Oregon football at Utah picks, odds: What national media are saying
For the second time in three weeks, the No. 8 Oregon Ducks will play on the road against a top-15 opponent hosting ESPN College GameDay when they take on the No. 13 Utah Utes in Salt Lake City Saturday at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
The game will be televised on FOX at 12:30 p.m. PST.
Via Fanduel Sportsbook, the Ducks are 6.5-point favorites on the road. Oregon is -250 on the moneyline while Utah is +202. The over/under (point total) is set at 47.5.
The Ducks are coming off a 38-24 win over Washington State, while the Utes are fresh off a 34-32 nailbiter over No. 24 USC in Los Angeles.
Here's what national media are saying ahead of Saturday's game.
Sporting News: Oregon wins a thriller
Bill Bender writes: “This is a rare occasion where the Utes are a home underdog. Kyle Whittingham has found a way to make it work with Bryson Barnes at quarterback. The defense did allow 6.3 yards per carry against USC last week. If the Ducks establish that running game around Bo Nix, then they will escape in a Pac-12 thriller. The line, however, is risky knowing just how good Utah is at home. Oregon is 2-2 straight-up at Rice-Eccles Stadium since Utah joined the Pac-12.”
Pick: Oregon wins, 29-26.
ESPN: Football Power Index (FPI) favors Oregon
ESPN’s FPI loves the Ducks, and this week is no different. The measurement of a team’s strength and how many points above or below an average team is favors Oregon, giving them a 68.6% chance to win outright. It also notes the Ducks are 5-1 against the spread as a road favorite since 2022, but Utah is 16-8-2 against the spread in its last 26 games as a home underdog.
FPI prediction: Oregon by 7.1
Oddschecker: Ducks will cover the spread
Jason Radowitz writes: “While Utah gets much credit defensively, Oregon should have the edge in this matchup. Meanwhile, Oregon’s defense has allowed 312.6 yards per game this season. They’ve held passers to 217.4 yards per game and have kept teams to 95.1 yards on the ground. Utah’s offense has earned 345 yards with only 161.7 yards in the air. Utah will struggle to keep up with Nix and Oregon’s offense without a passing game, especially when they’re trailing early.”
Prediction: Take Oregon -5.5
247Sports: Oregon to buck recent trend
Chris Hummer writes: “This is a tough spot for Oregon. The Utes just don’t lose at home. They’ve won 18 straight and 29 of their last 30 in Salt Lake City, a stretch that includes multiple wins against top 10 Oregon teams. But this one should be different. As well coached as Utah is and as good as Utah’s defense is, it doesn’t have the offensive firepower to keep up with Oregon. The Utes rank 101st nationally in yards per play. Oregon ranks third. Yes, Utah’s toughness often closes the talent gap in this series – in fact, the Utes have often just run over the Ducks in recent years – but I think Oregon’s offensive firepower is too much to overcome.
Pick: Oregon 28, Utah 20
Alec Dietz covers University of Oregon football, volleyball, women’s basketball and baseball for The Register-Guard. You may reach him at adietz@registerguard.com and you can follow him on Twitter @AlecDietz.
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Oregon Ducks football at Utah: Picks, predictions, odds
