Cal v. Oregon College Football Betting Odds and Lines: Ducks Are Big Favorites

U.S. sportsbooks and sports bettors do not like the California Golden Bears.

The No. 6 Oregon Ducks (7-1, 4-1 Pac-12) are heavy favorites against the California Golden Bears (3-5, 1-4 Pac-12). California travels to Eugene, Ore., this Saturday to face its second top-10 team this season and both teams’ last as members of the Pac-12 Conference.

The Cal v. Oregon college football betting odds opened at California +23 on Sunday, Oct. 29, at the Circa Sports sportsbook in Las Vegas. According to Vegas Insider, which collects and analyzes the betting lines and odds of different U.S. sportsbooks, most sportsbooks opened bets at California +23.5.

As of Thursday evening, the latest college football betting odds for California v. Oregon range between California +24.5 and California +25, according to Vegas Insider.

The California +25 line implies the California Golden Bears are 25-point underdogs against the Oregon Ducks.

U.S. sportsbooks currently offer “over-or-under” total score bets between 59 and 59.5 points as of Thursday evening, per Vegas Insider.

A bet on the “over” at a total of 59.5 points pays off if the combined score of California v. Oregon is 60 points or more. In contrast, sportsbooks pay “under” bettors if the game’s total is 59 points or fewer.

The California +25 line and 59.5-point total imply an Oregon victory with a scoreline of about 42-17.

“Moneyline” bets pay out based on the game’s result regardless of the winning team’s margin of victory. According to Vegas Insider, Cal v. Oregon moneyline bets are offered between California +1100 and California +1550 and Oregon -4000 and Oregon -2500 as of Thursday evening.

Wagers placed at the most favorable moneyline odds of California +1550 would pay $1,550 on a $100 bet if California beats Oregon.

Wagers on Oregon’s most favorable moneyline odds of Oregon -2500 requires a bettor to risk $2,500 to collect a $100 profit.

The California Golden Bears have had a particularly challenging schedule this season. Its match-up against the Oregon Ducks is the Bears’ fourth straight against a top-25 nationally ranked team and its fifth this season. Perhaps unsurprisingly, California has underperformed against the spread, going 3-5 as a result.

The Oregon Ducks are 6-1 against the spread in the 2023 college football season.

Last week, California dropped an upset bid, 49-50, against the No. 24 USC Trojans after a failed two-point conversion in the game’s final two minutes. In contrast, Oregon easily dispatched the No. 13 Utah Utes in Salt Lake City, rolling to a 35-6 victory last Saturday.

According to Vegas Insider’s analysis of betting trends, 73% of point-spread bets have been on the Oregon Ducks. A majority (61%) of all dollars bet with the point spread have been on the Ducks.

Sports bettors also expect a high-scoring game. Per Vegas Insider, 84% of total score bets have been on the over, and 51% of all dollars bet expect an over result.

Despite the skewed odds, 95% of all moneyline bets have been on the Oregon Ducks. Three out of four dollars bet on the Cal v. Oregon moneyline has been on Oregon, according to Vegas Insider.

Oregon leads the Cal-Oregon series 42-41-2. The Ducks have won 12 out of the last 14 meetings between the two teams, including the last seven games in Eugene. The California Golden Bears haven’t won in Autzen Stadium since 2007, when the then sixth-ranked Bears beat No. 11 Oregon, 31-24.

California, which has relied on its running backs this season, will not be the only team running the rock. Although California is ranked third in the Pac-12 and ninth nationally with 21 rushing touchdowns, Oregon is the only FBS team with multiple backs with at least eight rushing touchdowns each.