Three Trap Games Looming On Oregon Ducks Football Schedule

As a national championship contender heading into the 2026 season, the Oregon Ducks will face several challenging obstacles. What are three potential trap games on Oregon's 2026 schedule?

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore warms up as the Oregon Ducks host the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Sept. 6, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

During the 2025 season, the Oregon Ducks faced several challenging tests en route to their second consecutive appearance in the College Football Playoff under coach Dan Lanning. With national championship aspirations expected to be highlighted with the return of quarterback Dante Moore, several matchups will challenge those goals. 

While Oregon’s toughest matchups on the schedule are expected to be on the road against the Ohio State Buckeyes and USC Trojans, along with a home game with the Michigan Wolverines, there are contests on the Ducks’ schedule that could be considered trap games. 

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore walks the field after the Ducks’ loss as the Oregon Ducks face the Indiana Hoosiers in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 9, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Here are the three games on Oregon’s 2026 schedule that could cause the Ducks to slip up and crush their CFP and national championship hopes. 

at Oklahoma State (Sept. 12)

Sep 20, 2025; West Point, New York, USA; North Texas Mean Green quarterback Drew Mestemaker (17) throws a pass against the Army Black Knights during the first half at Michie Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images | Danny Wild-Imagn Images

After dominating the Oklahoma State Cowboys 69-3 at Autzen Stadium this past season, don’t expect the Oregon Ducks to put up the same rout on the road in Stillwater this time around in week 2. While the Ducks should still be able to win, Oklahoma State could present some challenges for Oregon on Sept. 12.

With new head coach Eric Morris and North Texas transfer quarterback Drew Mestemaker, many expect Oklahoma State to have an incredible turnaround next season after finishing 1-11 in 2025.

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Mestemaker led the nation in passing this season, throwing for 4,379 yards, 34 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. Mestemaker, along with an impressive transfer portal class for Oklahoma State, will look to pull an early-season stunner over the Ducks. 

at Illinois (Oct. 24)

Illinois coach Bret Bielema disputes a call in the first quarter of the Music City Bowl against Tennessee in an NCAA football game on Dec. 30, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee. | Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oregon has a chance to be undefeated heading into what could be a midseason trap game in Champaign against the Illinois Fighting Illini on Oct. 24. Illinois has been a tough place to play for top Big Ten teams, as of recently. Just ask Oregon’s arch-rival, the USC Trojans, who fell 34-32 on the road to Illinois last season, a loss that derailed their CFP chances.

In road games last season, the Ducks went undefeated, with the toughest challenges coming against the Iowa Hawkeyes and Penn State Nittany Lions. Both wins came down to the final play, with the win against Penn State coming off a Dillon Thieneman game-winning interception in overtime, a victory that helped set the tone for the Ducks' 2025 season.

vs. Washington (Nov. 28) 

Dec 13, 2025; Inglewood, CA, USA; Washington Huskies quarterback Demond Williams Jr. (2) sets to pass in the first half of the LA Bowl against the Boise State Broncos at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

While the 2026 addition of the Oregon-Washington rivalry is set to take place in Eugene at Autzen Stadium, the Huskies have always presented a challenge for Lanning's Ducks in recent seasons, no matter where the game is.

Lanning struggled to beat the Huskies, starting his coaching tenure with the Ducks, going 0-3. Lanning, however, has won the last two games of the rivalry series, with the latest being a 26-14 win in Seattle that clinched a spot in the CFP for Oregon.

Having lost two straight games in the rivalry series, the Huskies would like nothing more than to go into Eugene and upset the Ducks in 2026. Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. is set to return to the Huskies for the 2026 season and looks to have a better performance than he did in last year’s loss to Oregon.