What Analysts Are Saying About Oregon Ducks vs. Penn State Nittany Lions Big Matchup

In 2024, the Oregon Ducks went undefeated in the regular season in their debut season in the Big Ten. Oregon avoids challenges such as Ohio State, Michigan and Illinois on the football schedule in 2025, but analysts across the nation aren’t predicting the program to secure another clean record.

Dan Lanning Oregon Ducks Penn State Nittany Lions Big Ten Championship Beaver Stadium Matayo Uiagalelei Isaiah World — Dec 7, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning walks on the field during the second quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the 2024 Big Ten Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Most recently, CBS Sports predicted that the Big Ten will not have another undefeated conference champion in 2025. CBS Sports’ Brad Crawford believes that the Ducks’ first loss of the season will come on Sept. 27 against Penn State.

The prediction for this particular Big Ten matchup is hotly-contested, with most analysts picking the Nittany Lions to win.

Oregon is set to play at Beaver Stadium for the Nittany Lions’ whiteout game. It will be the first time the two sides match up in the regular season since the Ducks joined the Big Ten and it will be Penn State's "whiteout" game.

Series History

The last time Oregon and Penn State met was in the Big Ten Conference Championship in 2024. The Ducks took the 45-37 win at a neutral site in Indianapolis, Indiana, to be crowned conference champions.

This time, it will be a more hostile crowd for Oregon on the road.

“You can’t prepare for what that environment’s gonna produce,” Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq said at Big Ten Media Days. “But we can be mentally prepared coming in.”

Penn State’s annual whiteout game is a well-known tradition in college football. The crowd dressed in all white and filling and filling the stadium creates a massive home-field advantage for the Nittany Lions. This year, the Ducks face the challenge of going against it.

The only other time Oregon played in University Park, Pennsylvania, was back in 1964. The good news for Ducks fans is that Oregon won that game 22-14.

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Ducks Looking Forward To Penn State

The Nittany Lions are the only regular season opponent the Ducks are set to see who are ranked inside the top 25.

Coach Dan Lanning and many of his players played it cool at Big Ten and Oregon media involvements when asked about the game they’re most looking forward to in 2025. While several people said the first game is the only one they’re thinking about, others admitted that the trip to Pennsylvania will be a challenge that the group embraces.

“We know Penn State’s gonna be a hard game away,” Oregon linebacker Teitum Tuioti said. “But we know that when time comes, we’ll be ready.”

Sadiq said at Big Ten Media Days that the coaches will have them prepared for the environment, while defensive lineman Matayo Uiagalelei said that he’s excited for the challenge.

“The opportunity to play a good team, Penn State is another good program,” Uiagalelei said. “I know they’re returning a lot of guys … It’s really a blessing to go out on that kind of stage and play ball.”

Penn State returns Drew Allar, who is set to be one of the top quarterbacks in the conference in 2025. The Nittany Lions top rusher from 2024, Kaytron Allen, also returns, alongside several key defensive players.

The East Coast program is expected to have another winning season in 2025, and many predict that Penn State will return to the Big Ten Championship game. CBS Sports predicts that the Nittany Lions won’t lose their first game until Nov. 1 at Ohio State.