Oregon Ducks' Biggest Weakness Unveiled Before Big Ten Media Days

With Big Ten Media Days kicking off on Tuesday, July 28, and the Oregon Ducks set to appear on Wednesday, one of the biggest questions before the season officially begins is who will win the conference?

A recent media preseason poll conducted by Cleveland.com placed Ohio State at the top with Oregon in the No. 2 spot, and the Buckeyes also hold the No. 1 spot, followed again by the Ducks, in the SP+ rankings, an analytical projection model created by ESPN's Bill Connelly.

oregon ducks dan lanning big ten media days preseason projection weakness college football playoff ohio state buckeyes — Apr 18, 2026; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State head coach Ryan Day greets fans before the annual spring game at Ohio Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Oregon Ducks' Biggest Hurdle

Lanning and the Ducks are presumed to spend the fall as one of the top teams in college football yet again, but what has to change in order for Oregon to get over the hump? As Ducks fans are quite familiar, the last two postseasons for Oregon has ended in two blowout losses to the eventual national champions in Ohio State and Indiana.

While Oregon's ability to handle rematches has come into question, one of the biggest concerns surround the Ducks in 2026 is the offensive line. With only center Iapani "Poncho" Laloulu and guard Dave Iuli returning from last season, will Oregon offensive line coach A'lique Terry have success putting together a new offensive line for a third consecutive season?

More importantly, how will the Ducks offensive line fare in the postseason? As Connelly points out, Oregon has struggled up front offensively when it comes to the CFP.

"Oregon's offensive line has been overwhelmed in each of the Ducks past two CFP losses, and we won't know for a while if this one is up to the task. If you tell me right now that Oregon will enjoy its long-awaited title breakthrough in 2026, I'll believe it. Ohio State might still have more upside, but you'd rather have the Ducks' problems than almost anyone else's," wrote Connelly.

Big Ten's College Football Playoff Race

The Big Ten title race is certainly expected to be an exciting one between Oregon, Ohio State, and Indiana as well as other programs like Michigan, USC, Penn State, and maybe even Illinois. However, for teams like the Ducks and the Buckeyes, the main focus is more likely centered around the College Football Playoff.

Ohio State won the national title after the 2024 season followed by Indiana's historic and surprising run during the 2025 season. Can Oregon coach Dan Lanning and the Ducks be the next team out of the Big Ten to win the CFP?

The three favorites to win the conference and make the 12-team playoff are the same, but the pecking order is not the same, at least according to oddsmakers from FanDuel Sportsbook.

Ohio State at +175 is favored to win the Big Ten, followed by Oregon (+270) and Indiana (+310), and USC, the team with the fourth-highest odds is a bit further behind at +1300. On the other hand, FanDuel gives Oregon the best odds in the Big Ten to reach the CFP at -310 with Ohio State (-280) and Indiana (-270) close behind.

Lanning and Oregon quarterback Dante Moore, tight end Jamari Johnson, and defensive lineman Teitum Tuioti will speak at Big Ten Media Days on Wednesday, but the Ducks still have until Sept. 5 before the regular season opener against Boise State.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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