Oregon opened as a 15.5-point favorite over Rutgers, but the betting line has climbed to -17.5 by Tuesday.
While oddsmakers predict a big win for the Ducks, their national championship odds have dropped to +1000 at BETMGM, their lowest since the preseason. The Ducks trail Ohio State, Alabama, Miami and Indiana as national title contenders, tied with the Georgia Bulldogs.
The MoneyLine stands at Oregon -900, Rutgers +550. The over/under is 60.5, up a point from the open.
Saturday's 30-20 loss to Indiana in Autzen Stadium exposed some flaws in the Ducks offensive plan, particularly their ability to score against elite defenses. Pressure got to Dante Moore and their efficiency plummeted against a blitzing Hoosier defense that made deft use of simulated pressure.
IU recorded six sacks, destroying the rhythm of the Oregon attack.
They should have better luck against the Scarlet Knights, who were pierced by Washington for big plays repeatedly last Friday night after striking for an early 10-0 lead in Husky Stadium. UW quarterback Demond Williams took command of the game with touchdown strikes of 23 and 38 yards to Denzel Boston.
Dakorien Moore and Malik Benson should be able to exploit the Rutgers secondary in the same way, They rank dead last in the Big Ten against the pass, giving up 249 yards a game, 402 to the Dawgs in their 38-19 road loss.
On defense the Ducks' challenge begins with clamping down on senior quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis, who has thrown for 1,785 yards and 11 touchdowns. He relies on two physical wide receivers, 6-3, 211 Ian Strong (36 catches for 537 yards) and sophomore KJ Duff, 6-6, 225 (33 catches for 479 yards, two touchdowns.)
The Oregon Ducks’ national championship odds have dropped to +1000 following their stunning 30-20 home loss to Indiana on October 11, a sharp decline from their pregame status as co-favorites at around +500 pic.twitter.com/1z53S5kxLk
— DuckZone503 (@DuckZone503) October 14, 2025
The Ducks have to show they can handle big receivers, particularly on the side opposite outstanding freshman cornerback Brandon Finney. Indiana's Elijah Surratt dented them for eight receptions, 121 yards and a touchdown. They couldn't contain him, particularly on out-breaking routes.
KJ Duff
— CFBTalkDaily (@CFBTalkDaily) September 27, 2025
May be a top 15 receiver in the country btw pic.twitter.com/02chxSyJYz
When Rutgers runs the football, they get good production from sophomore Atwan Raymond, 5-11, 205 from Montreal, Quebec. Raymond's toted the rock 102 times this season, for 560 yards and nine touchdowns, including 161 yards against Minnesota on September 27.
To make that national championship ticket a good bet, the Ducks need to show they can get off the field on defense and handle the blitz, though it should be easier in Piscataway. The Scarlet Knights rank next-to-last rushing the passer in the Big Ten with only nine sacks.
Oregon at Rutgers, Saturday October 18 on the Big Ten Network, 3:30 p.m. PT from SHI Stadium.