Oregon Ducks Gaining National Title Attention Despite One Big Question

Are the Oregon Ducks the team to beat entering the next college football season?

Dec 31, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day (left) and Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning pose with the Leishman Trophy during the Rose Bowl head coaches press conference at Sheraton Grand LA. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Oregon Ducks have reached the point where national championship expectations are no longer surprising. Oregon coach Dan Lanning has built one of the most complete rosters in college football, and Oregon’s combination of quarterback talent, defensive depth, recruiting momentum and Big Ten experience makes the Ducks a legitimate title threat entering next season.

CBS Sports’ Richard Johnson appears to agree. While not every national analyst is fully sold on Oregon as the team to beat, Johnson made it clear that he views the Ducks as one of the strongest contenders in the country.

Oregon Gains National Attention As Title Contender

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning speaks from the podium at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex on the first day of spring practice for the Oregon Ducks on March 12, 2026, in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

That belief says a lot about where Oregon’s program stands. The Ducks are no longer being discussed as a team trying to prove it belongs among college football’s elite. They are being discussed as a team that could set the standard.

"A veteran - yet somewhat unproven - offensive line does give me pause, but the skill position groups and fearsome defensive front are enough for me to be extremely high on Oregon coming out of spring practice. We never got to see what this offense can be at full strength, and the complexion will be different under new coordinator Drew Mehringer, as will the defense under new coordinator Chris Hampton. But I'm confident in Oregon's current status as the team to beat in college football," Johnson said.

As he mentioned, the skill position groups are "enough" for the Ducks, but many could consider the skill position groups to be the best in the nation. With a gunslinger like quarterback Dante Moore returning to be the team's signal caller in 2026 due to unfinished business, along with three key returning wide receivers sets up for a great chance at making a run for the national championship. If the Ducks were to win the national championship in 2026, it would be the first in program history.

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

The Biggest Question Mark Ahead of the 2026 Season

The biggest question mark for Oregon’s offense may be the offensive line.

The Ducks have plenty of talent up front, but they are also counting on several players who still need to prove themselves in major roles. That does not mean Oregon’s offensive line is a weakness. It just means the Ducks are replacing experience with potential, which makes the position group one of the most important storylines of the 2026 season.

Jan 9, 2026; Atlanta, GA, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning walks off the field after the 2025 Peach Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Freshman Immanuel Iheanacho, redshirt freshman Douglas Utu and redshirt sophomore Fox Crader are among the names who could take on bigger roles.

Each brings intrigue for a different reason. Iheanacho arrived with major recruiting buzz and the physical tools to eventually become a cornerstone piece. Utu gives Oregon another young lineman with high-end upside. Crader already has time in the program, which could help him push for more responsibility.

If the Ducks' offensive line can help Ducks progress in the run game and keep their quarterback's jersey clean, then the Ducks will be in great shape for the 2026 season, and very well could be the team to beat.

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day prepares for a tv interview during the Ohio State football spring game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on April 18, 2026. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Some of the other teams listed by CBS Sports as the team to beat include the Ohio State Buckeyes, Texas Longhorns, and the Miami Hurricanes. While each of these teams is good in its own way, it is noted that the Indiana Hoosiers (reigning college football national champions) aren't on the list. However, one team from the Big Ten is on the list other than the Ducks, which is the Buckeyes.

The Buckeyes and the Ducks will be playing during the regular season, which means one of these teams will be defeated at least once throughout the regular season. This will be something worth monitoring, as it confirms that not everyone on this list can be pinpointed with their predictions.

The Oregon Ducks will be looking to prove Johnson right, as he is just one of their many believers ahead of the next season.

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