Top Five Games to Watch During Oregon Ducks' Bye Week

With the No. 6 Oregon Ducks on a bye week, which games on Saturday will have the biggest impact on Oregon's push towards the College Football Playoff? The Ducks' only ranked opponent remaining, the No. 23 USC Trojans, are set to face the Nebraska Cornhuskers on the road.

Oct 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley (wearing white visor) celebrates along with defensive end coach Shaun Nua after kicker Ryon Sayeri (48) hit a 54-yard field goal in the second half against the Michigan Wolverines at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

No. 6 Oregon is currently enjoying a bye week, and the Ducks' next opponent, the Iowa Hawkeyes, are also off during week 10. As a result, some Oregon fans might be deciding which college football games, if any, they want to prioritize on Saturday.

The Ducks' only remaining ranked opponent, No. 23 USC, is on the road against Nebraska. A Trojans win would solidify their résumé and help set up a top-25 clash in Eugene when Oregon hosts USC on Nov. 22. Meanwhile, the No. 10 Miami Hurricanes and No. 9 Vanderbilt Commodores are teams to watch as Oregon will most likely be competing for an at-large bid in the College Football Playoff.

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore throws a pass before the game as the Oregon Ducks host the Wisconsin Badgers on Oct. 25, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Here are the five best games for Oregon fans to watch on Saturday:

No. 23 USC @ Nebraska, 4:30 p.m. PT

The toughest opponent is always the next one, but USC is likely the most talented team that Oregon will face on the remainder of the schedule. With quarterback Jayden Maiava and wide receivers Makai Lemon and Ja'Kobi Lane leading one of the best offenses in the country, the Trojans are averaging 42.4 points per game.

On the other side, Nebraska signed coach Matt Rhule to a contract extension that could potentially give the Cornhuskers a boost. Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola has thrown for 1,909 passing yards, 17 touchdowns, and 6 touchdowns while completing 72.8 percent of his passes.

Oct 25, 2025; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) arrives before the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Memorial Stadium. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Both USC and Nebraska have two losses, meaning both teams are fighting to keep their respective College Football Playoff hopes alive. Combine the two high-scoring offenses, fans could be in for an entertaining shootout as well.

No. 2 Indiana @ Maryland, 12:30 p.m. PT

If Oregon wants a chance to play in the Big Ten Championship Game again, either No. 1 Ohio State or No. 2 Indiana will have to slip up. Although Indiana is favored by 22.5 points over Maryland (per DraftKings), Terrapins quarterback Malik Washington can keep Maryland in a majority of games.

Can the Terrapins surprise Indiana and break their three-game losing streak? More than likely the Hoosiers will continue to roll, but any chance of an upset will make Oregon fans want to tune in.

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No. 9 Vanderbilt @ No. 20 Texas, 9 a.m. PT

In one of the biggest surprises of the season, No. 9 Vanderbilt is 7-1 and competing for a spot in the SEC Championship Game. With the final month of the season remaining, teams are competing for seeding in the CFP rankings.

The Ducks can take care of business if they continue winning, but if Vanderbilt continues winning ranked matchups, the Commodores could leapfrog Oregon. Making the 12-team field is a priority, but seeding can be pivotal with a home playoff game potentially at stake.

No. 10 Miami @ SMU, 9 a.m. PT

Similar to Vanderbilt, Oregon fans will be curious to see how teams like No. 10 Miami and No. 8 Georgia Tech perform in November. Can Miami survive the road trip to SMU on Saturday? After the Hurricanes lost to Louisville, Miami dominated Stanford 42-7.

Oct 17, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal works with his players before the game against the Louisville Cardinals at Hard Rock Stadium. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Will Miami coach Mario Cristobal and the Hurricanes continue to roll? Another loss could knock Miami out of ACC contention, but Cristobal and his team still remain alive in the CFP hunt.

No. 5 Georgia @ Florida, 12:30 p.m. PT

A classic rivalry game, can Florida pull of the upset after the Gators fired coach Billy Napier? Georgia is favored by seven points over Florida, according to DraftKings, as the Bulldogs will have to brave The Swamp.

In this year's College Football Playoff, the top-four seeds are not automatically guaranteed for conference champions. As a result, Oregon could potentially climb into the top-four if Georgia or another team stumbles. Would the Ducks want another first-round bye is the real question.