The stage is set in Happy Valley for one of the most anticipated matchups of the 2025 college football season.
On Saturday night, No. 3 Penn State hosts No. 6 Oregon in the annual White Out at Beaver Stadium, a primetime clash that already has the makings of the Big Ten’s “Game of the Year.”
ESPN’s Mel Kiper underscored the significance of the showdown, not just for fans but for NFL scouts as well.
“You talk about crowd noise, you talk about the entertainment value of college football… I don’t care if you’re a fan of Oregon or Penn State or not, you’re going to be watching that game,” Kiper said. He also pointed out the pro potential on display: “So many good players going up against each other in that game.”
Zach Seyko, YouTube analyst and host of “Locked On Nittany Lions”, also noted that the hype surrounding the matchup was so strong that ESPN selected College GameDay over its usual marquee SEC game. He said the decision shows “how elite Penn State versus Oregon is as a matchup,” even suggesting the showdown could rank as a “top five matchup” nationally.
With the White Out atmosphere, College GameDay on site, and two top-10 teams battling under the lights, Saturday night’s showdown has all the makings of the game of the year. It’s a national spotlight game with playoff implications, draft storylines, and the chance to define the Big Ten race before the calendar turns to October.
On top of all that, this game is a rematch of the 2024 Big Ten title game where Oregon defeated Penn State in a 45-37 thriller.
Both Teams Enter Undefeated
Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks could not have scripted a better start to the 2025 season. The Ducks have outscored their opponents 204-37 through four games.
In his first season as the starter, quarterback Dante Moore has been the X-Factor for the Ducks’ explosive offense. Through four games, Moore has arguably been the best quarterback in the entire country, completing 75% of his passes and throwing for 962 yards and 11 touchdowns.
With receivers like Dakorien Moore and a run game averaging 6.7 yards per carry, this offense has been nearly unstoppable.
Like the Ducks, Penn State has also been dominant to start the season. Their defense has been lights out, allowing just 17 points across three games, though those came against Nevada, Delaware, and Villanova. This will be Penn State’s first real test of the season.
What Penn State does bring to the table is their experience. Penn State brought back 14 returning starters from last season, including quarterback Drew Allar, running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton, and defensive tackle Zane Durant.
Head coach James Franklin believes the 2025 roster has the best combination of experience, depth, and talent in his 12 years at Penn State.
Playoff Implications for this game
While neither Penn State nor Oregon has faced a true test yet this season, both have shown the potential to be among the nation’s elite.
The winner of this game will have a massive advantage in the race for a Big Ten Title and an automatic College Football Playoff berth, which would greatly help their chances of reaching their ultimate goal of winning a national championship.
Both programs have enjoyed recent success, but each is still chasing that elusive title. For James Franklin and the Nittany Lions, criticism has often centered on their inability to win the biggest games.
For Dan Lanning and the Ducks, last year’s undefeated regular season ended in disappointment with a playoff loss to Ohio State, leaving questions about whether they can finally finish the job this season.
This heavyweight showdown could be the game that defines not only the Big Ten race, but the national championship picture.