Where to watch, time, channel, info
No. 4, 2-0 Oregon at 1-1 Northwestern, Big Ten Football, from Martin Stadium in Evanston, Illinois, 9 a.m. PT on Big Noon Kickoff, Fox TV, announcers Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt and Jenny Taft.
Line, odds: Oregon favored by 27.5. The over/under is 48.5, and the Moneyline is Oregon -6000, Northwestern +1800.
Injuries: For Northwestern, leading rusher Cam Porter is out. For Oregon, Evan Stewart and Trey McNutt remain out with leg injuries. Backup quarterback Austin Novosad missed the Oklahoma State game, questionable with a reported strained Lat. Transfer Theran Johnson. Linebackers Brayden Platt and Dylan Williams were held out last week, as well as receiver Dillon Gresham.
Big blowouts: While The Transfer Portal has made college football more competitive within the FBS, big early season upsets like (Florida State dominated Alabama, South Florida edged Florida, LSU dumped Clemson, Miami topped Notre Dame) there are definite tiers, and a trend that's evident early is a much larger gap between FBS schools and the early-season cupcakes.
Friday night, No. 22 Indiana beat Indiana State 73-0. Last Saturday Ohio State won at home versus Grambling 70-0. Minnesota blanked Northwestern State 66-0. Washington rolled over UC Davis 70-10 and USC crushed Georgia Southern 59-20.
The flurry of huge one-sided scores suggests that the gap between portal-active schools and portal-targeted schools has grown so large that early-season results like Oregon manhandling Montana State 59-13 and Oklahoma State 69-3 might not be as significant as pundits and fans have hoped.
The Tulane defense was the real deal this weekend.
— Garrett Armbrust (@4thandsaturday) September 2, 2025
Held Northwestern to 237 total yards & 3 points.
Forced Preston Stone into 4 INTs (had thrown 8 in entire career)
Also forced a fumble. An elite defense that will be brutal for other AAC teams
pic.twitter.com/oJffUU3LT8
Joel Klatt and others have heaped praise on the Ducks, but Top 40 teams all over college football are dominating their tune-up games. The true test might not come until the Ducks face Penn State.
Weather: Martin Stadium sits right by Lake Michigan, so weather can change quickly. Currently according to AccuWeather it's a forecast high of 71 with intervals of clouds and sunshine, rain likely with possible thunderstorms. wind gusts to 15 mph.
The Ducks have to prepared for changing conditions.
Key questions, strategy:
Oregon dominated both of their first two games with fast starts. Can the Ducks keep up that momentum in their first road game and Big Ten opener?
The Ducks should be able to run the football. In their opening loss to Tulane, 23-3, the Green Wave pounded the Wildcats with 269 yards on the ground. NU's defensive ends weigh 255 pounds apiece. Duck defensive tackles Alex Harkey (6-6, 335) and Isaiah World (6-8, 309) should be able to move them at the line of scrimmage. Expect big gains on the edge.
Jayden Limar gets @oregonfootball rolling with their first TD of 2025 🔥
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) August 30, 2025
📺: @bigtennetwork pic.twitter.com/3pDIObiaQi