EUGENE – While there is debate over whether the top teams in the Big Ten Conference or the abundance of quality teams in the Pac-12 Conference will lead to a more challenging schedule, Oregon has an entirely new set of opponents for the upcoming football season.
Today we rank the toughest matchups of the 2024 season and ultimately try to find out if conference realignment has resulted in a more difficult schedule for the Ducks.
1. Ohio State Buckeyes
I went back and forth on whether to put Michigan here since the game is in Ann Arbor, but in the end I think Ohio State's talent and continuity wins. Being able to play the Buckeyes in Autzen Stadium is a huge advantage, but they clearly have the most well-assembled roster that Oregon will face.
After recruiting at the highest level over the past few years and making several big transfers this offseason, it's probably safe to assume that Ohio State will be the best team in college football this year.
2. Michigan Wolverines
The away game is what makes this matchup really daunting. If this game were in Eugene, I wouldn't be particularly concerned, but we've all seen what a difference a home atmosphere makes at the college level. Michigan is the only team I project Oregon to lose to this year, but with that in mind, it's more of a trap than a true matchup issue.
I expect this to be an extremely physical and well-played game, something Oregon hasn't faced often in Pac-12 history. While it was tempting to call this the toughest game, Oregon's roster advantage over Michigan should make it a little easier to win than the Ohio State game, at least on paper.
3. Wisconsin Badgers
Wisconsin hasn't made much noise recently, but longtime college football fans know what this program can do each year. Second-year coach Luke Fickell is highly regarded in the college circuit, and we often see teams make big jumps between the first and second years of a new regime.
Camp Randall Stadium is one of the tougher environments in sports, and the placement of this game late in the season creates the possibility of injuries affecting this game. While Oregon should be the more playoff-ready team in 2024, crazy things happen along the way, and many good teams have had their seasons messed up by traveling to Madison.
4. Washington Huskies
Washington doesn't seem to be the threat it was last year after losing coach Kalen DeBoer and much of the elite 2023 roster, but that doesn't mean they aren't dangerous. New boss Jedd Fisch has a history of quickly improving his teams, and with this being Oregon's final regular-season game, the Huskies have plenty of time to get their act together.
What keeps this matchup from being truly brutal is the fact that it will be played at Autzen Stadium, where the Ducks have been virtually impossible to beat over the last few years. I expect Oregon to win a hard-fought game to close out the 2024 regular season.
5. Oregon State Beavers
Call it nostalgia, learned trauma, or whatever you want, but I expect the game against Oregon State to be one of the more difficult ones for Oregon again. After losing games to the Beavers in 2020 and 2022, Oregon fans will be on the edge of their seats for this game despite the many player losses Oregon State has gone through.
Former coach Jonathan Smith has taken a new job at Michigan State, but new coach Trent Bray is highly respected and has done wonders for the Beavers' defense under coach Smith. With this game being on the road early in the season, there's a chance Oregon will take a nap, but I'm still expecting a relatively clear win.
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All in all, I'm not convinced that Oregon's move to the Big Ten has resulted in a more difficult schedule. Games against Michigan and Ohio State, while difficult and quality matchups, only make up ⅙ of Oregon's games. In 2023 in particular, there seemed to be a serious risk that Oregon would lose virtually every one of its games, but I don't feel that way this year.
Games against Purdue, Maryland and Illinois just don't add up, while teams as bad as Arizona State felt like potential traps last year. That might be partly due to remembering past losses to now-easy teams, but the quality of play that has been present in virtually every Pac-12 game is unmistakable.
