The Big Ten is loaded again, and Oregon is walking straight into the middle of it.
That’s the reality for the Ducks as they head into the 2026 season, a year in which they’re chasing the first national championship in program history while trying to help the conference extend its run of dominance. The Big Ten has won the last three national championships, and Oregon’s path begins Sept. 5 against Boise State at Autzen Stadium before the conference grind really takes over.
When the Ducks start sorting through the toughest names on the schedule, a few stand out immediately.
Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is near the top of the list, and for good reason. He’s being viewed as one of the best receivers in college football and a top 2027 NFL Draft prospect, and he could be central to what might end up as the game of the season when Oregon travels to Columbus on Nov.
- The Ducks will lean on a secondary that includes sophomore cornerback Brandon Finney Jr. and Minnesota transfer safety Koi Perich, both of whom are expected to help make Oregon’s defense one of the best units on the team.
Smith has been every bit the star in two seasons with the Buckeyes, piling up 163 catches, 2,558 yards, and 27 touchdowns.
That same Nov. 7 matchup also puts Oregon in front of Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin, another player who could shape the Heisman Trophy race. Sayin, like Oregon quarterback Dante Moore, is seen as a contender for the award, and the two could be dueling for it in Columbus. In his first season as Ohio State’s starter, Sayin threw for 3,610 yards, 32 touchdowns, and eight interceptions, finishing second in the Big Ten in passing behind USC’s Jayden Maiava.
Maiava shows up again when Oregon opens Big Ten play against USC on Sept. 26 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Trojans have dropped four straight to the Ducks dating back to 2019, and Lincoln Riley is still looking for his first win over Oregon.
Maiava led the Big Ten in passing last season with 3,711 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, and he’s being counted on to be the quarterback who can finally push USC into the CFP under Riley. A win over Oregon would be a major step in that direction.
Another defensive challenge comes from Michigan cornerback Jyaire Hill, who is set to test Oregon’s offense in one of the Ducks’ biggest home games of the year on Nov. 14.
Hill has built a strong résumé over three seasons with the Wolverines, recording 79 total tackles, two sacks, two interceptions, and one forced fumble. He enters the season in the first year under new coach Kyle Whittingham and is looking to keep climbing for Michigan’s defense.
Then there’s Michigan running back Jordan Marshall, another player who could shape a road game against Oregon. Michigan has long leaned on its ground game, and Marshall’s production last season showed why.
He led the Wolverines’ running-back duo with Justice Haynes, finishing 2025 with 150 carries for 932 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging 6.2 yards per carry. If Michigan is going to spring an upset, Marshall may have to be the one carrying the load.
Those are the kinds of players Oregon will have to deal with all season long. The Ducks are aiming high, but the Big Ten won’t make anything easy.
In Other News...
Oregon Is About To Get An Answer On Its Biggest Recruiting Need
Oregons recruiting class is already in good shape on paper, with 24 commitments and a national ranking near the top of the board, but one obvious hole still hangs over the group. The Ducks have yet to land a true defensive tackle, and that missing piece has kept the class from feeling fully finished as the summer pushes on.
Brayden Parks has emerged as the name to watch in that spot, giving Oregon a real chance to address its biggest need before the cycle moves much further along. The highly regarded defensive tackle recruit has drawn a late push from the Ducks, and the sense around this battle is that the gap has tightened enough to make the outcome matter not just for the class, but for how Oregon closes out its summer on the trail. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Great DeForest Buckner Just Entered A Concerning New Conversation
ESPNs latest league-wide positional rankings offered a familiar reminder of how much former Oregon talent still shapes the NFL, with Justin Herbert, Penei Sewell and Christian Gonzalez all landing on the list. For Ducks fans, DeForest Buckner has long belonged in that same conversation as one of the programs most reliable pro standard-bearers, and his place among the leagues best defensive tackles has been part of that conversation for years.
This time, though, Buckners name was missing from the top 10, a notable change after he ranked eighth among defensive tackles in 2025. ESPNs personnel pointed to his limited availability over the past two seasons and the wear that comes with age and injury, which makes the omission feel less like a judgment on his ability than a reflection of how hard it is to stay in the mix when the games pile up without you. [Read more 🡒]
Oregons Loaded 2027 Class Already Has Early Impact Candidates
Oregons 2027 recruiting haul is already looking like one of the more intriguing classes in the country, and the Ducks have plenty of reason to believe it can matter sooner rather than later. With 24 commits in the fold, the group is headlined by five-star wide receivers Dakota Guerrant and Xavier Sabb, along with five-star quarterback Will Mencl, giving the staff a foundation of elite talent at premium spots before those players ever arrive in Eugene.
The early buzz around the class is not just about rankings, either. Oregon sees a path for several of these recruits to push for real roles quickly, with Guerrant, Mencl and Sabb all drawing attention as possible early contributors. Mencls long-term fit at quarterback is especially worth watching as the Ducks map out the position beyond the current window, while Sabbs skill set and Guerrants standing among the nations top receivers make this class feel less like a future promise and more like a group that could force its way onto the field. [Read more 🡒]