The Oregon Ducks Chances To Make The College Football Playoff

After beating the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on the road 56-10, the Oregon Ducks rose from No. 8 to No. 6 in the AP Top-25 Poll. The week before, Oregon had dropped from No. 3 to No. 8 after losing 30-20 at home to (then-No. 7) No. 2 Indiana.

The program’s recovery after its first conference loss in nearly two years shows that coach Dan Lanning and the Ducks aren’t going anywhere.

Every week, ESPN's 'All State Playoff Predictor' updates each week based on a team's wins, losses, and strength of remaining schedule. Currently, the Ducks have the sixth-best chance to make the College Football Playoff with a 76 percent chance.

Oregon Ducks Indiana Hoosiers Rutgers Scarlet Knights Wisconsin Badgers Iowa Hawkeyes USC Trojans Minnesota Golden GophersWa — Oct 11, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning arrives with players before the game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Ducks Control Their Path To Playoffs

A loss in October no longer means a program is automatically out of playoff contention due to the continuation of last year's 12-team format in the College Football Playoff. Although the Ducks' hopes of making it to back-to-back conference title games may be out the window due to their loss to the Hoosiers.

The five conference champions will receive automatic bids, but teams outside of that still ranked within the top 12 will have a great chance to be selected by the College Football Playoff Committee.

The expected matchup for the Big Ten Championship Game is predicted to be No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Indiana, as they boast the best records in conference at 7-0.

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Oregon, however, is the only one-loss team in the Big Ten with an overall record of 6-1, and is ranked third behind the Buckeyes and Hoosiers in conference standings. The remainder of Oregon's Big Ten schedule is in their favor as they look to win out and land an at-large bid.

As it stands, Oregon will not face another ranked opponent for the remainder of the season. after USC dropped out of the rankings by losing to (then No. 13) No. 12 Notre Dame. However, the Trojans could jump back into the top-25.

The Ducks will face the Wisconsin Badgers (0-4 in conference play) this Saturday, October 25. They will then play the unranked Iowa Hawkeyes on November 8 and the Minnesota Golden Gophers (both 3-1 in conference play). The Ducks will wrap up the season at home against USC on November 22, followed by a visit to arguably the toughest venue left on their schedule - the Washington Huskies in Seattle on November 29.

Must Solidify Momentum

Oregon's 56-10 win over Rutgers was a step in the right direction when it comes to getting back on track. In Oregon's loss to Indiana, the Ducks only accounted for 267 yards of total offense, but against the Scarlet Knights, it was a different story.

The Ducks rushed for 415 yards, the fourth most in the program's history, and also threw for 335 passing yards, totaling 750 yards of offense. With such a dominant performance, the program showed why it leads the Big Ten with 848 rushing yards in conference play, and how versatile it can be in dominating teams.

For Oregon to accomplish its goal of landing a College Football Playoff bid, the Ducks must continue to build momentum in conference play. The next opportunity for Oregon to get another win under its belt is on Saturday, Oct. 25, at 4:00 p.m. PT in Eugene.