When the Montana State Bobcats storm into Autzen Stadium to face the Oregon Ducks this Saturday at 4:00 PM ET, they won’t just be opening their 2025 seasons—they’ll be clashing in one of college football’s most intriguing David-vs-Goliath showdowns. The Ducks, fresh off another offseason of high expectations, will look to assert their dominance early against an FCS program that’s no stranger to pulling off stunners. Montana State, a perennial powerhouse in the Big Sky Conference, arrives with the swagger of a team that’s knocked on the door of the FCS playoffs year after year, hungry to prove they belong on the same field as a Power Five juggernaut.

For Oregon, this isn’t just a tune-up—it’s a statement game. With a new-look roster and the weight of Pac-12 (now Big Ten) expectations, the Ducks will want to silence any doubts with a crisp, overwhelming performance in front of their raucous home crowd. But don’t expect the Bobcats to roll over: their physical brand of football and knack for exploiting early-season mismatches could make this more than just a formality. If Montana State’s defense can fluster Oregon’s high-octane offense early, or if their ground-and-pound attack grinds out long drives, we might just see the kind of tension that makes Week 1 must-watch theater. Buckle up—this one could be spicier than the scoreboard predicts.