Urban Meyer Predicts Oregon Ducks' Playoff Future

The college football offseason brings optimism across the sport, but few programs are generating as much buzz as the Oregon Ducks.

Under coach Dan Lanning, Oregon has now earned a significant prediction from former Ohio State Buckeyes coach and current Fox analyst Urban Meyer.

Urban Meyer’s National Champion Prediction

oregon ducks big ten college football playoff urban meyer dan lanning ohio state buckeyes transfer portal recruiting nil — Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer yells to his team during the first quarter of the NCAA football game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Ohio Stadium on Nov. 3, 2018. | Adam Cairns/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Will the Ducks win their first-ever National Championship during the 2026-27 football season? Meyer breaks down the top contenders and makes his pick for the College Football Playoff title winner.

"Returning quarterbacks at Ohio State, Notre Dame, Oregon, Texas, and A&M. Can't go Texas. Every year I try to pick them. A&M, I don't know enough about. Ohio State's got the first rugged, rugged schedule they've had in a minute," Meyer said on The Triple Option show.

"I'm going to say Oregon. Dante Moore coming back. Big Ten wins it again four years in a row, and they're going to follow the the template set by the last three national championships... Maturity, experience, grown-ass men in the locker room," Meyer continued.

The Big Ten is staking its claim as the nation’s premier conference, with three consecutive playoff champions: Indiana (2025), Ohio State (2024) and Michigan (2023)... Will Oregon be next?

Indiana's Fernando Mendoza (15) smiles on the podium after the College Football Playoff National Championship college football game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Experience Plays Important Role In Playoff

The maturity and experience factor cannot be overstated for the Oregon Ducks. A clear trend has emerged in the College Football Playoff: the most seasoned quarterbacks are often the ones who find the greatest success. This year’s National Championship game was no exception, featuring Miami quarterback Carson Beck and Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza.

Beck, 23, appeared in 54 college games across six seasons, while Mendoza, 22, played in 36 games over three years. The reigning national champion Indiana Hoosiers also fielded one of the oldest rosters in the country, with an average age hovering around 23, noticeably older than Oregon’s group. The Hoosiers beat the Ducks, 56-22, in the Semifinal at the Peach Bowl.

The good news for the Ducks is that Moore’s decision to return places him firmly among the more battle-tested quarterbacks in college football for 2026. While Moore is just 20 years old, he has already started 15 games at Oregon and five more as a true freshman at UCLA. The 2026 season will mark his second straight year as a full-time starter.

Moore is also surrounded by a core that gained invaluable reps in 2025. Receiver Dakorien Moore, running backs Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr., cornerback Brandon Finney Jr., and redshirt freshman safety Aaron Flowers all played prominent roles and will now enter their sophomore seasons. In total, 35 true or redshirt freshmen saw the field for Oregon last year, signaling a full-scale youth movement in Eugene.

Sep 27, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Oregon Ducks running back Jordon Davison (0) reacts after defeating the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

That group also benefited from a deep postseason run, reaching the College Football Playoff semifinal... a stretch that added meaningful postseason reps to an already growing résumé that included impressive road wins over ranked opponents and battling wild weather. Oregon ranked second nationally, behind North Texas, in touchdowns scored by true freshmen (26) and all freshmen combined (29).

With a full season now behind them in Dan Lanning’s system, that once-young core is positioned to take a significant step forward and potentially build something special in 2026.

The Big Ten Conference is making it's claim as the best in college football with three-straight Big Ten teams winning the playoff: Indiana (2025), Ohio State (2024) and Michigan (2023)

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MORE: College Football Analyst Strongly Defends Oregon Coach Dan Lanning

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Meyer's Top College Football Coaches

Last season, Meyer took the opportunity on the show to highlight coach Lanning when he revealed who he thinks are the current top three coaches in college football.

“Who’s doing the best job? I put Dan Lanning, Ryan Day and Lane Kiffin,” Meyer said.

Lanning enters his fifth season as head coach at Oregon. The 39-year-old has compiled a 48‑8 record, notching double-digit wins in each of his first four seasons. He ranks fourth all-time in wins among Ducks head coaches and has guided Oregon to consecutive College Football Playoff appearances, a Big Ten Championship, and victories in the Orange, Fiesta, and Holiday Bowls.

Oregon is the only FBS team to win 13 games in each of the past two seasons, tying the program record set in 2025, 2024, and 2014.