The Big Ten has officially rolled out its 2026 football schedules, and for the Oregon Ducks, Year Three in their new conference home is shaping up to be a fascinating test of depth, continuity, and championship ambition.
Coming off a 13-2 campaign that ended just shy of a national championship appearance, Oregon enters 2026 with momentum - and expectations. The Ducks closed the 2025 season ranked No. 4 in the final AP Top 25, and their Big Ten résumé is already turning heads: an 18-3 record against conference opponents since joining in 2024, including a dominant 17-1 mark in regular-season play.
That lone blemish? A 30-20 loss at home to eventual national champion Indiana - a game that still stings in Eugene.
But the Ducks aren’t resetting. They’re reloading.
On defense, Oregon returns a front line that’s as disruptive as any in the country. Matayo Uiagalelei, A’Mauri Washington, Teitum Tuioti, and Bear Alexander are all back to anchor a unit that’s built to win in the trenches - a must in a conference known for its physicality.
Offensively, the Ducks are just as stacked. Center Iapani “Poncho” Laloulu, a Rimmington Award finalist, returns to lead the offensive line, and star quarterback Dante Moore is back under center, giving Oregon one of the most experienced and dynamic signal-callers in the Big Ten.
A Closer Look at the 2026 Slate
Oregon’s schedule features 12 games - three non-conference matchups and nine in the Big Ten. Two of those non-conference games will be played at Autzen Stadium, with one road trip mixed in.
The Ducks open the season on Sept. 5 against Boise State, who will be playing their first game as members of the newly-realigned Pac-12. A week later, Oregon hits the road for a showdown in Stillwater against Oklahoma State (Sept. 12), a team breaking in a new head coach. The non-conference portion wraps up on Sept. 19 with a home game against FCS opponent Portland State, who also enters 2026 with new leadership.
One major omission from the slate? Oregon State.
For the first time since 1945, the Civil War rivalry won’t be played. There’s hope the series could return in 2027, but for now, it’s on pause - a notable absence in one of college football’s longest-running rivalries.
Conference Play: No Easy Weeks
Oregon kicks off Big Ten play on the road at USC on Sept. 26 before hitting their lone bye week. From there, it’s a grueling eight-game stretch with no breaks - a true test of depth and durability.
The Ducks return home for back-to-back games against UCLA (Oct. 10) and Nebraska (Oct. 17), both of which are led by new head coaches. Then it’s a pattern of alternating road and home games: at Illinois (Oct. 24), home vs.
Northwestern (Oct. 31), at Ohio State (Nov. 7), home vs. Michigan (Nov. 14), at Michigan State (Nov. 21), and finally, a rivalry clash with Washington at Autzen on Nov.
That closing stretch is no joke. Ohio State - the only 2026 opponent to make last year’s College Football Playoff - will be a marquee matchup. Michigan and Washington, both CFP top-25 teams at points last season, round out a November slate that could have major postseason implications.
The Road Ahead
Of Oregon’s 12 opponents, four (USC, Ohio State, Michigan, and Washington) were ranked in the CFP top 25 at some point in 2025. Five programs - Oklahoma State, Portland State, UCLA, Michigan, and Michigan State - will be under new head coaches, adding another layer of unpredictability to the schedule.
This isn’t a schedule built for coasting. It’s built for contenders.
The Ducks have the pieces. They’ve got the quarterback.
They’ve got the line play on both sides of the ball. And they’ve got a recent track record that says they belong in the national conversation.
Now, it’s about proving it - week in and week out.
Oregon Ducks 2026 Football Schedule
- Sept. 5: vs. Boise State
- Sept. 12: at Oklahoma State
- Sept. 19: vs.
Portland State (FCS)
- Sept. 26: at USC
- Oct. 10: vs. UCLA
- Oct. 17: vs. Nebraska
- Oct. 24: at Illinois
- Oct. 31: vs.
Northwestern
- Nov. 7: at Ohio State
- Nov. 14: vs. Michigan
- Nov. 21: at Michigan State
- Nov. 28: vs.
Washington
Kickoff times and TV info are still to be announced, but one thing’s already clear: Oregon’s 2026 campaign will be must-watch football.