On3's JD Pickell calls the Oregon Ducks the program that is best set up for success over the next three seasons.
The Oregon Ducks have been so close to the mountain top twice in the last two seasons, but they have come up short both times, twice to the eventual National Champion.
Unlike the route that Indiana took to the Championship, this is the typical route for college teams to get to the top of the sport and hoist the trophy. As the Ducks prepare to chase down the trophy in 2026, On3's JD Pickell says that they are in the best position to do so in all of College Football.
"It really just feels like a matter of time before Dan Lanning wins a National Championship. I really think it is going to be in the next three years."
Pickell's first point is a very strong one. There is a direct comparison, at this point in Dan Lanning's tenure, to that of Ohio State Buckeyes' head coach Ryan Day.
Rewind just 14 months, and all of Buckeye Nation in Columbus and beyond was calling for Day's job. He couldn't beat their rival, Michigan. They struggled one week per year in tough matchups, and he was unable to get to the top of the mountaintop.
Sound familiar?
Then, over one four week stretch, everything changed and the Buckeyes were eventually crowned National Champions.
There is nothing in the way of Oregon doing the exact same thing at some point over the next three seasons.
They are going to be set at quarterback for at least the next two. Dante Moore's return to the program cannot be understated. For whatever reason, he returned, whether it was money or the unwillingness to play for the New York Jets, he has another year to develop and grow his game.
Everyone saw last year the importance of experience in College Football and why that is now becoming a non-negotiable in the sport.
Then, after Moore goes to the NFL after the 2026 season, Dylan Riola slots right in and will take the baton.
The most obvious reason why they are set up for success is the NIL funds that Oregon has access to. That will have this team competitive for as long as NIL is an element in College Football.
The leash is definitely getting shorter for Lanning, but the truth is that in back-to-back years, Oregon finished in the quarterfinals and the semifinals. Most programs would sign up for this level of success.
However, the way that their season ended both times leaves major questions for Lanning and his program.
While the Ducks are set up very well for success over the next three seasons, they still need to go and take it.
Easier said than done.
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