Opening Odds for 2020 Rose Bowl Have Wisconsin Favored by 2.5 Over Oregon

• No. 8 Wisconsin opens as a 2.5-point favorite over No. 6 Oregon in the Rose Bowl
• The Ducks come off of a Pac-12 Championship win over Utah, while the Badgers look to bounce back after a Big Ten title loss to Ohio State
• These teams met previously in the 2012 edition of the Rose Bowl, which Oregon won by a score of 45-38

The No. 6 Oregon Ducks and No. 8 Wisconsin Badgers both missed out on the College Football Playoff, but now they’ll meet in college football’s most prestigious bowl game. Both teams had strong seasons and racked up huge wins on their way to this Rose Bowl appearance, but the College Football odds favor the Big Ten’s representative to win the grandaddy of ’em all.

Wisconsin vs Oregon Odds

Odds taken Dec. 8

These teams have met in this game before. In 2012, Russell Wilson and Montee Ball led Wisconsin against Oregon, coached by Chip Kelly and featuring a host of playmakers including LaMichael James, Kenjon Barner, Darron Thomas, and De’Anthony Thomas. The two squads combined to put up 1,129 yards and 83 points, and the Ducks would take home a 45-38 victory.

How They Got Here

The Badgers had a strong 2019 campaign, but were ultimately undone by two matchups with Ohio State. Paul Chryst’s team pulled off wins over Michigan (35-14), Iowa (24-22), and Minnesota (38-17), but lost twice to the Buckeyes, and slipped up in an inexplicable loss at Illinois as well.

Once again, it was Jonathan Taylor who paved the way for Wisconsin in 2019. He carried for 1,909 yards and 21 touchdowns, and the ho-hum reaction to his season has been a testament to just how consistently he’s produced throughout his career in Madison.

Taylor’s success also helped open things up for quarterback Jack Coan. He had 2,541 yards through the air, completing 70.1% of his throws and racking up 17 touchdowns with just 4 interceptions.

Oregon had a similar season in which they racked up some huge wins, but also suffered a couple key losses. They fell in Week 1 against Bo Nix and Auburn, and then lost their own inexplicable game when they were defeated by Herm Edwards’ Arizona State Sun Devils.

However, there was also a ton of good this year in Eugene. The 35-31 win over Washington was a big victory in the moment, and capping off the year with a 37-15 domination of Utah to bring home a Pac-12 title was about as good as it gets.

Justin Herbert was the star for the Ducks in 2019, throwing for 3,333 yards and a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 32-5.

Both squads eclipsed the 10-win mark, but both were just average against the spread throughout the year. The Badgers went 8-5 against the number in 2019, and Oregon was just 7-6 this season.

They each proved to be more reliable for under bettors, as each team’s games finished below the total in 7 of 13 contests.

Oregon Ducks vs Wisconsin Badgers Stats

How Will This Line Move?

This Rose Bowl matchup is such an exciting matchup of two teams that get it done in different ways. The Ducks are led by Justin Herbert and the passing attack, while Wisconsin runs the ball and plays strong defense. These are two closely matched teams in terms of skill, however.

Early on, with the line opening at Oregon +2.5 (+105), there’s obviously a better payout with the Ducks. Bettors may lean that way now, but this line shouldn’t make a drastic move in either direction.