Published Oct 10, 7:31pm ET by
Keith McCarthy - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Oct 10, 7:31pm ET
Updated Oct 10, 7:33pm ET
Indiana and Oregon face off in another key Big-10 battle. The Ducks rose to #3 themselves after defeating Penn State a couple of weeks ago. Meanwhile, Indiana's blowout of Illinois and victory over Iowa vaulted them into the top-10. The winner of this game will have a fast track to the CFP.
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| Oregon Ducks | -7.5 (-105) |
| Indiana Hoosiers | +7.5 (-105) |
Indiana is seeking to return to the CFP again this season and is off to a strong start. Not many expected them to defeat then-#9 Illinois by 53 points in Week 4, but the Hoosiers and 2nd-year head coach Curt Cignetti proved last year wasn't a fluke. Still, Indiana now faces their toughest task of the season against #3 Oregon on the road. They'll be relying on their stout defense that allows under 10 points per game.
Oregon's road win over #3 Penn State set them up extremely well to return to the CFP. The Ducks face 0 ranked teams after this clash with Indiana, meaning their chances of making the conference title game are extremely high. Barring a future upset, a win over Indiana would all but lock down their spot. On the other hand, an especially bad loss this week could set the Ducks and QB Dante Moore up for more losses.
If you had told somebody 3 years ago that Indiana and Oregon would be competing for the top spot in the Big-10, they probably would have laughed at you. Now, only #1 Ohio State stands between the winner of this game and the top spot. Oregon has a notable advantage at home with a more stacked roster, but Indiana has been overlooked too much. The Ducks may win straight up, but don't expect them to cover.
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Pick
Indiana Hoosiers +7.5
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