College football head coaches always have a “next game up” mentality, and we fans can’t help but look at future games. Week 7 features a matchup between two Big Ten Conference contenders, Ohio State and Oregon. It could be a preview of the conference title game on December 7 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
That is way ahead of where we are now in Week 6, but for the Week 7 game, Ohio State has opened up as a 2.5-point favorite on the road next week to the Ducks per FanDuel Sportsbook. Both teams have home games this weekend, ones they should come through unscathed, leading to an unbeaten top-10 ranked matchup.
Big Ten Conference Favorites To Start New Rivalry
The last time these now two Big Ten Conference sides met was in 2021, when the reigning Pac-12 Conference champions, Oregon, came into Columbus, OH and shocked the Buckeyes 35-28. That was the tenth time they have met in their history, with that 2021 win being Oregon’s only victory.
The previous two games before the 2021 game were the 2009 Rose Bowl and the 2015 CFP National Championship Game, both of which they, as mentioned, lost. I guess the results come with a bit of animosity, which should really heat up starting this season, thanks to conference realignment, which saw Oregon and three other Pac-12 schools join the Big Ten Conference.
Ohio State and Oregon were both the two favorites for the Big Ten Conference during the preseason, with that not changing as we move into Week 6. The Buckeyes face Iowa at home, while Oregon welcomes Michigan State to Eugene before the two meet in Week 7. Plenty of other teams will believe they have a chance, but the odds are these two are in favour of meeting again in the Big Ten Conference Title Game. It could be the start of a new rivalry in the conference, with both teams projecting to be challenging in future years.
Over the past seven seasons, the champions have come from the East Division, Ohio State or Michigan. The divisions have been scrapped, meaning a more competitive, open conference. We have seen plenty of rivalries formed, and although Ohio State and Oregon are not close geographically, their ability will create a dislike when either is winning, especially against the other.
We are a long way away from deciding on a conference champion. However, it feels much more important for Ohio State head coach Ryan Day than Oregon head coach Dan Lanning. Even a loss in Week 7 to the Ducks might not go down well with the fanbase; that is the pressure he is under. If you are a college football fan, it will be a must-watch TV event in Week 7.
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