Blackout vs Beavs, epic troll & we're so completely here for it
OSU fans will blend right in at Autzen
PORTLAND — Oregon’s 2025 color schedule is out, and there it is in bold type: Game 4, wear black vs. Oregon State.
There's a lot of football before Sept. 20 brings the Beavs to Autzen, but that fan-color blackout is already hilarious. It’s no coincidence. It’s psychological warfare. And it’s elite.
Black for the Beavs is an epic troll of Little Brother & we're here for it!
Makes OSU fans invisible, they'll blend right in & Autzen will look all-Oregon in the wide shots of that night's SportsCenter highlights.
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Now, it's not lost on me that Oregon State claims black as its official secondary color.
It's also not lost on me that 40 years ago, black became a statement color throughout the football universe. Even for teams that traditionally didn't wear black uniforms.
And it's also not lost on me that scheduling this blackout for OSU at Autzen wasn't an accident. Or an afterthought. It wouldn't be the least bit surprising if it’s an intentional, calculated jab.
Yes, we all know many Oregon State fans like to rep in black at Beavers games.
But when the entire Autzen Stadium crowd is predominantly wearing black? Little Brother either wears orange or disappears into the sea of dark Ducks gear like camo in a coal mine with the lights out.
Beavs blackout, epic troll
In the wide shots on TV, a blackout vs. the Beavs will look like an army of 60,000 Oregon fans. From the press box, on the live broadcast, on the SportsCenter highlights in your neighbor’s living room, it’ll be all Oregon blackout. Little brother might as well be invisible.
It’s an epic troll, and frankly, we’re here for it.
Everybody in Ducks Nation has at least one go-to memory of the Oregon-OSU series. One of mine is Oregon's 65-38 win at OSU in 2008 to wreck the Beavs' shot at their first Rose Bowl since 1965.
Sixty years, and they still haven't made it back. With the Rose Bowl now in the playoff rotation and Oregon State all-in on their JV conference, I can start to wonder if the OSU football team may not see a New Year's Day sunset in Pasadena during my lifetime. Chef's kiss!
Lanning still settling a score?
It's been said that Oregon coach Dan Lanning makes a point of remembering his first time facing the Beavs. That 2022 trip to Corvallis ended with a flaccid fourth quarter that saw Oregon burn a reasonable lead to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, 38-34.
Lanning hasn't given Oregon State a whiff of another chance since then. Oregon plowed to a 31-7 win at home in 2023, followed by an absolute track meet in 2024 with the Ducks dominating a 49-14 road win.
So, he’s still settling the score for that 2022 Oregon face-plant? Good! Go Ducks!
2025 fan color schedule:
Montana State (Aug 30) — Stripe Out (Odd sections: GREEN / Even: YELLOW)
Oklahoma State (Sep 6) — Wear Green
@ Northwestern (Sep 13) — Wear Green
Oregon State (Sep 20) — Wear Black
@ Penn State (Sep 27) — Wear Green
Indiana (Oct 11) — Wear Yellow
@ Rutgers (Oct 18) — Wear Green
Wisconsin (Oct 25) — Wear Tie-Dye
@ Iowa (Nov 8) — Wear Green
Minnesota (Nov 14) — Wear Green
USC (Nov 22) — Wear Black
@ Washington (Nov 29) — Wear Green
The rivalry lives on
Oregon fans don’t need an excuse to get pumped for Oregon State. The blackout created a talking point months before kickoff. But on the field, the real Oregon flex would be a repeat of last year's 45+ scoring attack with Oregon's third new QB1 in as many years and a largely retooled 2025 offense.
Clearly, Oregon recruited the raw talent for another showing like that. By Game 4, Oregon will be well on its way to showing us what these 2025 Ducks are made of.
Defending conference champ Oregon, of course, has Big Ten title repeat goals. But the Ducks also have uncertainty at every position across the offense. If there's a 2025 Oregon reload, it's the Ducks' defense.
Oregon’s blackout isn’t just a color scheme. It’s a power move.
Think it’s not on the mind of every Beavers fan? Lanning's living in their heads rent-free!
In the fanbase pissing matches over who "owns" the right to wear black, the TV cameras will swallow Little Brother whole. It’ll look like one giant, unified Oregon crowd. Opponent erased, and it's actually kinda brilliant. This is next-level dominance.
Will the Beavs come out swinging? Probably. They always do. But Oregon has out-recruited and out-paced Little Brother since the Beavs coulda-shoulda-woulda Fiesta Bowl 25 years ago.
Lanning has Oregon dialed in on the College Football Playoff (again). Oregon State is still breaking in a new head coach, and they weren’t even bowl-eligible in half of the past 20 seasons.
So, wear black gear, Ducks fans. Pack the house. Fill Autzen with 130+ decibels of Oregon spirit. This year, we erase the Beavs, one black t-shirt at a time.
Oregon reloaded with solid WR, QB & DB in 2025 signing class
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Oregon Football dominated 2025 Signing Day with 21 incoming players committing in December’s early signing period for one of the highest-ranked classes in the nation.
Bottom line
At the end of the day, Oregon’s decision to go all black for this year's OSU game is calculated and a little bit funny. Which is exactly why it’s perfect. Black for the Beavs is an epic troll, and we're here for it!
This won’t look like a back-and-forth battle for state bragging rights. It’ll look like a Duck-dominated stadium. Autzen will be loud, the fan sections will be blacked out, and Oregon State fans will be harder to find than an honest Yelp review for the feeble nightlife in Corvallis.
Black for the Beavs is fun. Winning is better.
No surprise if the Ducks do both, here in just a few more weeks.
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