3 Reasons Why Oregon Ducks are Dark Horse National Title Contender

The No. 7 Oregon Ducks team have a lot of expectations coming into the season, but the Ducks have also been excluded from preseason conversations surrounding the national title race.

Oregon has new expected starter at quarterback and lost depth to the NFL Draft, leaving the team with a rather inexperienced roster.

ESPN's Greg McElroy defended Oregon on his show, Always College Football. He described a "dark horse" as team that is ranked seventh or lower in preseason polls, and No.7 Oregon is just that.

Oregon DucksCollege FootballDan LanningOregon Ducks FootballDarkhorseCollege Football PlayoffPenn State Nittany Lionsf — Oct 26, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning greets fans before a game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

No schedule is too tough for Oregon

McElroy is impressed with how Ducks coach Dan Lanning and Oregon can handled the 2024 regular season schedule. The Ducks took care of business on the road at a tough environment in Wisconsin against the Badgers, dominated the Michigan Wolverines on the road, and took down Ohio State in a top-ranked matchup in Eugene.

"What I love about Oregon is that they can just weather the storm of the regular season. I don’t think the schedule is insurmountable. It’s tough. They go to Penn State and have a couple very difficult games, but the schedule, I think, was actually maybe a little tougher last year than it is this year," said McElroy.

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The youth is actually an advantage for the Ducks

Oregon has one of it's youngest rosters in recent memory, with highly touted four and five star freshman poised to make an immediate impact for the Ducks.

McElroy acknowledge's that for most that would be a downside, but he believes for Oregon it will payoff in the end.

“If they can weather the storm, this is about as young of a roster as one can imagine. If this roster takes a collective step and gets better,” McElroy said. “Because what do we know about young players? They have a tendency to get a little bit better and a little bit better and a little bit better as the season goes along," McElroy said.

But he also mentioned there's growing pains with such young players, explaining that there will be really high high's but with that comes some pretty low low's.

Still, McElroy believes if the program can keep the young core progressing throughout the season, it will payoff come time for postseason.

McElroy insisted, "If this team can somehow avoid the critical error that costs them a game that they should be able to win, they might be in great position going into the postseason, having jelled, having overextended in the regular season, and then their best football is actually right in front of them.”

Oregon has a chip on it's shoulder

Oregon had an excellent season last year going undefeated in the regular season, securing a conference championship it's first year in the Big Ten, and earning a first round bye in the College Football Playoff. But things didn't go as planned in the Ducks rose bowl appearance.

McElroy believes Oregon will be at it's peak and most dangerous once post season action begins:

"Whoever’s playing Oregon in the first round, second round, third round. From the first round to the third round, you’re probably gonna have a much better football team that you’re going to have to beat. So, I love the upside of this Oregon team. I think they can win a national championship and, yet, they’re ranked outside the top six of the AP Poll," said McElroy.