Oregon Ducks Opponents Ranked From Easiest to Toughest

The Oregon Ducks will go into 2026 with one of the most exciting schedules they have had in program history. An away game at Ohio State, a home game against Nebraska, and a game at Autzen Stadium against the Washington Huskies await the team. Below is every game on the Oregon Schedule, ranked from easiest to toughest.

1. Portland State - Autzen Stadium

The Ducks will welcome the Portland State Vikings to Autzen Stadium in week three of the 2026 season. The Vikings compete in the Big Sky conference in the FCS. The Ducks defeated an FCS team at Autzen Stadium last season, beating Montana State in week one. This game should be fairly straightforward for Oregon. The Ducks defeated Portland State 81-7 in 2023 in Eugene.

2. Boise State - Autzen Stadium

Oregon Ducks Dan Lanning Dante Moore Dakorien Moore Big Ten Conference Autzen Stadium Washington Huskies Jedd Fisch — Dec 13, 2025; Inglewood, CA, USA; Boise State Broncos punter Oscar Doyle (37), long snapper Mason Hutton (42) and place kicker Canaan Moore (48) on the bench prior to the LA Bowl Game against the Washington Huskies at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Ducks will open their 2026 season with a home duel against Boise State. The Broncos went 9-4 in 2025, winning the Mountain West for the third straight season before losing to Washington in the LA Bowl. The Broncos nearly spoiled the Ducks' season in 2024 at Autzen Stadium before the Ducks won on a last-second field goal. This matchup could be tricky, but should once again be straightforward for the Ducks at home.

3. Oklahoma State - Stillwater, OK

The Ducks had one of their most lopsided wins in program history at Autzen Stadium last year in week two as they defeated the Oklahoma State Cowboys 69-3. The Cowboys are reeling after a bad season and the firing of coach Mike Gundy. While an away game at Stillwater could be seen as a trap game, the Ducks should be seen as heavy favorites for this week two matchup.

4. Northwestern - Autzen Stadium

The Ducks defeated Northwestern in Illinois in 2025, with Ducks running back Dierre Hill Jr. having one of his best games of the season. The Ducks have much more talent across the board than the Wildcats, and this game should be easy enough for Oregon to win.

5. Michigan State - East Lansing, MI

Michigan State is reeling off a season that saw their coach Jonathan Smith, fired, and their starting quarterback Aiden Chiles benched. As far as trap games go, this game in East Lansing leaves no excuses for the Ducks not to win.

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6. Nebraska - Autzen Stadium

The Ducks will welcome Nebraska to Autzen Stadium for the second time ever, and the first since 2017, when the Ducks squeaked out a 42-35 win. A small storyline for this game will be quarterback Dylan Raiola transferring to Oregon from Nebraska this past offseason. Nebraska went 4-5 in Big Ten play last season and 7-6 overall. If the Ducks were playing this game in Lincoln, it could be a tricky occasion, but a home game at Autzen Stadium should be enough to see the Ducks get past Nebraska.

7. UCLA - Autzen Stadium

The Ducks will face a new-look Bruins team that will have coach Bob Chesney at the helm, who the Ducks saw in the first round of the College Football Playoff at Autzen Stadium when he was the coach of James Madison. The Bruins will be returning quarterback Nico Iamaleava to a team that caught fire in the middle of the season in 2025.

8. Illinois - Champagne, IL

The Ducks will travel to Illinois in week eight of the 2026 season. Illinois went 5-4 in conference play, but was able to win all of their non-conference games to finish the season at 9-4. The Fighting Illini could pose a threat to derail the Ducks' season, but if the Ducks are able to go into this game mostly healthy, they should walk away with a win.

9. Washington - Autzen Stadium

The Ducks will welcome their hated rivals to Autzen Stadium in the final week of the regular season in 2026. The Ducks have defeated Washington two years in a row, and coach Dan Lanning is 2-0 against Washington coach Jedd Fisch in his time with the Huskies. Washington will return quarterback Demond Williams, but the Ducks should be able to find a way to win, especially in front of a friendly crowd in Eugene.

10. Michigan - Autzen Stadium

The Ducks will host Michigan at Autzen Stadium in week 11, off the heels of their road trip to Columbus, Ohio. If the Ducks do defeat Ohio State, this game against Michigan could be a letdown spot. Even though this game is at Autzen Stadium, Michigan could surprise a lot of people by winning this game.

11. USC - Los Angeles, CA

The Ducks' game against USC will be extremely tough. Oregon and USC played a game that will go down as a classic in 2025, with Oregon defeating the Trojans 42-27 behind two Kenyon Sadiq touchdowns. The Ducks will have to be firing on all cylinders to get past USC.

12. Ohio State - Columbus, OH

The away game against Ohio State represents the toughest game on the Ducks' schedule. The Buckeyes will be returning two players who will have Heisman Trophy hopes in quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. The Ducks won in their last trip to the Horseshoe, but will need a full team effort to pull off an upset.