Oregon Ducks Turn Heads With Preseason National Championship Chances

According to ESPN FPI's first preseason rankings, where do the Oregon Ducks stack up compared to the other top college football teams?

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning holds an orange during the head coaches press conference ahead of Orange Bowl on Dec. 31, 2025, in Dania Beach, Florida. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

College football is almost here, and Oregon Duck fans are eagerly anticipating a season that they hope ends with them winning their first national championship in program history. There is plenty to love about the Ducks as a national championship contender, as they have one of the most talented returning rosters in college football, led by star quarterback Dante Moore. 

Ahead of the college football season, ESPN released its preseason FPI top 25, and the Ducks come in at No. 4 behind the Ohio State Buckeyes (No. 1), Texas Longhorns (No. 2), and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (No. 3). ESPN FPI gives the Ducks the fourth-best odds to win the national championship at 9.8 percent. 

Oregon coach Dan Lanning directs football practice April 5, 2022. Eug 040522 Lanning 02 | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Coach Ryan Day's Buckeyes enter the season with redemption on their minds and the best chance to win their second national title in the last three seasons at 17.1 percent. The Buckeyes are followed by a Texas Longhorns squad led by quarterback Arch Manning (13.2%) and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10.5%). 

Other Big Ten teams behind the Ducks include the defending national champions, the Indiana Hoosiers (No. 6), the USC Trojans (No. 13), the Michigan Wolverines (No. 15), the Penn State Nittany Lions (No. 17), and the Iowa Hawkeyes (No. 25). The Ducks will face both the Trojans and Wolveriens next season in matchups that will be critical to the Big Ten title race. 

Keys to Oregon Winning National Championship

Jan 9, 2026; Atlanta, GA, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) throws a pass during the fourth quarter the 2025 Peach Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Two seasons ago, the Buckeyes crushed the Ducks' dreams of winning a national championship with a dominating 41-21 win over Oregon in the CFP Quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl. The crushing loss came after the Ducks went undefeated in their first season in the Big Ten and won the conference championship over the Penn State Nittany Lions. 

With the national championship still on their mind in 2026, Oregon's biggest test to accomplishing that goal could be going through the Buckeyes. The Ducks' road matchup against the Buckeyes on Nov. 7 in Columbus will be one of the most exciting matchups of the season, but it might not be the only time Oregon and Ohio State meet. 

In their last two CFP losses to Ohio State and Indiana, turnovers and poor defense led to the Ducks' downfall. Both of those losses featured the Ducks' defense giving up 40-plus points. One of the several reasons why Moore chose to return to Oregon, other than to help lead the Ducks to the national championship, was to improve his maturity as a quarterback, primarily his leadership skills, and commit fewer turnovers. 

Oregon defensive coordinator Chris Hampton speaks during a press conference on March 14, 2026, in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

In the Peach Bowl loss to the Hoosiers last season, Moore threw an interception on the first play of the game and two fumbles. Moore's consistency in the CFP and the way he commands Oregon's high-powered offense could be the difference-maker in the Ducks' run at a national championship.

With Chris Hampton set to take over as the Ducks' new defensive coordinator, there is bound to be pressure on not only him but also offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer to prove they are worthy of their promotions following Tosh Lupoi and Will Stein’s departures.

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