Why Oregon Is Gaining Traction As National Championship Favorites

Each week the No. 4 Oregon Ducks continues to earn credibility from analysts and fans across the college football world. As a top-four team in the country, Oregon will start face a lot of pressure much like last season, and Fox Sports analyst Joe Klatt believes the Ducks have what takes to win it all this year.

Oregon's first road game will be against the Northwestern Wildcats on Sept. 13., and the game will be broadcast on FOX, and called by Klatt and his partner Gus Johnson.

Klatt has had ample time to watch film on the Ducks, and in doing so he has his mind made up about coach Dan Lanning and the product he's produced at Oregon.

"Oregon, folks is a legitimate national title contender," Klatt said on his weekly podcast.

Oregon Ducks Football northwestern wildcats big ten footballCollege Football Playoff Dante Moore Dillon Thieneman Dakorien M — Sep 6, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning greets fans as the Oregon Ducks football team walk to the locker room before a game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

New Roster Built To Compete For A National Title

The Oregon Ducks 2025 transfer portal was ranked in the top 5 of all programs in the nation according to multiple media outlets, and analysts. The Ducks were able to secure multiple top position players like offensive tackle Isaiah World from the Nevada Wolfpack, and defensive back Dillon Thieneman from the Purdue Boilermakers.

Not only did Oregon do a great job at getting veteran players to land in Eugene but also the top receiver out of the recruiting class of 2025: five-star Dakorien Moore.

Moore has already made a huge impact for Oregon as starter, and with all of the pieces aligning early on Klatt believes this team is built to win a national championship.

"This is a better version of Oregon from a year ago," Klatt said. "This is a version of Oregon that reminds me a lot of Michigan two years ago, and Ohio state last year. This is absolutely a team that can win it all."

Comparing Oregon to the last two teams also to win a national title isn't a stretch because both the Michigan Wolverines, and Ohio State Buckeyes have been ruling the Big Ten and college football as a whole since it's inception, and Oregon is simply playing catchup to it's new found conference.

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Dante Moore Is The Difference Maker

Klatt believes this roster has an instrumental amount of power on both sides of the line of scrimmage, and speed on the outside. But most important in the Ducks newly shaped roster in the new starter behind center Dante Moore.

"Dante Moore, ladies and gentleman... is a quarterback that I think could be better than quarterback that Lanning has had at Oregon in the last few years," Klatt said. "I loved Bo Nix, and Dillon Gabriel, so that's saying a lot. His ceiling is going to be higher than those guys."

A big reason that not only Klatt but many others around the country believe Moore will be better than those before him, is due to the fact that he took the opportunity to sit for a year, and learn from offensive coordinator Will Stein and Dillon Gabriel.

Taking the opportunity to study for a year and develop in the shadows will be the difference maker for Moore compared to other quarterbacks at top programs in the nation.

Top-3 Defense is Key

A good defense can be the backbone of any program, but in order to be elite it must be built correctly. Last years national champions, Ohio State, had certain qualities that Klatt believes are essential.

"You better have a defense in the top three in the country," Klatt said. "To do that you have to have a unique combination of power in the middle to stop the run, ferocity on the edge to rush the quarterback, speed at the second level to be hybrid against everything an offense does, and then enough in the back end where you can multiple in your coverage."

This newly shaped Oregon defense has checked nearly all of those boxes.

A mix of players that are veterans in Lanning's program, and new additions have comprised an elite defense that meets Klatt's criteria.

Jul 23, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Oregon defensive end Matayo Uiagalelei speaks to the media during the Big Ten NCAA college football media days at Mandalay Bay Resort. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images | Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

Junior edge rusher Matayo Uiagalelei led the Big Ten with 10.5 sacks last season, and inside linebacker Bryce Boettcher who has made a tremendous impact to stop the run -- led the Ducks with 94 tackles last season. These two are just a couple of the notable products Lanning and his staff have produced, but there are notable transfers who have already made an impact.

The additions of safety Dillon Thieneman and defensive lineman Bear Alexander will be vital in providing the experience aspect when it comes to late season productivity, and leadership in the post season action.

For Oregon they've got the talented roster, and the motivation to go out and make a statement, but it's a matter of execution from here on out. An opportunity for the Ducks to continue their dominance will be on the road on Sept. 13. against their first Big Ten opponent of the season, the Northwestern Wildcats.