BYU vs. Oregon Betting: Can the Cougars pick up another resume-building win in Eugene?

After a big win overtime win over Baylor last Saturday, another major opportunity awaits BYU this weekend. This time, it will be on the road, as they travel to Eugene, Oregon to take on the Ducks at Autzen Stadium.

With a very challenging schedule this season, ambitions are very high for the Cougars this season. New Year’s Six? College Football Playoff? As long as they keep winning, it will all be on the table for them.

They passed their first big test last weekend by outlasting #9 Baylor 26-20 in double overtime. The Cougars missed potential game-winning kicks at the end of regulation and in overtime, but they won it in the second extra period with a touchdown and a defensive stop.

It was an impressive win for BYU, especially because they didn’t generate much on the ground, tried to squander the game with their missed kicks, and were without their top receivers.

But they will need to play a much cleaner game in order to win at Oregon, who bounced back from their rout at the hands of Georgia with a rout of FCS member Eastern Washington.

BYU Cougars vs. Oregon Ducks Matchup Information and Betting Odds

Matchup Information

• Matchup: BYU Cougars (2-0, #12 AP/#14 Coaches) vs. Oregon Ducks (1-1, #25 AP/#24 Coaches)
• Venue & Location: Autzen Stadium (Eugene, Oregon)
• Date: Saturday, September 17, 2022
• Game Time: 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time (12:30 p.m. local time)
• How to Watch BYU vs. Oregon: FOX

BYU vs. Oregon Odds

Game odds are via BetOnline. Odds from other reputable online sportsbooks–all of which we have reviewed and recommend–may also appear in this article.

Spread

• BYU +3.5 (-106)
• Oregon -3.5 (-114)

Over/Under

• Over 58.5 (-105)
• Under 58.5 (-115)

Moneyline

• BYU +148
• Oregon -176

BYU Cougars vs. Oregon Ducks Prediction and Betting Picks

BYU vs. Oregon Prediction: Oregon 31, BYU 20

BYU vs. Oregon Picks: Oregon -3.5 (Best Value: -110 at Bovada Sportsbook & BetMGM) & BYU team total under 27.5 points (Best Value: -115 at Bovada Sportsbook)

BYU has some advantages in this game, most notably at quarterback. BYU’s Jaren Hall is a potential first-round pick in next year’s NFL Draft and Oregon’s Bo Nix is, well, not.

And their defense came up big against Baylor, holding the Bears to only 2.9 yards per carry and making life tough for Baylor QB Blake Shapen when it counted.

But the Bears also did their part to help the Cougars, going one dimensional late and in both overtime possessions and showing a complete lack of faith in Shapen.

I disregard Nix’s season-opening struggles against Georgia, given that a) the Bulldogs had faced him three times previously, and b) he won’t face a better defense this year.

But after watching Nix for three up-and-down seasons at Auburn, I think Oregon can only go so far with him. And BYU’s defense can definitely rattle him.

That said, for all of the ups and downs, he has only 18 interceptions in 1,127 career pass attempts and has a 60.1 career completion percentage. If he can stay turnover-free and be on target at least 60 percent of the time, that will be big for the Ducks.

I may not be sold on Nix, but I’m also not sold on BYU being able to go into Eugene and win. Had Baylor not been ultra-conservative in the late stages, the Bears could have easily left Provo with a win.

Oregon may not have a comfortable lead until the fourth quarter, but I expect them to cover and end BYU’s hopes and dreams of a perfect season.