The Oregon Ducks ended up leaving the Pac-12, placing the Oregon football program in a different conference than the Oregon State Beavers, but the 2024 Oregon football schedule wouldn’t be complete without having the two teams meet up. So, thankfully, the Oregon Ducks and Oregon State Beavers will meet up in the third game of the 2024 Oregon football season.

Just as the first two games on the Ducks’ 2024 schedule will be in Autzen Stadium, Oregon will face off against the Oregon State Beavers in what will be the Ducks’ first road game of the 2024 Oregon football season.

It’ll also be the first matchup in this rivalry since Oregon made the decision to ditch the Pac-12 and join the Big Ten. Given how Oregon State was impacted, the home crowd at Reser Stadium in Corvallis will be, uh, less than enthusiastic to welcome the Ducks to town.

The Beavers are facing a bit of uncertainty about the future of their program. With the dissolving of the Pac-12 and no clear path to another power conference (the Big Ten has quite a few teams, the SEC isn’t on the West Coast, the ACC already has a few West Coast teams, and the Big 12 is chaos), who knows what’s up ahead for the Oregon State football program.

But, even though there’s some uncertainty in Corvallis, at least we get the preservation of this long standing rivalry matchup.

The Beavers have provided a tough test for the Oregon football team over the past few seasons. That said, this particular in-state rivalry matchup probably won’t be as closely contested as some of the recent editions have been. 

Positioned early in the 2024 Oregon football schedule, this game should serve as yet another solid non-conference test for Dan Lanning and his Ducks. Without Jonathan Smith in Corvallis though, it seems plausible that Oregon State will take a bit of a step back this season. 

And with the roster that Lanning has assembled, even if there is a hostile crowd and an eager Beavers team, this should be a solid victory for the Ducks. 

But all that said, as the Ducks navigate their into a new conference with an intriguing 2024 schedule, which includes games against longstanding Big Ten powerhouses such as the Ohio State Buckeyes, Michigan Wolverines, and the Wisconsin Badgers, it’s kinda nice to face off against a familiar face. The Oregon State game serves as a familiar reminder of Oregon football’s history ahead of this new era for the Ducks.