The Oregon Ducks host the Illinois Fighting Illini on Saturday afternoon at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. It’s a top-20 matchup that pits the No. 1 ranked Ducks against the upstart, No. 20 ranked Fighting Illini.

Oregon is 7-0 on the season and 4-0 in the Big Ten. The Ducks are coming off a 35-0 win over Purdue.

Illinois is 6-1 and 3-1 in the Big Ten. The Fighting Illini’s only loss was a 21-7 defeat at Penn State. In their last game, Illinois defeated Michigan 21-7.

Oregon vs. Illinois Odds

The Ducks enter Saturday’s top-20 showdown as home favorites with 21.5 points against the visiting Illini. The over/under is set at 54.5 points.

Oregon has been nearly unbeatable at home lately. Under coach Dan Lanning, the Ducks have a 16-1 record at Autzen Stadium since 2022. In their last game at home against Ohio State, Oregon was an underdog, but defeated Ohio State 32-31.

Illinois has been a surprise this season. The Fighting Illini had a preseason win total of 5.5 and have already reached that with 5 games remaining. Illinois’ biggest win this year was a road win at Nebraska. Illinois was a seven-point underdog in that game. They thrived when the odds were against them.

Oregon vs. Illinois Preview

ESPN’s Football Power Index gives the Ducks a 91.4 percent chance of winning against Illinois.

Oregon is the No. 1 team in the country and they are playing at home, so the FPI thinks there is little chance of an upset.

Oregon entered the year as the preseason third team, but fell down the ranks after two subpar performances against Idaho and Boise State to start the season. The Ducks have gotten better every game and are now playing as good football as anyone in the country. That reflects their number 1 position. The offensive line, which has struggled early in the year, has cleaned things up and protected quarterback Dillon Gabriel, opening up the offense as a whole.

Illinois came into the season with fairly low expectations. Just making a bowl game would have been considered a success. Illinois has already accomplished that feat and can now aim for higher goals. Quarterback Luke Altmyer has had an impressive performance this season. He plays flawless football and has 15 passing touchdowns and only 1 interception. However, Illinois’ defense has been the biggest key to their success.

Oregon vs. Illinois Score Prediction

Illinois will not be intimidated if it finds itself in a hostile road atmosphere. The Illini have already played night games at undefeated Nebraska and Penn State. If Illinois really wants to scare the Ducks, they can’t afford to fall behind early. If Illinois’ defense can limit the Ducks early, their offense will gain more flexibility. If Oregon can get to a two-possession lead, it will be very difficult for the Illini to get back into the game.

How can you compete against the Ducks at home? With an extra day of rest, Oregon rolls Illinois.

Oregon 35, Illinois 13