Oregon is drawing attention in the national championship futures market, and CBS Sports thinks the Ducks offer the best value on the board for 2026.
DraftKings lists Oregon at +800 to win it all, good for the fourth-best odds behind Ohio State, Notre Dame and Texas. Even so, CBS Sports’ Gene Menez argued earlier this week that the Ducks are the smartest bet among the contenders, pointing to a familiar Big Ten formula.
"The last three teams to win the national championship -- Michigan (in 2023), Ohio State ('24) and Indiana, all from the Big Ten -- have shared three main traits: a senior-laden roster, veteran quarterback and nasty defense," he began. "This year that team is Oregon.
Two seasons after going 13-1 and earning the No. 1 overall seed in the CFP bracket and one season after going 13-2 and reaching the CFP semifinals, coach Dan Lanning and the Ducks have assembled a roster filled with Sunday-level talent. Quarterback Dante Moore, center Iapani Laloulu, defensive linemen Bear Alexander, A'Mauri Washington and Teitum Tuioti and linebacker Matayo Uiagalelei all opted to bypass the NFL Draft to return to Eugene for one last shot at the national championship."
Menez also leaned on what Oregon has done over the last two seasons and how the schedule lines up this fall. The Ducks are 26-3 in that span, and the only teams to beat them went on to win the national title: Ohio State in 2024 and Indiana twice last year.
"This fall, the Ducks have a manageable Big Ten schedule. Their toughest road games figure to come at USC (Sept. 26) and at Ohio State (Nov.
7). But they avoid Indiana and get Michigan (Nov. 14) at home.
They are likely to be favorites against every opponent except for the Buckeyes, and even a 10-2 record should be enough to get Oregon into the bracket come December."
There are still reasons to pause before locking in the Ducks. Oregon enters the season with three new starters on the offensive line, including both tackle spots, and a true freshman may end up starting at right tackle. The offense and defense are also both moving to new coordinators.
Still, Menez argued that Oregon has enough built-in stability to offset those concerns. Laloulu was a Rimington Trophy finalist last season, the Ducks have been Joe Moore Award finalists for three straight years, and the new coordinators, Drew Mehringer on offense and Chris Hampton on defense, were both promoted from within.
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Oregon Is Suddenly In The Mix For A Proven Guard Again
A Colorado judges ruling this week has reopened a lane that college basketball had largely assumed was closed, giving players from the 2022 recruiting class another year of NCAA eligibility and sending ripple effects across the sport. Programs are now reworking boards and gauging who might actually consider a return, and Oregon has emerged as one of the teams keeping tabs on the market as it shifts in real time.
Among the names drawing attention is Memphis guard Dug McDaniel, a veteran of stops at Michigan and Kansas State before landing at Memphis, with multiple schools now monitoring whether hell stay in college after all. For the Ducks, it is the kind of late-emerging opportunity that can reshape a backcourt quickly if the right player decides to move, even if the next step in his process is still coming into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon May Have A Late Backcourt Decision To Make
Oregons roster planning for next season may have picked up an unexpected wrinkle after a U.S. District Court judge granted a preliminary injunction requiring the NCAA to declare eligible all high school class of 2022 athletes who exhausted four seasons of eligibility this spring. The ruling matters in Eugene because former Ducks guard Takai Simpkins was part of the case, and his situation suddenly has to be viewed through a different lens as the staff continues shaping the back end of its roster.
The Ducks have already assembled most of what they want, but they have also kept a few spots open, which leaves room for late movement if the right opportunity appears. Simpkins would give Oregon another option in the backcourt mix, and the timing makes the whole situation worth watching even after the portal season has mostly settled down. [Read more 🡒]
Oregons Tight End Battle Could Change The Ducks Offense Fast
The Ducks 2026 tight end picture already looks like one of the more interesting roster battles on the board, and it has the potential to reshape the offense sooner than later. Incoming five-star recruit Kendre Harrison arrives with the kind of profile that turns heads immediately, especially because he brings both blocking and receiving ability to the room, while returning tight end Jamari Johnson gives Oregon another proven option to work with.
Harrisons athletic upside adds another layer to the discussion, and his expected involvement in college basketball only underscores how unusual his talent set is. Even before a snap is played, Oregon appears set up with strong options at the position, which makes the competition worth watching closely as the Ducks sort out how much of the passing game can flow through the tight end spot. [Read more 🡒]