How Extending Oregon vs. Oregon State Rivalry Effects Each Program

Oregon and Oregon State have one of the longest standing rivalries in college football. The two sides have faced off 128 times dating back to 1894. Oregon leads the all-time series with a record of 69-49-10. They are scheduled to play this upcoming Saturday on Sep. 20 at 12 p.m PT at Autzen Stadium. 

However, this rivalry has been in danger of getting lost due to the demise of the Pac-12 conference following the 2023 season. As the Pac-12 fizzled out with 10 of the 12 teams leaving, Oregon State and Washington State stayed. Oregon ended up moving to the Big Ten. 

The Pac-12 has had a revival, as the conference will expand with Oregon State and Washington State. With the two Oregon schools being in different conferences now, it makes it more difficult to have this game played every year. But there is now an agreement to continue the game again after 2026; with three games in Eugene and three in Corvallis through 2032.

Should Oregon-Oregon State Game Continue?

This game being set in stone every season means Oregon has only two other non-conference games before they get into Big Ten play. As the college football landscape shifts to what seems to be two power conferences in the SEC and Big Ten then everybody else, is this a good thing for each party involved?

That remains to be seen. If Oregon separates itself further away from Oregon State in terms of talent and the level of the program, it may not be in either’s best interest to continue to play. The Ducks are 35.5 point favorites this week according to DraftKings Sportsbook. If the next five matchups have betting lines and results with that wide of a margin, again, is that a good thing to have locked on the schedule?

On the flip side, there is over a century of history between the two sides with some all-time matchups. It would be sad if the rivalry just ended after everything that has happened. These schools were meant to play each other every season, now the only question is for how long will it proceed. 

Non-Conference Rivalries Around the Country

Just because two schools aren't in the same conference doesn't mean they can't play each other every season. This has been tested as of late with all of the conference realignment, but there are still great non-conference rivalries across the country.

Notre Dame-USC, Iowa State-Iowa, and Florida-Florida State are just a few where a conference hasn't got in the way of things, yet.

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