It was almost a fairy tale season for the Oregon Ducks football team.
Second-year head coach Mark Helfrich and Heisman Trophy winner quarterback Marcus Mariota plowed through the Pac-12 conference onto the first ever College Football Playoff, where the Ducks ended Florida State’s 29-game win streak in the national semifinal. In their second-ever national championship appearance (lost in 2011), the Ducks couldn’t seal the deal as they fell to the Ohio State Buckeyes, 42-20.
The offense returns many of its skill players and offensive line that should ease the transition into the era of a new quarterback as Mariota—the greatest player in Oregon history—continues his career in the NFL. The question is the defense, as they lost a number of starters: defensive lineman Arik Armstead, cornerbacks Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Troy Hill and Dior Mathis, linebackers Tony Washington and Derrick Malone and strong safety Erick Dargan.
But the Oregon Ducks are ready to light up the scoreboards again, thanks to Eastern Washington transfer Vernon Adams Jr., who is expected to earn the starting quarterback job by the end of Fall Camp. Oregon’s fanbase has been in the national spotlight with their recent successful run, showing strong support at home or on the road. Ducks fans can get to any game with Hipmunk.com, which has flights to and from Portland to be within a two-hour commute from campus. Portland hotels can be found on Hipmunk, too, for those looking for a getaway football vacation.
And the quality of opponents in the Pac-12 Conference certainly doesn’t disappoint. The three most expensive Oregon Ducks tickets on the secondary market are posted below, with information provided by TiqIQ.com.
Most Expensive: 9/12/2015 | Michigan State Spartans vs. Oregon Ducks | Spartan Stadium | Average Price: $234.73 | Get-in Price: $124
Oregon’s most expensive game comes in their first game away from home when they take on the Michigan State Spartans at Spartan Stadium. The Spartans are in line to compete with Ohio State for the Big Ten regular season championship and will be ranked in the top-half of the country when the first official polls are released. This game can dictate the rest of Oregon’s season because if they drop this one early, they would have to most likely win out to reach the College Football Playoff for the second consecutive season. Last year, Oregon made the C.F.P. with one loss to Arizona within the conference.
11/27/2015 | Oregon Ducks vs. Oregon State Beavers | Autzen Stadium | Average Price: $223.04 | Get-in price: $112
This season’s Civil War is in Autzen Stadium and is the fifth-most played college football rivalry game, dating back to 1984. Oregon is currently on a seven-game winning streak, last losing in 2007 in a double-overtime thriller in Eugene. Oregon State has gone under some changes; most notably replacing Mike Riley with former Wisconsin head coach Gary Anderson, who led Wisconsin to the Big Ten title game last season before getting walloped by Ohio State.
11/21/2015 | Oregon Ducks vs. USC Trojans | Autzen Stadium | Average Price: $199.35 | Get-in Price: $96
The Trojans were one of four ranked teams in the Pac-12 Southern division at the end of the season and figure to be ranked in the top-15 when the polls come out. USC returns 30 starters—15 on offense including quarterback Cody Kessler, 12 on defense and three on special teams—and will be one of the most veteran-laden units in the country. The Trojans did lose some skill players, but seemingly have a never-ending talent pool when it comes to those positions. Last season, the two teams did not meet.
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