Top 5 matchups for Week 3 of the 2024 college football season
4. No. 9 Oregon vs. Oregon State – Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, FOX
Oregon and Oregon State are no longer Pac-12 opponents but 鈥淭he Civil War鈥� lives on and is one of two in-state rivalry matchups in the Pacific Northwest this weekend as Washington will take on Washington State as well. There have been 127 games played in this historic series that Oregon leads with a 68-49-1 record. Part of that is thanks to the Ducks鈥� recent success as they have lost just three times since 2008, but the Beavers have won two of the last four matchups.
The Ducks should be in line for another win in Corvallis as two-touchdown favorites, but Oregon has looked shaky early in 2024. This past weekend, it took a late field goal to defeat Boise State in Eugene following just a 10-point home victory over Idaho in Week 1. The defense seems to be a question mark right now while Dan Lanning鈥檚 offense hasn鈥檛 been quite as explosive as expected despite playmakers like Dillon Gabriel, Jordan James, Evan Stewart and Tez Johnson.
It might only be a matter of time before the Ducks鈥� offense clicks, but that could be a challenge against the Beavers following a shutout win over San Diego State. Despite new circumstances, Oregon State has maintained its momentum from the past couple of seasons under new head coach Trent Bray, not only looking strong on defense but also offensively via a dynamic rushing duo of Jam Griffin and Anthony Hankerson. Oregon just allowed Ashton Jeanty to run wild and that could ultimately be the Beavers鈥� path to an upset in the next chapter of this storied rivalry.
