Saturday is opening day for area college football, and both the Beavers and the Ducks have home games.
Oregon faces the Montana State Bobcats, who were unbeaten last year until losing in the final game of the FCS Playoff. FCS is the lower-tier category of Division 1 NCAA football.
UO Head Coach Dan Lanning said when the Bobcats outrush the other team, they win, and stopping them will be key.
“There are some unknowns about the opponent because it is game one and they’ve had some changes just like we have," said Lanning. "The thing I’m probably most proud of in fall camp is there’s not a day where I was like, ‘We didn’t get work accomplished today.’ We got better every day.”
Lanning said he enjoys practice, but his favorite part of the year is coaching games.
“Regardless of the result," he said, "we’re whoever we are on Saturday. I hope it’s not remotely close to who we become ... but I think this will be a good starting point.”
Oregon State hosts Cal this weekend. Last year, the Beavers fell to the Bears 44 to 7.
Second-year head coach Trent Bray said it won’t be a warm-up game, and the team will have to bring their best.
The Ducks kick off at 1 p.m. Saturday; the Beavers at 7:30 p.m.
