The Oregon football team has never found a way to beat the Boise State Broncos. It’s a weird thing to think about given how good the Ducks have been over the past couple decades, but Boise State has managed to field some strong teams in that timeframe as well.
And as a result, the Ducks are currently 0-3 against Boise State all time. The last time these two teams met resulted in a 38-28 loss in the 2017 Las Vegas Bowl. That said, a ton has changed since the two teams met up and the Oregon Ducks are a much different program now.
Historical context
We can’t totally ignore the history between these two teams. We should at least go ahead and address the elephant in the room a little bit further. This is the fourth meeting between these two programs, but it’s only the second time Boise State has been brought to Eugene. In 2008, the Ducks hosted the Broncos in a 37-32 loss in Autzen Stadium. In 2009, the Ducks took a trip on over to Boise and lost in a 19-12 affair. So, it would be great if the Ducks could find a way to win this one.
Oregon vs. Boise State: Current program trajectories
Things have changed considerably in the past seven years since these two teams have met. Right now, the Ducks and Broncos have very different programs. And Oregon has a real shot at getting a win in this one.
- Oregon football program trajectory: Fresh off a 12-win season and building plenty of momentum with Dan Lanning, the Oregon Ducks are looking to make a statement in 2024, their first season in the Big Ten. The Ducks are recruiting at a high level and appear to be a national title caliber program.
- Boise State football program trajectory: The Broncos are still solid, but they’re heading into their first full season with Spencer Danielson as their head coach. Boise State is in a bit of a transition period and they’re not exactly the same sort of terrifying underdog that they’ve been in years past.
Oregon Ducks vs. Boise State preseason prediction
The Broncos, historically speaking, have given the Oregon football team plenty of trouble, but this current iteration of Ducks appears more than capable of breaking through and securing a dominant win in the second week of the 2024 Oregon football season.
The Ducks get the pleasure of having home field advantage. With this game taking place at Autzen Stadium, one of the most formidable home environments in college football, that should give Oregon an immediate leg up in this contest.
There’s also a pretty sizable talent disparity that now exists between the Ducks and the Broncos. Lanning has assembled an Oregon football roster that, in many ways, resembles what you might find in the SEC. And with Dillon Gabriel at quarterback throwing to Tez Johnson and Evan Stewart at wide receiver, the Ducks are sure to score plenty of points this year.
Score prediction: Oregon 44 - Boise State 17
It’d probably be fair to expect a competitive first half, but Oregon's depth and talent should allow them to pull away in the second half.