Oregon Ducks in Danger of Losing Five-Star Recruit to LSU Tigers?

The Oregon Ducks have secured some major talent in the 2026 recruiting class, but nothing is official until the players sign on the dotted line. Knowing this, the LSU Tigers are not stopping their pursuit of one notable Oregon commit.

LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly against the Clemson Tigers. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Oregon Ducks are playing like arguably the best team in the country through the first three weeks of the college football season, as the program appears primed for another trip to the College Football Playoff.

The Ducks have secured three straight wins to begin the year, with Saturday's 34-14 road victory over Northwestern being the latest. But could some losses soon come for Oregon via the recruiting trail?

Oregon has been no stranger to having some notable commitment losses since the start of this past offseason, and one SEC powerhouse could be looking to add another to that list.

LSU Tigers Persuading Immanuel Iheanacho to Flip

Sep 13, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers safety Tamarcus Cooley (0) reacts to a play call on him against the Florida Gators during the first half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

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The LSU Tigers clearly have eyes on Oregon 2026 five-star offensive tackle commit Immanuel Iheanacho.

A product of Georgetown Preparatory School in Baltimore, Iheanacho originally committed to Oregon on July 3 but clearly hasn't entirely shut down his recruitment as he continues to take visits across the country during the season.

His latest stop was in Baton Rouge on Saturday to watch No. 3 LSU take down the Florida Gators in a 20-10 win, a visit he told Rivals was "outstanding." Though some visits often mean little when it comes to "flip" potential, a few notable LSU 2026 commits are doing their part in trying to persuade Iheanacho to change his mind.

Five-star defensive lineman Lamar Brown and five-star edge Trenton Henderson, both of whom are committed to LSU, hopped on social media to send a message to Iheanacho.

It's safe to say that "Flip Season" was the theme.

Looks like someone had fun yesterday in Death Valley with the Tigahs!!!👀#NachoToDaBoot #GeauxTigers🐯 pic.twitter.com/SdFvnFxa5v

— Lamar Brown (@lamar1brown) September 14, 2025

flip szn😏 https://t.co/vCtOBvUcz1

— Trenton Henderson 5⭐️ Edge (@THenderson26) September 14, 2025

Immanuel Iheanacho Talks Oregon

Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning during the game against Oklahoma State. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Iheanacho has unsurprisingly been high on Oregon throughout the recruiting process.

“I feel like you know, I've been on all these campuses, Oregon really just felt right," Iheanacho said. "Oregon had the best people, the best like-minded people, the opportunity for me to play early was huge there. ... They just had Josh Conerly [selected] in the first round, so that was big. I feel like going all the way out there is going to be tough, but it's going to be worth it, man."

However, even before committing to the Ducks, it's clear LSU has been right in the mix.

“I can see myself there,” Iheanacho told On3 Sports about Oregon before eventually choosing the Ducks. “I want to be objective on every visit, but this visit really helped LSU. LSU is right there with Oregon after this visit. It is a great place.”

Other Visits on Tap for Immanuel Iheanacho

Penn State Nittany Lions running back Kaytron Allen (13) is stopped by Oregon Ducks defensive back Nikko Reed (9) on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, during the Big Ten Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Iheanacho is also set to visit Penn State for the big-time matchup against the Ducks on Sept. 27.

He will then travel twice to Eugene for Oregon's games against Wisconsin (Oct. 25) and USC (Nov. 22), per Rivals.

Oregon, Penn State, Auburn, and LSU were the final choices for the Baltimore product before he chose the Ducks.

Oregon also has other commitments from five-star players like safety Jett Washington and tight end Kendre Harrison along with four-star talents like running back Tradarian Ball, edge rusher Anthony Jones, wide receivers Jalen Lott and Messiah Hampton, cornerback Davon Benjamin and safety Devin Jackson among others.

Notable Oregon Recruiting Losses

Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning before the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Some of the most notable misses include five-stars like quarterback Ryder Lyons (BYU Cougars), offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell (Miami Hurricanes), cornerback Brandon Arrington (Texas A&M Aggies), edge rusher Richard Wesley (Texas Longhorns) and quarterback Jared Curtis (Georgia Bulldogs).

In the age of NIL, every program has faced some tough defeats out on the recruiting trail but this clearly isn't preventing Oregon from being one of the top teams in the country.

Oregon and Oregon State will kick off from Eugene on Saturday at 12 p.m. PT.