, considering the Ducks’ booked non-conference schedule until 2030. The Beavers themselves are booked until 2028. It’s possible that something can be arranged sooner—Oregon previously scheduled non-conference matchups against Michigan State in 2029 and 2030 (which are no longer non-conference games), and several of Oregon State’s future non-conference opponents are currently members of the Mountain West, which the Beavers may very well end up joining. But at the moment, it appears that the rivalry will have to go on hold, at least in football.
Whether or not you like the conference realignment that has dominated the past year, the uptick in marquee matchups and the increased national visibility only serve to heighten the Ducks’ presence in college football. Oregon has been active in the last decade in trying to create a national brand; now, they reach a whole new swath of college football.
For now, however, Oregon will be locked in on their game next week against Washington, who appears to be their new biggest rival for the next few years. We’ll see if the Ducks can exact revenge for last year’s loss and further climb up the poll when the teams kick off at 12:30 PM on October 14.
