Broncos try to make it 50 straight at home against Ducks

Thursday’s college football odds between No.16 Oregon and No.14 Boise State are favoring the Broncos at home, and why shouldn’t they? The Broncos have won 49 in a row on the blue turf at Bronco Stadium, but the Ducks are looking to end that, motivated by revenge for last year’s loss.

Sportsbook Oregon vs Boise State odds – Thursday, September 3, 10:15 PM ET

The Ducks don’t have very many returning starters on either side of the ball, but as long as pivot Jeremiah Masoli and running back LeGarrett Blount are in the huddle, the Ducks will score points. The duo powered the nation’s No.2 rushing attack last year, but they’ll have to raise their game this year as they have only two starters returning up front. Defense is where the Ducks need to improve as they were 82^nd in the country last year. Teams passed at will against the Ducks, who were 111^th against the aerial attack, and that should be the focus of first-year head coach Chip Kelly, who was the offensive coordinator at Oregon for two years before receiving a promotion.

The Broncos have six starters back on either side of the ball, and their quarterback, Kellen Moore, is the first returning pivot for Boise State in three years. Boise State is very balanced, meaning they can beat you on the ground or in the air, and their shift-and-motion has been giving the opposition fits in the last couple of years (ask Oklahoma). The defense will be facing arguably their biggest test since Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, and they’ve retooled it specifically for the spread offense that has been tearing the college ranks apart.

Betting services have the Broncos as a 5-point favorite after winning 37-32 in Oregon last year, but the Ducks almost came back from a 24-point deficit in the fourth quarter. Masoli played only a half in that game, and he’ll have full license on Thursday. The Broncos’ 49-game winning streak at Bronco Stadium is on the line, and we have to give them the edge. Oregon’s defense hasn’t proven anything yet, and the Broncos will be looking to make a statement in their only major-conference matchup this year. Go with Boise State in your sports picks on Thursday.