Oregon is starting the 2026 season in a familiar place these days: near the very top of the sport, with the kind of preseason buzz that comes with real national title talk.
The Ducks landed at No. 2 in the preseason USA Today Coaches Poll released Tuesday, earning 1,637 points and six first-place votes. Only Ohio State sits ahead of them, with the Buckeyes opening at No. 1 after picking up 1,741 points and 38 first-place votes. Georgia checks in at No. 3 with seven first-place votes, followed by Texas and Notre Dame.
That ranking gives Oregon one of the highest preseason spots in program history, but it also comes with the weight that now follows the Ducks into every fall. Under Dan Lanning, Oregon has kept pushing deeper into the postseason, and that progress has raised the standard around the program just as much as the expectations.
At Oregon’s annual media day Monday inside Autzen Stadium, Lanning talked about the challenge that comes with living in that spotlight.
"There are going to be moments of adversity throughout the year," Lanning said. "There are going to be moments of success.
There's going to be high praise and there's going to be low praise. We already know those things are going to happen.
How do you handle them?
"It's about making a decision in advance about how you're going to respond, what that looks like and how you handle it."
The Ducks bring back a veteran core, including quarterback Dante Moore and a number of proven pieces on both sides of the ball. That experience is a big reason Oregon is being discussed as one of the sport’s top championship threats heading into the fall.
Still, Lanning was quick to remind everyone that this is not a finished product. Oregon lost players to the NFL, and the roster has plenty of new faces mixed in with the returners.
"I thought we had a lot of young talent last year and certainly a lot of talent overall," Lanning said. "We lost some guys to the NFL, so we lost some pieces of the puzzle, but we also have a lot back.
"That being said, there's experience, but I recently told our team, 'Raise your hand if you're new.' There are still a lot of new faces in that room."
That makes the veterans even more important. Lanning said the newcomers will need to lean on the players who have already been through the grind and understand what Oregon’s standards look like in real time.
"It's going to be about that experience and having the young guys and new guys lean on the people who have been here before to learn what it's supposed to look like and how it all plays out," Lanning said.
The poll also shows just how strong the Big Ten looks at the top end. Ohio State and Oregon hold the first two spots, while Indiana is No. 6 after receiving 14 first-place votes, the second-most in the country.
USC opens at No. 14, Michigan at No.
16, Penn State at No. 17, Washington at No. 19 and Iowa at No.
For all the attention that comes with a No. 2 ranking, Lanning said the real work happens in camp, not in the polls. He pointed to the details Oregon has to clean up before the season arrives.
"Are guys making the same mistakes twice?" Lanning said.
"Do they understand the concepts we're trying to institute? Do our coaches become comfortable in the roles they're taking on?"
There’s still plenty for Oregon to sort out. The Ducks need to settle on their best offensive line combination, find the right complementary tight ends and continue working two internally promoted coordinators into bigger roles.
Even with those changes, Lanning said the identity has to stay the same.
"What has won games for us in the past has to be the same thing that wins games for us in the future: our ability to tackle well, block well and execute plays at a high level," Lanning said.
"There will be little things on each side of the ball that might look different, but if you don't block well, it doesn't matter. If you don't tackle well, it doesn't matter. It's really fundamentals, technique and effort that we have to maximize during fall camp."
So the Ducks open the season with a number next to their name that says contender. Lanning’s message is simpler than that. He wants the team locked in on the daily work, not the outside noise.
Asked Monday for one word to describe the group, he didn’t hesitate for long.
"Probably 'hungry,' but I've probably said that before," Lanning said. "This group is hungry to get out there and work. That's probably the word I would use to describe it."
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Gernorris Wilson Just Reentered Oregons Tackle Battle
Gernorris Wilsons first start at right tackle was supposed to be a big step forward, a chance to see how the redshirt freshman fit into Oregons offensive line plans. Instead, the game turned quickly when he broke his foot and the injury wiped out the rest of his 2025 season, then kept him sidelined through spring practice as the Ducks kept sorting out the edge of their front.
Now Wilson is back in the conversation as fall camp approaches, and that alone gives Oregon another live competition to watch on the line. He says he expects to be fully ready when camp opens, and he is open to lining up wherever he is needed, which should make him part of a crowded battle for a starting spot as the Ducks try to settle the tackle picture. [Read more 🡒]
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Lanning also pointed to the running back room as a group that should help define the offense early, while outside linebacker Nasir Wyatt offered a snapshot of how the roster is changing physically this offseason. Wyatt talked about his own added weight and also noted teammate Matayo Uiagaleleis trimming down, a detail that caught attention because of the way it fits the Ducks broader push to get faster and more efficient across the board. [Read more 🡒]
Oregons New Quarterback Just Added Intrigue Behind Dante Moore
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Raiola is expected to learn from behind Moore for now, which makes the transition as much about patience as it is about talent. He has already handled the pressure of being a starter at Nebraska, and now the task is adjusting to Oregons offense while finding a way to help in a reserve role. The bigger question is how quickly he can carve out a real place in the room, and whether his recovery and comfort level keep building from here. [Read more 🡒]