How will the Oregon Ducks fair in their first season in the Big Ten conference? The Ducks have hit the weight room in preparation to play National Championship contenders in the Ohio State Buckeyes, Michigan Wolverines and other elite teams.

The Buckeyes are looking to win their first Big Ten Title since 2020, while Oregon also won it’s last (Pac-12) conference championship in 2020.

The Ducks and Buckeyes each have team total wins set at 10.5 and Ohio State has the best-odds to win the Big Ten Championship game.

However, Oregon is a “best bet” to win the Big Ten Championship game at +250 odds, according to FanDuel. The reasoning? Oregon’s favorable schedule and high-flying passing attack.

As far as tough Big Ten road games go, Ohio State’s slate is tougher than the Ducks, Ohio State plays at Oregon, Penn State and Michigan, while Oregon’s schedule appears slightly easier with home-field advantage vs. the Buckeyes and a tough road matchup at Michigan.

On offense, Oregon welcomes two of the top transfer portal athletes in quarterback Dillon Gabriel and receiver Evan Stewart. Both fill needs for Oregon, who saw quarterback Bo Nix and top-receiver Troy Franklin both drafted to the Denver Broncos on the 2024 NFL Draft.

Gabriel and Stewart have established chemistry this offseason and Stewart says Gabriel is the most-talented quarterback he’s played with.

“I’ve never really had a quarterback of his caliber, I’ll put it that way,” Stewart said. “As in years-wise, him being a senior, and him seeing a lot and playing with a lot of dudes who I’ve heard of and looked up to. It’s definitely a good thing to watch every single day of how he prepares himself and how he handles his business.”

Veteran wide receiver Tez Johnson and tight end Terrance Ferguson add explosiveness to Ducks offensive coordinator Will Stein’s exciting offense.

An exciting roster and innovative coaching staff equals high expectations and “best bets.”

The Big Ten expanded to 18 teams in 2024 – adding Oregon, Washington, USC and UCLA – making it the largest conference in college football. Another change to this season is the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff, opening up competition and creating more meaningful games later in the season.

If Oregon is to win the Big Ten Championship game, the Ducks would get a berth into the College Football Playoff.

The Ducks narrowly missed the CFP in 2023, suffering a loss to the Washington Huskies in the Pac-12 Championship game.

In 2024, expect the unexpected for Oregon’s offense.

“(Will Stein) has some crazy trick plays, always. He’s drawing up on a napkin somewhere in a restaurant,” said tight end Terrance Ferguson to Oregon Ducks SI’s Bri Amaranthus. “Coach Stein’s done a great job of being creative like that. And he really thrives in trying to get the players the ball in space. And I think that’s really the best thing you can do.”

Oregon kicks off the 2024 season vs. Idaho on Aug. 31 in Autzen Stadium (4:30 p.m. PT, Big Ten Network).

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Beer, food and football. There is no better trio and the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium are doing it right this season.

Autzen Stadium just unveiled all of their new concession items and the prices are more than reasonable. You can now enjoy six dollar beers at Burger Stands, the Club Room and the Moshofsky Center. You read that right, just six dollars. The beer will be coming from Hop Valley Brewing Company based in Eugene, Oregon.

Here is a list of all the new, diverse food and drink options as well as their locations:

Calzone – Club Room and Charter Box

Brisket – Section 35, Club Room and Charter Box

Souvenir Popcorn Bucket – All-American Stands

B1G Football Boat – Burger Stands, Chicken Stands and Nacho Nacho

Burger and Brew Special – Burger Stands and Club Room

Marionberry Turnover – Mighty Oregon Stands

Expanded Snacks and Nuts – all beer locations

Draft Beer Trailer – Mo Plaza

Zen Garden Expansion – north side of Autzen Stadium

Mo’s Clam Chowder – Might Oregon Stands

Prince Pucklers Ice Cream – Club Room, Charter Box and Mighty Oregon Stands

New Smoker – Section 35

Eugene Vegan Hot Dog – All-American Stands

Chicken Bonz – Moshofsky Center

The Oregon faithful can have a mouth-watering meal while watching some even better Big Ten football without breaking the bank. The first opportunity to try out the new and improved concessions will come against Idaho on Aug. 31.

The Ducks are a first-year Big Ten team with a chance to compete for the conference championship right away. Oregon coach Dan Lanning has assembled an enviable roster full of top transfer, experienced veterans and exciting freshmen.

Oregon vs. Idaho will be the first chance to see transfer quarterback Dillon Gabriel in a Duck uniform. In front of the entire team, earlier this summer, Gabriel promised his best version of himself, according to Oregon senior linebacker Jeffrey Bassa.

“(Gabriel) said this recently this past week in front of the whole team; We’re going to get the best version of him.” Bassa told Oregon SI’s Bri Amaranthus. “(He said) I’m here to work now. I’m here to be the greatest. I’m here to help y’all. Y’all are going to get the best version of me.”

Gabriel is a duel-threat quarterback with wealth of starting experience. As starting quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners last season, the left-handed quarterback threw for 3,660 yards and 42 touchdowns (30 passing and 12 rushing).  

Gabriel is also the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy this season, odds which are boosted by possibly Oregon’s best and deepest receiving corps ever, highlighted by Tez Johnson and transfer Evan Stewart.

… And now, Ducks fans can enjoy the show with some new and exciting concession items.

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It is the last week without college football on the television until January. Today, the University of Oregon football team wrapped up their final day of fall camp. For some, the feeling of anticipation for the season is like that of Christmas Eve or the day before a trip. For the Oregon Ducks, there’s still work to be done.

Oregon coach Dan Lanning spoke on this topic during the last fall camp media availability on Wednesday.

“Our goal is to improve every single day,” Lanning said. “Did we improve this fall camp? Absolutely. Are we where we want to be yet? No. Definitely not. We’re taking steps, there hasn’t been a day where we come out here and I didn’t feel like our guys didn’t want to work. So, I appreciate that.”

One area that Oregon needs to iron out is their interior offensive line. Currently, there’s no official announcements for starters at center and right guard. This is a total contrast to the exterior spots, as the starting right tackle job for Oregon is claimed by senior and Associated Press preseason All-American Ajani Cornelius and starting left tackle is claimed by junior Josh Connerly Jr. 

Lanning’s response on the potential depth for the line was also not very illuminating.

“What our best group is. Which goes out there and has the most efficiency and performs the best. Whoever performs the best – that’s who’s going to be out there,” Lanning said.

Looking to center, it seems junior walk-on Charlie Pickard has taken the most reps for the position. According to a previous interview with senior offensive lineman Nishad Strother, Pickard has become a leader in the o-line room. He also spoke to the other linemen taking reps for the position.

“Charlie Pickard, Iapani “Poncho” Laloulu, Kanen Rossi even. Yeah, I’m comfortable with all those guys [who] are really smart. Know the playbook in and out. So I think we’re solid at center as well,” Strother said.

Laloulu played the most snaps out of the three last year playing in all fourteen games with one start during the VRBO Fiesta Bowl versus Liberty. The now Sophomore played 111 snaps at center with a little over 300 snaps at both guard positions as well in 2023.

Lanning spoke specifically on Pickard attending the O-Line Masterminds camp in Frisco, Texas during the first weekend in July. Typically, athletes that have attended the camp on behalf of Oregon go on to play significant roles in the trenches. Though he didn’t decide for Pickard to attend, he spoke to the work ethic Pickard has displayed throughout his tenure with Oregon.

“I don’t really decide who goes there and doesn’t go there,” Lanning said. “But Charlie is a guy that does absolutely everything right in our program. He’s worked his tail off for every opportunity he’s gotten.”

“I think Charlie’s the leader of our room, honestly,” Strother said. “He’s been here for a long time. He runs a lot of our player-led stuff. I love Charlie to death. I think he’s really the backbone of our room. So Charlie is that guy for me, for sure. He’s a walk on, you know? So, I mean, he deserves everything he’s getting now. the recognition, you know, the rotations, Charlie, deserves it all.”

There’s also the question of who will pick up the right guard position left open by senior starter Matthew Bedford who suffered a left knee injury with no return time stated and back-up junior Dave Iuli undergoing toe surgery during the off season. Senior Marcus Harper II seems like the go-to for left guard, as he started all fourteen games last season at the position. He’s also gone through a physical transformation over the off-season, something Lanning spoke on.

 “I just think ultimately what our players are recognizing is at the end of the day you don’t want to get ready for the combine three months out from the combine,” Lanning said. “Your best resume is your film. What’s your film say about you as a player and you’ve got this window of opportunity to put yourself in the best position to be a great player now. Why wait? It’s your film that’s going to determine your success at the next level.”

Given Oregon’s tendency to prep their offensive linemen in several different positions, it’s not irregular for athletes to shift to different positions based on team need. That means other candidates in the offensive line room have yet to be confirmed for the right guard spot. A few weeks ago before Bedford’s injury, we reported on Duck offensive line coach A’lique Terry’s thoughts regarding the position battle.

“You still got Matthew Bedford, you still got Nishad Strother, you still got Iapani Laloulu. You got even Gernorris Wilson. So a ton of guys there that are still competing for that right guard spot. And the beautiful part is that we still got two weeks left in camp. Those guys compete their tail off, may the best man win,” Terry said.

Though right guard and center are still two question marks for the Ducks, one of Lanning’s quotes from this last fall camp media availability gave some perspective to the team as a whole.

“Still evaluating who we are,” Lanning said.

That includes still evaluating the inside offensive line, as the Ducks hope to improve on the previous season, where only five sacks were allowed.

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