Oregon Football Could Make History With Preseason AP Poll Rank

The Oregon Ducks have never been ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press preseason poll, but they may have one of their strongest cases yet ahead of the 2026 season.

While Oregon has climbed to No. 1 during the regular season in 2010, 2012 and 2024, the program’s highest preseason AP ranking remains No. 3, a mark it reached in 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2024.

Jan 1, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Oregon Ducks linebacker Devon Jackson (26) and quarterback Dante Moore (5) celebrate following the 2025 Orange Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

With college football quickly approaching, Sports Illustrated listed five teams with a case to open the season at No. 1. The Ducks are included but why does this matter?

Preseason AP Poll Prediction

Oregon is joined by Georgia, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Texas as the possible No. 1 teams on the list.

For Oregon, a preseason No. 1 ranking would not just make history. It would confirm that the Ducks have crossed into a different tier of college football expectations. The argument could be made that greater expectations do not always equal greater outcomes.

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

However, as coach Dan Lanning enters his fifth season in Eugene, he has made it clear that complacency is the enemy. Lanning's DNA traits have been successful at keeping the Ducks' focus on what matters.

While a preseason rankings matters to fans and media, it makes no impact on Oregon's football team. The only rank that matters is the College Football Playoff seeding. But still, the Ducks getting the nod as the No. 1 team heading into this fall would be notable...

Ranked Ducks

Oregon’s sustained national relevance is impressive. The Ducks’ preseason No. 7 ranking in 2025 gave the program back-to-back preseason top-10 rankings for the first time since its dominant 2010 to 2015 run. Oregon has also appeared in the AP top-10 in 46 consecutive polls dating back to Week 3 of the 2023 season and has been ranked in the AP top-25 in every release since Week 2 of the 2022 season.

Nov 14, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) and head coach Dan Lanning talk to a reporter after a game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

The Ducks have not just been ranked. They have delivered when carrying those expectations. Oregon is 237-83-2 all-time as a top-25 team, 130-33 as a top-10 team and 60-16 as a top-five team. That track record matters because a possible preseason No. 1 ranking would not be built on hype alone. It would reflect a program that has learned how to win with a target on its back.

That is what makes the conversation significant. The Ducks are no longer simply trying to prove they belong in the national title conversation. They are being mentioned alongside Georgia, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Texas as one of the programs with a real case to open the season at No. 1.

A major reason for optimism surrounding the Ducks is their returning players, headlined by quarterback Dante Moore. Moore elected to return to the Oregon football program despite being the projected No. 2 overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft and is an undeniable talent.

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

The Buckeyes are the other Big Ten team that Sports Illustrated gave a case for the No. 1 rank. Despite Ohio State losing 11 players to the 2026 NFL Draft, the Buckeyes are expected to reload under coach Ryan Day. The Ducks travel to face the Buckeyes in Columbus on Nov. 7 in a head-to-head matchup that likely will have massive implications on the Big Ten and the College Football Playoff race.

Oregon's starting center Iapani Laloulu also chose to return for another season in Eugene instead of taking his talents to the pros. Defensively, the Ducks had their starting defensive line return despite high draft stocks in A’Mauri Washington, Bear Alexander, linebacker Teitum Tuioti and defensive end Matayo Uiagalelei.

Oregon's 2026 football schedule is anything but easy. The Ducks play the USC Trojans on the road (Sept. 26), and host the Michigan Wolverines (Nov. 14) , the Washington Huskies (Nov. 28) and the Boise State Broncos (Sept. 5) ... all four of those teams have a case to be ranked in the preseason top-25.

While Ohio State is probably the most-likely Big Ten team to get the No. 1 preseason rank, Oregon has clearly being discussed as one of the programs setting the standard across the nation.

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