2015
Oregon Ducks
College Football
Betting Preview
Schedule and Odds
The loss of Marcus Mariota is huge, but Oregon is still getting plenty of love in the preseason. The Ducks have the Fourth-best odds to make the Four-team playoff (+250 at 5 Dimes Sportsbook), while they are favored to win the Pac-12 (+225 at 5Dimes). The Ducks will be good, but can they be that good again?
Mariota’s replacement is still an unknown, but it’ll be between transfer Vernon Adams and junior Jeff Lockie. Adams looks like the favorite after torching the FCS for three straight seasons, which includedmultiple big Games against Pac-12 teams. However, he won’t be with the team until June, which is why the position is still undecided. The other worry for the offense will be an inexperienced offensive line that loses three All-Pac-12 players. While the Ducks have plenty of playmakers, if the line can’t open holes or protect the quarterback, they will encounter problems.
But Oregon does seem to have an endless roster of playmakers. Royce Freeman (1,365 yards, 18 TDs) and Thomas Tyner return in the backfield and should be relied upon heavily in the early season. Hybrid Byron Marshall (1,003 receiving yards, 6 TDs) is back, who led the team in rushing in 2013 and then receiving in 2014. Bralon Addison returns to the receiving corps after missing all of last season. Devon Allen and Jalen Brown also look capable at receiver. It’ll be interesting to see how it plays out with the Oregon offense with a new quarterback and fresh offensive line.
The defensive side loses more players including multiple guys that were drafted. They only have five starters returning, but there are some guys that can make names for themselves, including DeForest Buckner, who is expected to be an absolute beast along the line. They have a couple more seniors along the line like Alex Balducci that’ll make the transition easier. Linebacker is also an area with experience for this squad. The area of concern will be in the secondary, mainly at cornerback with Ifo Ekpre-Olomu gone. Chris Seisay looks to fill that role, but there is still some unknowns coming into the group.
Oregon gets USC out of the South, but luckily that Game is at home, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them play a couple weeks later in the Pac-12 title Game. But that may be one of the only favorable spots for the Ducks this season. They have to travel to Michigan State in the second week, a probable Top-10 team and one that wants revenge from last year. It’ll be a good test for both sides of the ball. Other road Games include Washington, Arizona State and Stanford, none of which can be considered wins at this point.
The Ducks are expected to come out of the Pac-12 again, but without Mariota, it’s just hard to project them to go that far with a difficult road Schedule. Oregon will be good, but nine wins wouldn’t be a surprise, with 10 being their likeliest regular-season total. One thing going for them is that the North Division took a step back last year, so that could help in the long run this year.
2015 Oregon Football Schedule
Sept. 5 vs. Eastern Washington
Sept. 12 at Michigan State
Sept. 19 vs. Georgia State
Sept. 26 vs. Utah
Oct. 3 at Colorado
Oct. 10 vs. Washington State
Oct. 17 at Washington
Oct. 29 at Arizona State
Nov. 7 vs. California
Nov. 14 at Stanford
Nov. 21 vs. USC
Nov. 28 vs. Oregon State