Western Kentucky and Oregon have agreed to play a nonconference football game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon, during the 2027 season, the two schools announced Friday.

The game is scheduled for Sept. 18, 2027. It will be the first meeting on the gridiron between WKU and Oregon.

WKU is coming off a 9-4 season in 2025, which included a 27-16 victory over Southern Miss in the 2025 New Orleans Bowl – the fifth bowl win for the Hilltoppers in seven seasons under head coach Tyson Helton. This fall, the Hilltoppers will enter their eighth season under Helton, who holds a 57-36 overall record during his first seven seasons, with appearances in bowl games each of those seven seasons, as well as two Conference USA Championship Game appearances.

With its 2025 New Orleans Bowl victory, WKU claimed its eighth bowl win in the last 12 seasons. Only Georgia and Minnesota have more bowl wins than WKU during the College Football Playoff Era, and WKU’s eight bowl wins during that period are tied for third-most nationally with Alabama, Ohio State and Wisconsin during that period.

Oregon is coming off a 13-2 season in 2025. The Ducks were the No. 5 seed in the College Football Playoff and advanced to the semifinals with wins over James Madison and Texas Tech. The 2025 season marked Oregon’s third all-time appearance in the College Football Playoff, and second in a row.

The Hilltoppers are scheduled to open the 2026 season at Nevada on Sept. 5. The full 2026 schedule will be released at a later date.