Northwestern vs Oregon Picks and Predictions for Saturday, October 31, 2026
Northwestern brings a four-game winning streak to Eugene on Saturday, while Oregon is trying to recover from a 21-10 loss at Illinois. The No. 20 Wildcats are 6-1 overall and fourth in the Big Ten at 3-1 after beating Rutgers 42-14 last weekend. Oregon is 4-3, sitting 10th in the conference at 2-2. Kickoff is at 3:30 pm ET from Autzen Stadium on Peacock, with temperatures around 49 degrees. Oregon is favored by 3.5 points, and the total is 47.5. Check our free college football picks for more games.
Northwestern Has Been Putting Up Points
Forty-two points against Rutgers was another impressive afternoon for Northwestern. The Wildcats have scored at least 34 in three of their last four games, including a 45-14 win over Ball State and a 34-13 victory against Penn State. The one close call came at Michigan State, where Northwestern escaped with a 24-21 win. Its only defeat was a 29-23 loss at Indiana on September 25. There's been little wrong with the results since then, and the Wildcats now face an Oregon team that has struggled recently.
Aidan Chiles has been difficult to stop, completing 71.3% of his passes for 1,617 yards and 12 touchdowns. He's thrown just one interception, although opponents have sacked him 15 times. Griffin Wilde has caught 39 passes for 615 yards, giving Chiles a dangerous option downfield. Caleb Komolafe has been equally productive on the ground with 551 yards and five touchdowns. Northwestern has rushed for 1,432 yards as a team, averaging 5.2 per carry. Braydon Brus leads the defense with 62 tackles and four sacks.
Injuries: C. Petrucci, C. Farrell, B. Turner, J. McDuffie and Luke Dehnicke are questionable. T. McGlinchey and J. Fussell are out.
Oregon Needs to Get Its Offense Going
The Ducks have had a hard time scoring since their September win at USC. Oregon put up 41 points that day, but the next three games brought just 42 combined. Last Saturday was particularly disappointing, with Illinois beating Oregon 21-10. The Ducks had barely escaped Nebraska 17-14 a week earlier, and UCLA had already beaten them 17-15 at Autzen Stadium. Oregon is now 4-3, with two losses in its last three games. The defense has generally kept scores close, but that hasn't been enough to keep the Ducks winning.
Oregon has used several quarterbacks this season. Dante Moore has thrown for 926 yards and nine touchdowns without an interception, while Dylan Raiola has added 761 yards and six scores. Jordon Davison has done most of the scoring on the ground, finding the end zone seven times while rushing for 422 yards. Dakorien Moore leads the receivers with 417 yards. Defensively, Matayo Uiagalelei has six sacks and Teitum Tuioti has 4.5. Koi Perich has also been busy, recording 46 tackles and two interceptions.
Injuries: Evan Stewart, D. Gresham and S. Price are questionable. I. Hooks, Aaron Flowers and Jeremiah McClellan are out.
Key To The Game
Northwestern has been getting considerably more from its rushing attack, averaging 5.2 yards per carry compared with Oregon's 4.3. Chiles also brings a strong completion percentage into this matchup, but Oregon's pass rush presents a challenge. Uiagalelei has six sacks, and Teitum Tuioti has another 4.5. The Ducks need to create pressure without allowing Chiles to escape and extend possessions. Oregon's bigger concern is scoring. Ten points against Illinois won't be enough if Northwestern continues moving the ball as it has recently.
Northwestern vs Oregon Game Pick
- Northwestern Wildcats +3.5
Oregon has the home-field advantage, but the Ducks haven't looked convincing in recent weeks. Losses to UCLA and Illinois came with very little offensive production, and even the Nebraska victory was decided by three points. Northwestern has won four straight, with Chiles throwing the ball well and Komolafe providing plenty of help on the ground. The Wildcats also have a defense capable of making Oregon work for its points. I'm not convinced the Ducks deserve to be favored against a ranked opponent playing better football. Northwestern plus 3.5 is my pick.
Northwestern vs Oregon Over/Under Pick
- Under 47.5
It's worth looking at what Oregon has actually produced against Big Ten opponents recently. The Ducks scored 15 against UCLA, 17 against Nebraska and 10 at Illinois. Northwestern has been scoring far more, but the Wildcats haven't faced a pass rush quite like Oregon's in their recent victories. Uiagalelei and Tuioti have combined for 10.5 sacks, and that could make life uncomfortable for Chiles. Northwestern can still move the ball with Komolafe, although longer rushing possessions would suit an under selection. I see Oregon keeping the score close without suddenly finding a high-scoring offense.