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The 2026 Preseason AP Poll has been released. From now until the Playoff Committee's first reveal on Tuesday, November 3rd, these will be the rankings in common use. Will the 2026 season be a circus? It does start with a B1G Top: Ohio State is ranked first and Oregon 2nd. Ohio State has been ranked 1st before, but this is rare air for Our Beloved Ducks. You'll note that the Bucks received 41 1st-place votes; Oregon received 14. Make room on the Bulletin Board! Ohio State returns a whole lot of firepower on offense, including the best WR in college football, a Heisman finalist QB, and four starters on the O-line. But did you see those guys playing like Matadors against Indiana and Miami? OLE! Ohio State is always stocked with talent, but a bevy of Buckeyes on the 2025 team are now playing in the NFL. And the schedule goes from 'manageable' to one of the most difficult in all of college football. This question is for the Bucks and the Ducks: is there a kicker in the house? Ohio State made an excellent late-game drive to set up a chippy field-goal attempt that would have taken the conference champ game into OT. No Good. Ohio State had a good 1st half drive against Miami in the Cotton Bowl that was stalled, and the kicker biffed an easy attempt. Make no mistake, Ohio State will be a very tough out for any opponent, but for the Buckeyes to receive 27 more first-place votes than Oregon? Coming at you, Brute, on 11/7. The top three vote-getters, Ohio State, Oregon, and Georgia, mirror the Coaches Poll ranking. Notre Dame moves up from five to No. 4, and Texas drops from 4th to 5th. Six SEC teams are in the Top-12 Playoff zone, along with Ohio State, Oregon, No. 6 Indiana, No. 4 Notre Dame, No. 7 Miami, and 12 Texas Tech. Number 11-ranked LSU, up two spots from its Coaches Poll ranking, would be knocked out of the Playoff by No. 12-ranked Texas Tech, moving up to the PO 11th seed, with the highest-ranked G6 team, 34th-ranked Boise State, being the PO's 12th seed. This would be delicious. 😁 I'm certain that Lane Kiffin and the always reasonable and respectful LSU fans would gratefully accept an invite to the Mayonnaise Bowl. And a 12-team PO field would be all good. Nine SEC teams are ranked in the Top 25, eight B1G teams, four B12 teams, three ACC teams, and Notre Dame. The AP voters put their stamp on college football having an upper tier of the Big Ten, the SEC, Notre Dame, and then eight other conferences. Clemson, ranked 23rd in the Coaches Poll, is ranked 26th in the AP Poll. Illinois is ranked 33rd, Minnesota 38th, and Week 2 opponent Oklahoma State is ranked 34th. There is a B1G drop from Indiana, ranked No. 6, to No. 14 USC, No. 16 Michigan, No. 17 Washington, No. 18 Penn State, and No. 22 Iowa. Five SEC teams are ranked between Indiana and USC. The AP voters have put their stamp on the SEC being the deepest conference in college football. The SEC will receive too much conference strength-of-schedule love, perpetuating the deeper-conference myth. The last two times No. 13 Alabama played No. 16 Michigan, the Tide lost. In 2024, No. 14 USC defeated No. 11 LSU and No. 8 Texas A&M. As John Adams noted, facts are inconvenient things. In 2024 and 2025, the Big Ten went 10-2 versus the SEC. What better evidence is there of the B1G closing in on and arguably surpassing the SEC since the NIL college football paradigm shift, exacerbated by unregulated free agency? Your Forum Honors, I humbly submit 'Exhibit B': Saint Nick left town. No one should be surprised the next time an SEC team wins a Natty. There are many good football programs in the SEC, and money is not an issue at LSU, Texas, and other programs. But to ignore the evidence based on bombastic claims from That Other Commissioner Down South, well ... So be it. I'll take our guy who speaks softly and carries a B1G stick. On3College Football Rankings: Preseason AP Poll Top 25 released.

Oregon Ducks projected depth chart after second week of fall campProjecting the Oregon Ducks football depth chart after the second week of 2026 fall camp, with several key position battles taking shape. https://duckswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/ducks/football/2026/08/17/oregon-football-projected-depth-chart-fall-camp-2026/91330182007/

Happy Monday all, today I take a look at the notion of the 24 team playoff. The 24 Team Playoff Will be Bad but PopularThere is no stopping the College Football Playoff from expanding to 24 teams.

AS OREGON MOVES FROM SCRIMMAGE ONE TOWARD SCRIMMAGE TWOThe Ducks have their first 120-play evaluation behind them. Now the questions begin shifting from what Oregon might have to what it can trust before Saturday’s second scrimmage.DSC Inside Read: 3-2-1 as Oregon moves from Scrimmage One...Oregon Ducks football, Dan Lanning, Oregon recruiting, college football, NIL, Big Ten, Pac-12, Scott Reed, Duck Sports Central, recruiting news

The Buckeyes received 40 first-place votes and Oregon received 14 in voting by 69 media members who cover college football. Notre Dame received six first-place votes, Indiana got eight and Miami one. This is the first year a conference has held down the top two spots in the preseason poll since Oklahoma and Nebraska of the Big Eight were 1-2 in 1987. https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/49639557/ohio-state-oregon-headline-preseason-ap-college-football-poll Preseason AP Poll highlights one key foe for Oregon to hunt downGiven all the respect that Ohio State has gotten heading into such an exciting year for the Ducks, it blends Oregon getting respect with giving Dan Lanning something to motivate the team. The Ducks get to face Ohio State this season, and after the beating Oregon took in the Rose Bowl, this ranking only adds fuel to the fire. Oregon is hoping to finally win a National Championship, and the Ducks are going to have to beat the best to be the best. The Ducks will get their chance to be battled tested when they face the Buckeyes, and Dan Lanning will be able to harp on Ohio State getting all the respect as the program builds to that point. Autzen ZooPreseason AP Poll highlights one key foe for Oregon to hu...Monday marked a key date in the college football offseason as the reveal of the Preseason AP Poll truly brings the feeling that games are on the horizon. Coming

AP Preseason Poll is out - Ohio State No. 1 and OBD 2nd - A record indeed. AP Preseason Poll Top 25 Released for 2026 College Footba...Weeks after being the overwhelming No. 1 pick in the Coaches Poll, Ohio State claimed the top spot in the preseason Associated Press Top 25.

Will the Ducks rise above their highest ever ranking of No. 3 (2011, 2013, 2014, and 2024) ? Oregon Ducks on Potential Verge of Making History in Preseason AP Top 25 Poll

The big question for Oregon ahead of the Preseason AP Poll reveal: Will the Ducks be No. 1?In the end, preseason rankings don't mean anything, and last year's No. 1 Texas missed the College Football Playoff entirely. Rankings are fun fodder for the fans, and the No. 1 ranking could end up being more of a burden, but it would also only raise the excitement before what could be a historic season for the program. Autzen ZooThe big question for Oregon ahead of the Preseason AP Pol...The college football season is rapidly approaching, and with each small checkpoint in the offseason, it feels like the season is arriving. Monday marks one of t

The final B1G win total six-pack includes the four programs that escaped the Pac, with Oregon and Washington catching the last B1G plane out. It's all good even though the Northwest teams are traveling coach through 2030. PENN STATE - Under 9.5 - Agree. The Big Ten is rolling out the scheduling red carpet for Matt Campbell and the other Cyclones who blew into Happy Valley. No Indiana, Ohio State, or Oregon on the schedule, and USC visits after consecutive home games vs. Oregon and Washington in Weeks 4 and 5. Week 4: PSU entertains Wisconsin, and Week 5 is at Northwestern for the opening game at renovated Ryan Field. Not easy, but Wisconsin and Northwestern are not going to contend for a Big Ten championship, as will SC and UW. SC's visit to Beaver Stadium will be in White Out conditions. Penn State plays three donut holes out of conference, and in addition to Wisconsin and Northwestern, the Nittany Lions play Purdue, Minnesota, and Rutgers at home and finish the season with a game at Maryland. Other than the SC game and games at Michigan and Washington, Penn State will be favored in every game, and if it can win one of the SC, Michigan, or Washington games, the team could be in the playoff field mix. But I don't see Penn State, even with Rocco Becht at QB, coming in 26 wins, the most in CFB, and surrounded by familiar coaching and player faces, winning ten games. There will be at least one burp. UCLA - Over 6.5 - Agree. Like Coach Cignetti, Bob Chesney comes to Westwood with winning records wherever he has coached, including taking James Madison to the 2025 playoffs, something Cignetti did not accomplish. The JMU defense was overwhelmed by Oregon in the first half of the first-round 2025 playoff game in Autzen. But JMU never quit, putting up 34 points on the Oregon defense. Chesney cleaned house in Westwood. 62 new players are on the roster, 42 transfers, 10 coming in from JMU, and 20 1st-year players, who used to be referred to as Freshmen. The schedule is not Penn State Lite, but it is the Big Ten's 15th-easiest schedule, and I think UCLA will win eight or more games and be a tough out in every contest, including the Week 6 visit to Autzen. Like Kyle Whittingham at Michigan, Matt Campbell at Penn State, and Pat Fitzgerald at Michigan State, Chesney at UCLA is a terrific hire, as is already shown by currently being ranked 17th in the Rivals recruiting rankings. This guy will be a pain in the Ducks' tail feathers. USC - Under 8.5 - Disagree. Oh, spit, this is it for Linc and the Trojans. The hierarchy in South Central has been aligned, and the wallets have been opened. 15 starters are back, the most in college football. The schedule is one of the most difficult in the nation and the B1G. But San Jose State replaces Notre Dame, and two of the B1G's 2025 playoff teams, Oregon and Ohio State, visit LA, as does Washington. Last season, SC did not lose a home game, including solid wins over Iowa and Michigan. SC does travel to Happy Valley to play Penn State, to Bloomington to play Indiana, and goes cross-town to play UCLA. But the Trojans play at Rutgers and Wisconsin, and play Maryland at home. I think SC easily covers the 8.5, and if Gary Patterson can get the defense to play with more consistency and cohesiveness, and the team doesn't choke on the road, for the first time since Linc arrived, SC should be in the playoff field. WASHINGTON - Over 7.5. Agree and then some. UW at 7.5 wins is one of the best over value bets on the board. UW does have to travel to SC, but fortunately, the week after Oregon visits LA. Iowa and Indiana visit Seattle, and the two games in the Eastern Time Zone are against Purdue and Michigan State. Washington brings back a very good, experienced QB in Demond Williams, is well coached, and after going 9-4 in 2025 with an impressive bowl win over Boise State, the Huskies are another B1G team with legitimate playoff hopes. OHIO STATE - Under 9.5 - Disagree. Coming into 2025, it was The Ohio State University, as it was during the season, with the Buckeyes going undefeated against Texas and an otherwise relatively easy schedule. Then came a 0-2 postseason wake-up call where, against Indiana and Miami, the Buckeyes' O-line and, consequently, Heisman finalist QB Julian Sayin, collapsed. In many preseason polls, Ohio State is ranked No. 1. But the schedule is brutal, and yes, four starters on the 2024 O-line are back, but will the unit as a whole show significant improvement against top-drawer competition? I do see Ohio State winning at least ten games and returning to the playoff, but at Texas, USC, Indiana, Iowa, and at home against OBD and Michigan? Whew! OREGON - Over 10.5. Agree. But it won't be easy, especially with a November slate of Ohio State on the road, Michigan, Michigan State on the road for a Friday night game with a 7:30 local time kickoff, and back home to play Washington in the eighth consecutive game without a break. MERCY! The contributors to this fantastic Forum cover, ponder, and discuss OBD in depth. I do not have an epiphany or a revelation regarding Oregon football beyond what Forum friends provide. If my musings ring true, only four Big Ten teams will not be bowl-eligible in 2026, two fewer than last season, and like 2024, I believe four Big Ten teams will be in the playoff field. SO, BEAT BOISE!

Both loses we did not get to or pressure the qb as much as needed too.

I think the Ohio State loss was based off a misconception of thinking the first game game plan was good enough to repeat. Most forget all the bounces and decisions needed to go the Ducks way in a very close one point home win. Will Howard missed a lot of open reads as he was only a few games in his Ohio State tenure. Dan Lanning should've watched the Tennessee coverages against Ohio State the week before. Why didn't they clean up those holes in the zone, or not have a safety playing roamer on man? The Indiana loss was actually quite the opposite imo. The first game was actually quite closer than the playoff..I think the coaches could've taken more from the first game, instead they switched up the defense too much. The disguised coverages actually confused Oregon more than Indiana. Indiana didn't have the freak athletes Ohio State did. You should've played them more aggressive like Iowa, Ohio State, and Miami did. On offense, you actually ran the ball pretty well in the first game. It seems like you put too much on Moore after you fell behind in the second matchup. Indiana was a very disciplined opponent that knew their gap control, and coverages. But you could've tired that smaller defensive line down if you had ran the ball more, and maintained longer earlier drives. Obviously there's way more reasons. There are way smarter people, with way more knowledge than a fan or television analyst, that are working under Lanning right now. They will still have mess ups because every other top program also has really intelligent people. So yeah those results will happen, and we'll question the coaching staff. But the true answer is because Indiana and Ohio State were really freaking good, as they ended up winning it all. There are about eight programs that have a legitimate chance to win a title every year. Oregon is one of those programs. I would take Lanning in a heartbeat as my head coach over anyone not named Cignetti, Day, or Smart.

Tomorrow's Top 25 Today: Big Ten takeover in the top five in new college football rankingsProjecting the preseason college football rankings from the AP Top 25 poll https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/top-25-preseason-rankings-big-ten/

For what it's worth, I think the Ducks won the 2nd half in both games. So maybe some adjustments were made. I too am a firm believer in our head coach. Since day 1. After all, he has a great name and the right initials.

What Mike said! I'm a fan. Mike West, Charles, the Coach, David Marsh, and others on the Forum are fans and analysts, and it is terrific to get their POV. Mike, thanks for pointing out what I have pondered since Indiana defeated Miami on Miami's home field to win one of the most out-of-nowhere titles in the history of not just football but across all sports. How ironic would it have been for Indiana to have lost late by doing un-Indiana-like things? An All-American tackle draws a false start penalty. Otherwise, Indiana is odds-on to run out the clock. (But the FG, and not a 1st down or two, did cover some folks I know. 😍) Then, a D lineman does a Miami-like thing and, very late in the game, roughs the passer. This is exactly how Miami lost at SMU last season. Such oddities can waste a superior team effort and turn an entire game. Ergo, Mike, your excellent point about the vagaries of coaching. A coach can have his team ready to play, push all the right buttons, and still lose, especially to teams with equal talent and coaching, at every level. Ask Pete Carroll, Beast Mode, Bill Belichick, Tom Brady, and Malcolm Butler. (Malcolm Butler?) I read 'It's Natty or Bust' for Oregon this season and shake my head, plus 🤬. As other Forum Friends have noted, one team will conclude its 16th or 17th game of the season and be happy coming off the Allegiant Stadium field in Las Vegas. One team only. Will it be Our Beloved Ducks? I certainly hope so. If not, this is not the last quality Oregon team that Dan Lanning will put on the field. No Natty? Dan and the coaching staff are not going to quit. The excellent players who are flocking to Eugene are not going to quit. And Oregon fans are not going to quit. BEAT BOISE!

Oregon players name freshmen standing out so far: Immanuel Iheanacho, Devin Jackson, Jett Washington, Xavier Lherisse and Azel Banag. Oregon Ducks Players Identify Which True Freshmen Are Standing Out

Bulked up Wyatt to be utilized more than 39 snaps this year. Oregon football: Ducks finding new ways to use Nasir Wyatt

Both playoff loses had similar starts that immediately shifted momentum before you even sat down in your chair. Against tOSU. two DBs collide as a receiver then trots down field for a quick TD. Against Indy, a first play pick six brings the same result. One side shows up ready to play while the other stumbles out of the gate. To quote Hudson in Aliens, "Game over man. Game over." Both games soon spiraled out of control as one team settled in to their groove while the other lost composer. Every other game Lanning has lost since UGA has come down to the wire. I think we see a matured Lanning this year as he will now be in year five as a head coach. I think this year is the year that the team gets it done. Can't wait for the season to start.

Jerry Mixon is turning heads in the linebacker room and on the field with Leadership and onfield performance! Oregon Ducks On SIOregon Linebacker Jerry Mixon Turns Heads With Latest NFL...With the departure of Bryce Boettcher to the Indianapolis Colts, new leaders will emerge in the Oregon Ducks linebacker room throughout the 2026 college footbal

Beating the best in this era means beating your best as well. Kirby has struggled now that the field is equal. Saban left before he had to taste it multiple years. That doesn't mean they wouldn't ever raise a trophy. Both those coaches are masters of the game. There are only 4 active coaches that have won a title and have a shot at getting another this year. Let's just take the Power 4 teams. That's 4 out of 68? Let's dig deeper and include only those programs that really test the best. What? Maybe 15? That's roughly 25 percent of the field. You know, the usual statistics (20% of the field produces 80% of the performance). I personally believe the OL that was good enough to win a title was Lanning's first. He had a mediocre defense and nowhere near the WRs he has now. That OL unit put some serious rush yards on one of the best college football's defenses of all time. They pass protected even better. They didn't have guys that could burn teams like Ohio State (circa 2024) and Georgia (circa 2023 and 2022). They had em last year (not a good enough OL) and they have em this year (we'll have to wait and see). So what Lanning has done with the limitations he has had relative to his fellow elite coaches is tremendous. I still believe Ohio State and Georgia have the most talent THIS YEAR. So it will be Dante Moore playing like elite NFL QBs this year in my opinion. He is going to have to throw in some of the tightest windows-on time-before receivers even know they are open. And some of that will be coaching on a level above the NFL's best. My opinion of course. But that is what I see. And believe me-what Dan Lanning has done the past two years with talent I did not believe was capable of accomplishing what they did (to the degree I really thought they had a chance in the Peach Bowl despite the situation) is beyond incredible. They guy is on the trail to winning a title. And I am not fantasizing when I say that.

I also do not believe blame is the correct word (great click bait though-no shade against you-it naturally piques our curiosity). I will always support Dan Lanning. Despite my "distaste" for some of the strategy moves I have seen. I have done quite a bit of study about OBD and other elite teams. There are some very justifiable reasons for what Lanning has schemed. There also are legitimate reasons for staying the course. It is VERY, VERY difficult to adjust to conditions on the ground in a game. Some may even accuse coaches of panicking if they do so- a coach "can't win" no matter what he does-fans are fickle. Which is why I loved it when Lanning put on the FEBU shirt after taking down Ohio State in Eugene. We all want to see OBD win the big ones. I am very spoiled, because I want to see obliteration. Most especially against Ohio State's fan base. We got to USC and the Fuskies-Ohio State in particular is on my radar. Simply because that fan base is horrible. They excoriated Ryan Day despite the guy's effort (and results) to improve the program damn near every year. Not to mention their outright arrogance (we have it to, as well as way too many fan bases in college football). What does that have to do with where OBD are and who is to blame? There simply are too many variables for a coach to control. Indiana really put the pedal to the metal last year and they STILL almost lost their title. It would have been heartbreaking to see them lose had Carson Beck threw his pass 4 to 5 yards deeper. After all the dominance they displayed, and their uncanny ability to execute so well under pressure all year. An illegal procedure penalty and a defensive penalty almost cost Indiana a title. Two simple mistakes almost tanked one of the most unbelievable stories ever. So what Lanning got blown out twice. Do you think he is contemplating his own blowouts? Do you think he is thinking outside the box to get his title(2)? And guess what-if we were in his shoes-oh boy guess how much nonsense we would have to put up with. I knew Casey Brooks-Rich Brooks' daughter. She used to tell me many a horror story of what fans put her and her father through. Brooks kept on chuggin and pluggin. Which is exactly what Lanning will do. I BELIEVE LANNING BRINGS US A TITLE. He is too smart, too determined and too dedicated to furthering the goals of everyone in his program. Those are ingredients that lend to the ultimate success. Sometimes you gotta lose to learn how to win.

Thanks all for your insights. Some good stuff here.

It's definitely a different world. I sort of got over the reality that tattoos are far more commonplace today than they were three decades ago. My son - who graduated from Michigan Law School and worked at an elite Corporate Law firm (Baker McKenzie) and now works at PwC - has one full sleeve. It's just a different time.

Dylan Raiola's latest development is exactly what Oregon fans wanted to see"Dylan has gotten a lot better. He looks like a night-and-day different player from when he got here in the spring. With that being said, there's moments already from today that we've got to improve — that's something we've got to attack. And that's the case for every single player on the team, not just Dylan." Autzen ZooDylan Raiola's latest development is exactly what Oregon...When the Oregon Ducks were able to get Dante Moore to return to Eugene for one final season, it quickly eliminated what likely would've been a need at quarterba

Oregon Head Coach Dan Lanning and Rich Eisen discuss the big expectations for Heisman hopeful and likely top 10 NFL Draft pick Dante Moore this season, explains why moving the College Football Playoff championship game to New Year’s Day is a no-brainer decision, weighs in on the Jayden Daniels/LSU #5 beef and tries to turn TJ into a Ducks fan by enticing him with a rare pair of Air Jordans, and reveals why it’s important for him to maintain relationships with his former players when they move on to the NFL.

Ducks check lots of boxes in fall scrimmage No. 1, still more work to do https://247sports.com/college/oregon/article/ducks-check-lots-of-boxes-in-fall-scrimmage-no-1-still-more-work-to-do-288967158/