Oregon Ducks Are Turning Heads As National Championship Contenders

The No. 2 Oregon Ducks are flying high after a win over No. 7 Penn State in Happy Valley. Oregon jumped out to a 17-3 lead before being dragged into overtime by the Nittany Lions. Oregon would go on to win 30-24 in the second overtime that saw emotional on-field scenes from both Ducks coach Dan Lanning and Ducks quarterback Dante Moore.

The question on many Ducks fans' minds and fans of college football across the country is simple: Are the Ducks legitimate national championship contenders?

Oregon running back Jordon Davison, left and Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq celebrate a touchdown by Davison as the Oregon Ducks face the Penn State Nittany Lions on Sept. 27, 2025, at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It may be entirely too early to answer the question, but to begin a dive into it, you’d first have to go and look at last year's team. The 2024 Oregon team went undefeated in the regular season on their way to a Big Ten championship.

The 2024 variation of the team would go on to lose in the Rose Bowl against future national champions Ohio State, 41-21. The 2024 Ducks team, much like the 2025 team, also had a massive win under their belt in the regular season, as the 2024 team defeated Ohio State in Autzen Stadium.

It’s possible the 2024 team were true national championship contenders and just had the misfortune of the seeding in the College Football Playoff last year, which has been done away with in 2025. As of now, it is fair to say this 2025 team is arguably a better and more well-rounded team than the 2024 team and therefore true national championship contenders.

Comparing This Season To Last Season

Dante Moore Dan Lanning Oregon Ducks Penn State James Franklin Drew Allar Dakorien Moore Kenyon Sadiq Happy Valley — Sep 27, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) reacts after defeating the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images | James Lang-Imagn Images

The 2025 Ducks team has outscored opponents 233-61 through five games; the 2024 team in comparison, outscored opponents 175-85. There are many reasons to be excited about the Ducks being true national championship contenders, Ducks quarterback Dante Moore is now the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, and the Ducks are now 5-0 without wide receiver Evan Stewart, who still may feature at some point this season.

Taking into account that this Ducks team is performing better than last year’s Oregon team, they do look like true national championship contenders. The new seeding will help Oregon immensely in the College Football Playoff. Last year’s team earned the No. 1 seed just to face Ohio State in the Rose Bowl.

MORE: Penn State Fans Chanted 'Fire Franklin' As Dan Lanning's Ducks Rose To Occasion

MORE: Why Early Betting Odds for Oregon, Indiana Big Ten Showdown Feel Just Right

MORE: Oregon Freshman Star Outshines Penn State’s ‘Best Running Back Duo’

Oregon Could Benefit From New Seed Rules In College Football Playoff

The College Football Playoff has now changed to a straight seeding system for this year, meaning the top four seeds will all receive first-round byes regardless of whether they are conference champions or not. This would mean that if the season ended today, Oregon would not have to play Ohio State, Miami, or Ole Miss in the quarterfinal round.

With the new seeding in effect, paired with the 2025 Ducks team outperforming the 2024 team through five weeks, it’s clear these Ducks are true national champion contenders.