Eugene, OR – The echoes of a historic rivalry will resonate louder than usual this Saturday, September 20, 2025, as the No. 6 Oregon Ducks host the Oregon State Beavers at Autzen Stadium. This 129th meeting of the intrastate titans is not just another chapter in their storied history; it marks the final contest before a planned one-year hiatus, a consequence of the seismic shifts in college football’s conference landscape.
For over a century, the Ducks and Beavers have met annually, forging one of the nation’s oldest and most passionate rivalries, often referred to as the “Civil War.” This tradition, deeply embedded in the fabric of Pacific Northwest sports, is facing an unprecedented pause. The game is scheduled for 3:00 PM ET and will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network, drawing significant attention from college football news outlets across the country.
A Rivalry Rooted in Tradition
The Oregon-Oregon State football game dates back to 1894 and has been played every year since 1945, making it the fifth-most played rivalry in the Football Bowl Subdivision and the most enduring in the Western United States. Separated by less than 50 miles in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, the campuses of Eugene and Corvallis are home to two fan bases whose annual gridiron battles have divided families and ignited fierce, yet respectful, competition for generations. The series, which Oregon leads, has seen its share of memorable games and traditions, including the unofficial Platypus Trophy awarded to the winning team’s alumni association.
Conference Realignment’s Unforeseen Impact
The current landscape, however, is drastically different. The once-stable Pac-12 Conference has fractured, with many of its flagship programs departing. The University of Oregon made a high-profile move to the Big Ten Conference starting in 2024, shifting its conference schedule and affiliations. Oregon State, meanwhile, has been left to navigate a dramatically altered conference structure, which for the 2025 season, has led to the Beavers playing a schedule described as “pseudo-independent” as the Pac-12 rebuilds.
This realignment has cast a shadow over the future scheduling of the historic rivalry. With Oregon now in the Big Ten and Oregon State remaining in a restructured Pac-12, the traditional conference game structure is no longer in place, necessitating new agreements to continue the series.
A Temporary Pause, A Commitment to the Future
While the immediate future of the rivalry faced uncertainty, both institutions have expressed a strong desire to preserve this cherished tradition. The upcoming game on September 20th will be the last until 2027, with 2026 being the first year since 1945 that the Ducks and Beavers will not face each other on the football field. Reports indicate an agreement has been reached to resume the rivalry in 2027, with plans for the series to continue through at least 2032, although negotiations regarding specific scheduling details, including home/away formats and dates, have been ongoing. This hiatus, though brief in the grand scope of their long history, will offer a unique pause in a tradition that has captivated the state for decades.
This Saturday’s Intriguing Matchup
This year’s contest pits a dominant No. 6 Oregon Ducks team, boasting a perfect 3-0 record and coming off an impressive victory, against an Oregon State Beavers squad that is currently winless at 0-3. Despite the stark contrast in current season performance, the stakes for pride, bragging rights, and the continuation of momentum are immense for both programs. The Beavers will be looking to salvage their season and play spoiler, while the Ducks aim to cap off their pre-hiatus rivalry send-off with a decisive victory.
As college sports continue to evolve with trending realignment strategies, the Oregon-Oregon State rivalry stands as a testament to enduring traditions. Saturday’s game represents not just a competition between two football teams, but a farewell to an era and a hopeful prelude to the rivalry’s eventual, celebrated return. This news is significant for Oregon sports enthusiasts and college football fans nationwide.
