The Oregon Ducks come into the 2022-23 season with a new head coach and a difficult schedule ahead of them. The Ducks will still be expected to win the majority of their games based on roster talent. I will be predicting every game on the schedule for the Ducks game by game below.
Final Record- 10-3 (8-2 conference)
Game 1: Vs Georgia in Atlanta
Oregon will be taking on the reigning national champions in a “neutral site” at the Mercedes Benz Stadium for their opening game of the season. This is by far the most difficult game on the schedule, despite Georgia losing most of their starting defense. Bulldogs starting QB Stetson Bennett returns and plenty of new five star talent is ready to take the field. Although Oregon may be able to hang in the game for a bit, expect the Bulldogs to ultimately pull away and secure a double digit victory.
Prediction: Oregon loses 38-14 to Georgia
Game 2: Home vs Eastern Washington
The Ducks will open their home schedule with a game vs Eastern Washington on September 10th at Autzen Stadium. This is by far the easiest game on the schedule for Oregon and should result in a victory by three possessions or more, barring anything unforeseen happening. Expect the Ducks to cruise and bounce back from a season opening loss.
Prediction: Oregon wins 52-17 over Eastern Washington
Game 3: Home vs BYU
To cap off perhaps one of the toughest non-conference slates in the country, Oregon will host BYU on September 17 at Autzen stadium. The Cougars posted a 10-2 record last season and reached the Independence bowl. This will be a tough game for Oregon, who will likely have to play some of their best football to come out with the win. I expect Oregon to pull out a narrow victory due to the game being at home, which is a place where the Ducks haven’t lost since September 22, 2018.
Prediction: Oregon wins 31-28 over BYU
Game 4: at Washington State
Pullman has never been a fun place for Oregon to play, with the Ducks memorably getting smacked in Pullman in a 2018 loss to Gardner Minshew and co. Oregon lost 4 straight games from 2015-19 against the Cougars with Mike Leach at the helm. Look for the Ducks to lean on superior talent and pull out a tight victory over the Cougars on the road.
Prediction: Oregon wins 28-24 over Washington State
Game 5: Home vs Stanford
If there’s one team that has crushed the Ducks’ dreams repeatedly, it’s the Stanford Cardinal. Stanford upset an Oregon team that was riding high at 4-0 with a victory in Columbus in 2021. The Cardinal dashed the Duck’s dreams with Mariota in both 2012 and 2013. While this will not be a comfortable game for Oregon, I expect the Ducks to ultimately win by double digits against a program that is clearly rebuilding after a disappointing 3-9 season.
Prediction: Oregon wins 31-17 against Stanford
Game 6: at Arizona
In the most shocking prediction yet, I believe the Wildcats will upset the Ducks in Tucson. Oregon has never played well in the state of Arizona, and the Ducks have been prone to shocking Pac-12 road losses in recent seasons. The team that went 1-11 in 2021 will pull of a shocking upset of the Ducks with a much improved roster, and certainly bring the start of the Dan Lanning era into question.
Prediction: Oregon loses 21-27 to Arizona.
Game 7: Home vs. UCLA
The Ducks will once again face off against former head coach Chip Kelly at Autzen Stadium on October 22. Oregon pulled out a 34-31 victory at the Rose Bowl in 2021 after nearly blowing a 34-17 lead against a much improved UCLA team. Since Kelly got hired at UCLA, the Bruins have gone 0-3 against the Ducks. Dorian Thompson-Robinson will be a major concern for Oregon and likely bring this game down to the wire. Look for Oregon to pull out another narrow victory at home.
Prediction: Oregon wins 27-23 over UCLA
Game 8: at California
In one of the Ducks’ strangest performances of 2021, Oregon barely defeated the Golden Bears in a down to the wire 24-17 victory. Cal was 1-4 heading into the game and one of the worst teams in the PAC-12. It is worth nothing that Cal lost starting QB Chase Garbers. While the Golden Bears don’t project to be much better in 2022, a road game in the PAC-12 is never easy for Oregon. Expect the game to remain close early on before the Ducks pull away for a double digit victory.
Prediction: Oregon wins 34-20 over Cal
Game 9: at Colorado
One of the easiest wins of 2021 came against Colorado at Autzen Stadium for Oregon. The Ducks embarrassed the Buffaloes in blowout fashion on October 30, 2021. Colorado was an absolute disaster offensively in 2021 and does not appear to be headed in any sort of direction to be better in 2022. In fact, Colorado cornerback Christian Gonzalez’s transfer to Oregon only further separates the two teams from where they were in 2021. Expect an easy victory in boulder by the Ducks.
Prediction: Oregon wins 38-14 over Colorado
Game 10: vs Washington
Perhaps the most important game on the schedule every year against Oregon’s biggest rival, Washington. Despite the Ducks’ recent domination in this rivalry, it still remains perhaps the most important game on the schedule every year for Oregon fans. The Huskies missed a bowl game for the first time since the 2009 season and are still figuring it out. Coming off of a win in Seattle last season, expect a highly motivated Oregon team to pull out a big win vs. the Huskies in Eugene.
Prediction: Oregon wins 38-20 over Washington
Game 11: vs Utah
In what will likely be the lone home game the Ducks aren’t favored in this year, Utah will come to Autzen stadium. The same Utah team that in 2021 smoked Oregon 38-7 in Salt Lake City and 38-10 in Las Vegas. Utah projects to be a top 5 team this season and returns QB Cameron Rising. I believe the Ducks find a way to do enough to win the game. It will take a total team performance in order to limit Rising and find a way to score against a physical Utes defense, but I believe the Ducks get it done thanks to home-field advantage.
Prediction: Oregon wins 28-27 against Utah
Game 12: at Oregon State
The last game of the regular season against that other rival that Oregon faces every year. Oregon will travel 40 minutes to Corvallis to face an improving Beavers program and team. The Beavers went 7-0 at home in 2021 and even beat Utah, the 2021 Pac-12 champs. This will certainly be a difficult game in a rivalry Oregon has largely dominated since the late 1990s. Look for a back and forth game to take place before a late Oregon touchdown score gives the Ducks a victory.
Prediction: Oregon wins 31-28 against Oregon State
Game 13: Pac-12 Championship vs Utah
With a projected 10-2 and 8-1 Pac-12 record, Oregon would be a safe bet to reach the conference title game in Las Vegas. While it is certainly possible the opponent won’t be Utah, I am counting on the Utes to beat an upstart USC program that is still a piece or two away from being a playoff contender. This time around, the Ducks won’t look quite as good against Utah. Without the home field advantage in Eugene, Utah will get out to a fast start and secure a double digit win against Oregon for the second straight year in Las Vegas.
Prediction: Oregon loses 35-24 to Utah.