Oregon will open the 2026 season carrying the highest preseason ranking in program history.
The Ducks landed at No. 2 in the USA Today preseason coaches poll, which was released Tuesday morning. That marks the best preseason position Oregon has ever earned in either the coaches poll or the Associated Press poll.
Oregon finished with 1,637 points and six first-place votes, trailing only Ohio State. The Buckeyes checked in at No. 1 with 1,741 points and 38 first-place votes.
The rest of the top five is Georgia at No. 3, Texas at No. 4 and Notre Dame at No.
- Defending national champion Indiana is No. 6, and national runner-up Miami sits at No.
The Big Ten also shows up heavily elsewhere in the poll. USC is ranked No.
14, Michigan No. 16, Penn State No.
17, Washington No. 19 and Iowa No. 22.
For Oregon, the early slate already points to some heavyweight matchups. The Ducks will hit the road to face No.
1 Ohio State on Nov. 7 in what the rankings make look like the biggest game of the regular season. They open Big Ten play against No.
14 USC on Sept. 26, then later host No. 16 Michigan on Nov. 14 and No.
19 Washington on Nov. 28.
Of course, preseason rankings only set the table. The only poll that really matters is the College Football Playoff committee’s.
The AP preseason college football poll is scheduled to be released at 9 a.m. PT on Aug. 17.
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Former Oregon Standout Faces Early NFL Camp Concern Despite Hopeful Outlook
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There is also less encouraging news elsewhere in the Ducks' NFL pipeline, with former Oregon names already navigating significant injury situations before camp can fully settle in. Jordan James is dealing with a rib fracture in San Francisco, and Noah Sewell remains on the Bears' physically unable to perform list as he continues his recovery from a torn Achilles, leaving Oregon fans watching a familiar list of pros for updates as the preseason unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Jersey Patch Debate Feels Bigger Than Just A Sponsor
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What makes the conversation around Davison more interesting is how much it goes beyond raw ability. He and James both pointed to the depth in Oregons running back room, but the real next step is Davisons growing feel for reading defenses, which should only make his physical style even harder to handle. He played through a broken collarbone in a College Football Playoff game, and if that kind of resilience pairs with a sharper understanding of what he is seeing up front, Oregon may have another dangerous weapon on its hands. [Read more 🡒]