You know the college football season is right around the corner when betting lines start to trickle out. For the Oregon Ducks, just a few weeks stand between them and the first game of the year against the Montana State Bobcats on August 30.
While Montana State has turned some heads in Eugene over the past week after being ranked as the No. 2 team in the national FCS preseason rankings, only behind defending champions North Dakota State, there is still a belief that the Ducks should be able to put this game away with relative ease.
According to Fan Duel Sportsbook, Oregon enters the game as 25.5-point favorites, and -4,500 on the moneyline. In comparison, Montana State is listed at +1600 on the moneyline, and the game has an over/under of 55.5 points.
These early-season games against FCS schools often provide a great tune-up opportunity for highly-rated teams like the Ducks, but Oregon fans don’t have to look far into the past to find a time when a smaller school gave them a test in Week 1 of the season. Just a year ago, Oregon had to gut out a 24-14 win over the Idaho Vandals, another FCS school, and they gave fans quite a scare while doing so.
Of course, the Ducks went on to finish 13-0 in the regular season and used the early-season adversity to strengthen throughout the year.
Duck fans are likely hoping that this 2025 season doesn’t start with the same frustration that they saw a year ago, but that the ultimate results in the regular season still come to fruition.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon Ducks open as massive favorites in Week 1 vs. Montana State
