Ducks Digest

Oregon Coach Dan Lanning's Final Top 25 Rankings Revealed

Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning is a voter for the US LBM Coaches Poll, and Lanning's top 25 from the college football season was recently revealed.
Ally Osborne|
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning watches as Indiana scores as the Oregon Ducks face the Indiana Hoosiers in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 9, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning watches as Indiana scores as the Oregon Ducks face the Indiana Hoosiers in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 9, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Oregon DucksIndiana HoosiersWashington HuskiesUSC TrojansOle Miss RebelsMiami (FL) HurricanesIowa Hawkeyes

With the Oregon Ducks 2025-2026 football season becoming a distant memory, the final statements from across the college football world surface to put a bow on one of the more unique years in the sport.

One of those summations of the season comes from the US LBM Coaches Poll, which received it's final votes after weekly submissions all season from coaches across the nation.

With all of college football's top minds submitting their closing thoughts, Oregon coach Dan Lanning's top 25 was recently revealed by USA Today's Erick Smith.

Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti shakes hands with Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, afte
Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti shakes hands with Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, after the Indiana Hoosiers defeated the Oregon Ducks in the Peach Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Dan Lanning's Coaches Poll

1. Indiana
2. Miami
3. Ole Miss
4. Oregon
5. Ohio State
6. Georgia
7. Texas Tech
8. Alabama
9. Texas A&M
10. Oklahoma
11. Notre Dame
12. Texas
13. BYU
14. Utah
15. Iowa
16. SMU
17. Michigan
18. Illinois
19. Washington
20. Virginia
21. Louisville
22. James Madison
23. Tulane
24. USC
25. Vanderbilt

When comparing Lanning's top seven picks against the AP Poll, the choices are parallel. However, Lanning did choose Alabama over Texas A&M for the No. 8 and No. 9 spots, respectively.

Unlike the AP Poll, Lanning left the Notre Dame Fighting Irish out of the top 10. Basically, Lanning followed his top 10 with the teams that made it to the quarterfinals in the playoff, which is a matter-of-fact notion.

Lanning also ranked several of Oregon's opponents from this year, with the No. 15 Iowa Hawkeyes, No. 19 Washington Huskies, and No. 24 USC Trojans all getting nods from Lanning.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning walks off the field after the Ducks’ loss as the Oregon Ducks face the Indiana Hoosiers in the
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning walks off the field after the Ducks’ loss as the Oregon Ducks face the Indiana Hoosiers in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 9, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Why Dan Lanning Ranked Oregon Below Ole Miss

One of the most surprising results from Lanning's final coaching poll is where he put his own team. Instead of placing the Ducks at the No. 3 spot, Lanning placed Ole Miss above the Ducks. The likely reasoning behind Lanning's selection is the performance of both teams in the College Football Playoff semifinals.

Oregon, as most Duck fans painfully remember, fell 56-22 to the No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers in the Chick-fil-a Peach Bowl. The Hoosiers forced the Ducks into multiple red zone turnovers and put enough pressure on starting Oregon quarterback Dante Moore to create a decisive and swift victory.

On the other hand, the Ole Miss Rebels kept their Fiesta Bowl game against the Miami Hurricanes much closer, only losing 31-27 after the Hurricanes surged back with two touchdowns in the fourth quarter (and a 3-yard rushing touchdown with 18 seconds left thanks to Miami's quarterback Carson Beck).

Jan 9, 2026; Atlanta, GA, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning leads his team onto the field prior to the 2025 Peach Bowl
Jan 9, 2026; Atlanta, GA, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning leads his team onto the field prior to the 2025 Peach Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff against the Indiana Hoosiers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

What Duck Fans Can Take From The Poll

There's a sense of humbleness and also a feeling of resolve when seeing Lanning rank the Ducks under the Rebels. It shows Lanning knows there's work to be done, it shows a "stinging" feeling that Lanning potentially has to not return to the bottom of the semifinalist teams.

In this final poll, Lanning referenced Oregon's toughest opponents, and the shortcomings that were on display in the Peach Bowl. That sense of honesty indicates strife to do better in the future, something Duck fans can feel a sense of hope in as the Ducks return in 2026-2027 for another fight to the playoff.

Published | Modified
Ally Osborne
ALLY OSBORNE

A reporter for Oregon Ducks on SI, Ally Osborne is a born and raised Oregonian. She graduated from the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communications in 2021 after interning for the Oregon Sports Network with experience working on live sporting broadcasts for ESPN, FOX Sports, the PAC 12 Network, and Runnerspace. Osborne continued her career in Bend, Oregon as a broadcast reporter in 2021 for Central Oregon Daily News while writing for Oregon Ducks on SI. Since then, Osborne is entering her third season reporting for the publication and is frequently the on-site reporter for home games at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. She is currently the host of lifestyle shows "Everyday Northwest" and "Tower Talk Live" for KOIN 6 News in Portland, Oregon. Osborne also works as a sports reporter for KOIN 6's "Game On" sports department. In her free time, Osborne is an avid graphic designer, making art commissions for athletes across her home state. Osborne's designs have even become tattoos for a few Duck athletes.

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