Oregon's National Championship Odds Surge Despite Offensive Woes

The Oregon Ducks' (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten) national championship odds are on the rise, even if their offense appears to be stuck in neutral.

Oregon saw a favorable bump after pulling out a 17-14 win over Nebraska (5-2, 2-2 Big Ten) late Saturday night at Autzen Stadium.

The Ducks struggled to mount much of an offense against the Cornhuskers, generating 242 total yards, including just 91 yards before quarterback Dylan Raiola entered in the fourth quarter to bail out the Ducks.

Raiola's last-minute heroics likely saved Oregon's College Football Playoff chances. But it could be the potential return of starting quarterback Dante Moore that has the oddsmakers re-evaluating coach Dan Lanning's squad.

Oregon National Championship Odds Rebound

Oregon is trending upward once again and now sits at +5000 to win this year's national title, per BetMGM.

The Ducks began the year at +700 before slipping to +2200 after upsetting USC, only to watch their odds sink to as low as +6600 entering last weekend.

DraftKings shortened its odds from +7000 to +5000, while FanDuel moved from +8000 to +6500.

Oregon is tied for the 10th-shortest odds at BetMGM, putting them in the same lofty company as No. 8 Texas Tech (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) and Tennessee (6-1, 3-1 SEC) at +5000, according to BetMGM.

National Championship Odds, per BetMGM

Notre Dame +400
Ohio State +500
Georgia +500
Miami +600
Indiana +1000
Alabama +1300
Texas +1300
Ole Miss +1700
LSU +2000
Oregon +5000
Texas Tech +5000
Tennessee +5000
BYU +5000

The Ducks are significantly behind where they started the year, yet oddsmakers are keeping them in the conversation. But the margin for error might be slimmer than ever in Eugene.

Dante Moore Could Hold the Key

What was once considered one of the deepest quarterback rooms in the nation now appears to be a completely different unit when a healthy Moore is under center.

While the senior has practiced with the team, his status remains uncertain as Oregon prepares to go on the road to face Illinois (3-3, 1-2 Big Ten) at Gies Memorial Stadium in Champaign.

Moore hasn't been perfect this season, but he has been a difference-maker, throwing for 926 yards, nine touchdowns and zero interceptions.

He brings an elevated level of play that has been inconsistent between Raiola and third-string quarterback Brock Thomas.

There's an argument that had Moore been healthy for UCLA and overcome any play-tipping concerns against Oklahoma State, Oregon could be 6-0 midway through October. That could have put the Ducks considerably closer to their preseason +700 valuation from BetMGM.

Oregon's Narrow Title Path

The shortened odds might be nice, but they do little to alter the reality that the two-loss Ducks must play the remainder of the season with their backs to the wall.

One more loss and their College Football Playoff chances essentially evaporate.

It's a tough road ahead, but not an impossible one. Oregon closes out the month against the Fighting Illini before returning home to face No. 24 Northwestern (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten). And suddenly, the Ducks' November slate doesn't look so formidable.

The key is to survive the upstart Wildcats and then fend off No. 3 Ohio State (6-1, 4-0 Big Ten) a week later. The Buckeyes lost star quarterback Julian Sayin on Saturday for several weeks with an arm injury suffered against No. 6 Indiana (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten).

From there, the schedule isn't as intimidating as it once looked. Michigan (Nov. 14), Michigan State (Nov. 20) and Washington (Nov. 28) have a combined conference record of 2-9. In fact, Oregon's remaining opponents are a combined 7-12 in league play.

Had Oregon lost to Nebraska, the reality of shutting down Moore for the season ahead of the 2027 NFL draft could have grown louder. With the door to the College Football Playoff still ajar for the Ducks, however, Moore's status will command plenty of attention going forward.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/oregon as Oregon's National Championship Odds Surge Despite Offensive Woes.