EUGENE, Ore. — Autzen Stadium is about to trade in its usual sea of green and yellow for a kaleidoscope of color. On October 25, when the Oregon Ducks take on the Wisconsin Badgers, the University of Oregon is hosting its first-ever “Grateful Ducks” game — a one-of-a-kind mashup of football fandom and psychedelic jam band culture.
10.25.25
— GoDucks (@GoDucks) July 30, 2025
Wear Tie-Dye. @OregonFootball | #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/F3SXJvjJzg
This isn’t some random gimmick. The Grateful Dead has deep roots in Eugene. Between 1974 and 1994, the legendary rock group played Autzen Stadium 10 different times, including a 2018 revival show with Dead & Company. Over the decades, the band also performed more than 20 shows on the UO campus, cementing its place in the city’s musical history.
Now, as the Dead community celebrates the band’s 60th anniversary — including a three-night run in San Francisco this weekend — the Ducks are bringing that same energy back to Eugene. Fans are encouraged to rock their tie-dye in a stadium-wide “tie-dye out,” a visual tribute to the band’s free-spirited legacy.
The celebration will also include limited-edition Ducks x Grateful Dead co-branded merchandise at The Duck Store, featuring everything from the iconic dancing bears to the classic “Steal Your Face” logo — now paired with the ever-smiling Oregon Duck. Class Trip, the brand behind previous Ducks-Dead collabs, has cooked up a brand-new tie-dye apparel line just for the occasion.
For fans, this is more than just a football game — it’s a nod to a decades-long connection between the University of Oregon and one of America’s most enduring cultural icons. Whether you’re there for the gridiron action or the groovy vibes, October 25 promises to be a Saturday unlike any other at Autzen.
“Grate” seats are on sale now at GoDucks.com/FBTix.
