Oregon vs. Oklahoma State Stakes Rise For This One Reason

The Oklahoma State Cowboys will provide an early-season test for the Oregon Ducks.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning attends Oregon Pro Day on March 17, 2026, at the Moshofsky Center in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

While the No. 2 Oregon Ducks prepare for their season opener on Sept. 5 against the Boise State Broncos at Autzen Stadium, many fans are also looking forward to their first road game of the season against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in Week 2. 

The matchup will likely be much different than last season’s 69-3 blowout win for the Ducks against the Cowboys at Autzen Stadium. Some believe that with the addition of former North Texas Mean Green coach Eric Morris and quarterback Drew Mestemaker, who led the FBS in passing last season, Oklahoma State could be a potential trap game for Dan Lanning’s Ducks. 

Jul 29, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Oregon Football head coach Dan Lanning speaks during Big Ten Media Days at Hilton Chicago. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Single-game tickets for the Sept. 12 matchup at Boone Pickens Stadium are sold out, adding extra spice to the Ducks' first road game of the season. After finishing the 2025 season with a 1-11 overall record and parting ways with long-time coach Mike Gundy, hope is restored for Oklahoma State’s football program, and a sold-out game against a Ducks team that is a contender to win the national championship signals that optimism. 

Regardless of how the Week 2 matchup between the Ducks and Cowboys goes, both teams could find themselves in the 12-team College Football Playoff come December. The Ducks would be making their third consecutive appearance in the CFP, while the Cowboys would be a first-timer.

Oregon Ducks vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys Betting Odds

Oregon football coach Dan Lanning speaks during a press availability on Aug. 26, 2026, at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Despite the sold-out crowd and the hype surrounding Oklahoma State’s football program, the Ducks are still overwhelming favorites to go on the road and beat the Cowboys. According to the latest DraftKings Sportsbook betting odds, the Ducks are 18.5-point favorites to beat the Cowboys on Sept. 12. 

The Ducks have been dominant on the road under Lanning, as their last defeat came on Oct. 14, 2023, when they lost 36-33 to their arch-rival, the Washington Huskies, in Seattle. While the Ducks should be able to survive the Week 2 test against Oklahoma State, covering the point spread could be a challenge.  

How Oklahoma State Cowboys Upset Oregon Ducks

Oklahoma State's Drew Mestemake r is pictured during an Oklahoma State University Cowboys Spring football practice in Stillwater, Okla., Tuesday April 14, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

If the Cowboys are to pull off the early-season stunner against the Ducks, the play of their quarterback, Drew Mestemaker. could be the reason. The former Mean Green star could challenge the Ducks' defense. In his final season with North Texas, he led the country in passing, throwing for 4,379 yards, 34 touchdowns, and nine interceptions.

To beat the Ducks, the Cowboys will likely win in a high-scoring affair, and whether Oklahoma State can rely on Mestemaker offensively and its defense to upset Oregon remains to be seen. 

Oklahoma State One of Several Road Tests For Oregon Ducks

Jan 9, 2026; Atlanta, GA, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) looks to pass against the Indiana Hoosiers during the first half of the 2025 Peach Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ducks star quarterback Dante Moore looks to build off his performance in last season’s 69-3 win over the Cowboys, where he threw for 266 yards and three touchdowns on 16-of-21 passing. Moore enters the season as one of the nation's best quarterbacks and a top contender to win the Heisman Trophy as he looks to lead the Ducks to their first national championship in program history. 

The Week 2 matchup against the Cowboys will be the first of several road tests on the Ducks' schedule, which also includes matchups against the No. 14 USC Trojans (Sept. 26) and No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes (Nov. 7). 

The kickoff between the Ducks and Cowboys on Sept. 12 at Boone Pickens Stadium is scheduled for 9 a.m. PT with the game broadcast on ESPN.   

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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