Oregon Predicted to Lose Crucial Big Ten Game But Make CFP

The Oregon Ducks will enter the 2026 season with college football's second-best roster. Only the Texas Longhorns should have a better team on paper. 

The Ducks have the talent to make their third straight appearance in the College Football Playoff, but the schedule will be brutal for head coach Dan Lanning's team. 

Oregon will go on the road to play USC and Ohio State. It will have home games against Washington and Michigan. The non-conference schedule won't be a cakewalk with contests against Oklahoma State and Boise State.

With a challenging schedule, the Ducks should have some grace to lose a couple of games, if not three, and make the CFP. 

Brad Crawford of CBS Sports is predicting Oregon to finish with an 11-1 record in the regular season and go 8-1 in Big Ten play. He predicts the Ducks' loss to come to the Buckeyes.

"By our estimation, Oregon enters the 2026 season as the team to beat in the Big Ten and a legitimate national championship contender," Crawford wrote. "Dan Lanning has recruited and developed at an elite level, and the Ducks once again boast one of the nation's deepest rosters on both sides of the football.

"An 11-1 regular season feels like the most likely outcome as long as Oregon topples USC and Michigan, with a road trip to Ohio State serving as the lone blemish. Winning in Columbus is one of college football's toughest assignments, even for a playoff-caliber team."

While Ohio State earns a win at home, Crawford thinks the Ducks would beat Ohio State on a neutral field for the Big Ten Championship Game.

"Oregon falls short there, but the Ducks spend the rest of the season overwhelming opponents with explosive playmakers, veteran leadership and one of the conference's most-complete defenses," Crawford wrote.

"The payoff comes in Indianapolis. With a rematch against Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game, Oregon gets another crack at the Buckeyes and capitalizes. A projected win over Ohio State for a conference title is why we have the Ducks as the league's top seed in the CFP."

That prediction feels like a best-case scenario for the Ducks. With two new coordinators, Oregon will need to work out some kinks in the regular season.

With that being said, the Ducks have way too much talent to lose three games, and missing out on the CFP would be disastrous for this squad.