Part of what makes college football so special is the rivalries that are built up over decades, making every matchup memorable. When college football entered its latest phase of conference realignment, the Oregon Ducks joined the powers of the East Coast and the Mid-West joining the Big Ten. While the move came with a ton of advantages, it also marked the end of some long-standing rivalries.
The Ducks are just two years into their time in the Big Ten, which hasn't given Oregon a ton of new rivalries yet. As Oregon continues to pick up tenure in the Big Ten, it's almost certain that bad blood will only build up, but early on, the Ducks are starting to view 3 programs as serious rivals in the quest for the programs 1st National Championship.
Oregon's 3 early rivals in the new look Big Ten
Ohio State Buckeyes
Oregon’s rise as a program under Dan Lanning has put the Ducks on the perfect trajectory to become one of college football’s biggest powers. Landing in the Big Ten put the Ducks up against one of the powers it's looking to become as they joined Ohio State. Adding to the drama of joining the Big Ten was the fact that the Buckeyes returned what many viewed as a superteam.
Dan Lanning and the Ducks planted their flag as a staple for years to come in the Big Ten with a thrilling 32-31 win over the Buckeyes in Eugene in the regular season. The issue for the Ducks was that Ohio State got the last laugh, ending the perfect season with a blowout in the Rose Bowl. This season, Oregon will look to continue its winning streak in the regular season, but as we saw in 2024, that meaning may just be a warm-up to a CFP matchup.
Indiana Hoosiers
Indiana fans would say they hardly see Oregon as a rival given that they just beat the Ducks twice in one season, but as Dan Lanning looks to bring a National Championship to Eugene, Curt Cignetti's upstart group will be a hurdle. The Ducks' lone loss over two seasons in Big Ten play came against the Hoosiers in Autzen Stadium.
When the Ducks looked to exact revenge in the College Football Playoff, Indiana once again proved to be the biggest foe, winning 56-22. If Oregon is going to win a National Championship, the Ducks will likely need to overcome the Hoosiers along the way, as Curt Cignetti's formula looks built to last.
Penn State Nittany Lions
Given that the Ducks have only lost one regular season game in two seasons in the Big Ten, it's hard to say that any team has become a true rival. When you look at the Big Ten teams that have given the Ducks the toughest tests, Penn State is right up there with anyone after back-to-back years with games.
During the Big Ten Championship season in 2024, the Ducks had to win a 45-37 shootout in order to capture the conference title. In 2025, Penn State was the 3rd-ranked team and Oregon was ranked 6th when the Ducks went into Happy Valley and left with a double-overtime victory on a game-winning interception by Dillon Thieneman.
The 2025 victory started the stunning implosion for Penn State that led to the end of the James Franklin era, which will be a feather in the cap of the Ducks. While the Nittany Lions are kicking off a new era, in the future the Ducks can expect Penn State to continue being a threat in the Big Ten as they have been for decades.
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