Top Five Games to Watch During Oregon Ducks' Bye Week

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.

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.

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.

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.

Honorable Mention: Penn State @ No. 1 Ohio State, 9 a.m. PT