A home-and-home nonconference series isn't all that common in college football anymore. Many teams schedule lightly to start the year, while most big games are neutral-site events and often take place indoors.
The Oregon Ducks, however, are one of the few top programs around the country completing a home-and-home series this season, traveling to face Oklahoma State in Week 2. The Ducks put a beatdown on the Cowboys last season in Eugene, winning 69-3, but much has changed in a year, both for the two rosters and the location of the game.
For the second time under coach Dan Lanning, Oregon will make a trip down south and battle the elements. In Stillwater, Oklahoma, the conditions for Saturday's game are far different than the damp and lush landscape
the Ducks enjoy in Eugene. Stillwater is expecting the temperature to rise over 90 degrees Fahrenheit during the game, with humidity over 60%.
Lanning has experience in the heat, and he's anticipating a similar atmosphere in front of an anxious Oklahoma State crowd in the team's home opener with new coach Eric Morris.
"When I was at Arizona State, I'm sure I coached in some hot ones," Lanning said. "It's a different type of heat. That's the oven heat. In Georgia, I've coached in some really humid ones, and same with Memphis or my time in Texas. So I've certainly been in some hot games."
In the past, Oregon has been able to prepare for some of the complications of playing on the road. Before playing in the "White Out" at Penn State, the Ducks used speakers in practice near the huddle to prepare for the noise. The Ducks have practiced with a wet football in preparation for rain during games.
When the heat kicks up, however, there isn't a great way to simulate the discomfort that will be felt on game day.
"We're not going to be able to change the temperature here in Oregon," Lanning said. "So we've got to practice with what we've got and hydrate.”
Further complicating matters, the Ducks are traveling across two time zones and getting up for an early kickoff in Stillwater, set for 11 a.m. CDT. In Eugene, that's a 9 a.m. PDT start time. Get out of bed and get some breakfast, because football is starting early.
The heat and the early start could cause a sluggish start for the Ducks, something they are hoping to avoid after starting slow against Boise State. Oregon does have a distinct talent advantage, however, over an Oklahoma State roster that features 91 new players. There are no excuses for the Ducks this week, but there are complications worth preparing for.
"It's just a little bit different. I mean, we're playing this game at 9 a.m. our time," Lanning said. "I think the heat will be something that we'll have to adapt to relatively quickly. It hasn't been hot up here, and it's obviously going to be really warm on the turf there. So just traveling, how you hydrate, how you make sure that you're fresh when you get down there — all those things will contribute. We have to handle it really well because you're going to travel in this conference."
The Ducks beat Texas Tech on the road back in 2023 in the program's most recent trip to the region. The heat was on, albeit in a later start. Lanning had the team hydrated and ready for the heat, so the Ducks could follow a similar approach during the week before heading to Stillwater.
"I think in these games, it's what preparation can you do throughout the week to make sure you're able to perform when you get there?" Lanning said. "Then it's about how many players you have that can play winning football, because strength in numbers has to show up in a game like that."
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon preparing for heat, 9 a.m. kickoff at Oklahoma State
