Oregon’s latest win on the field came with a little recruiting momentum attached.
The No. 23 Ducks knocked off previously ranked Northwestern 34-26 in Eugene on Halloween, a result that helped restore some goodwill inside Autzen Stadium.
Then, on Nov. 2, Oregon got another boost when four-star offensive tackle Lincoln Fa’alafi included the Ducks on his short list.
Fa’alafi is a massive target at 6-8 and 360 pounds, and he plays at JSerra Catholic in San Juan Capistrano, California. Hayes Fawcett of On3 helped reveal his list.
The junior is rated as the No. 2 overall prospect in California by Rivals Industry Rankings. 247Sports and ESPN both have him as the top player in the state for his graduating class. Nationally, he’s a four-star recruit across the board, with some outlets placing him as high as No. 7 overall.
Oregon under Dan Lanning has made a habit of chasing huge trench prospects on both sides of the ball. The Ducks already have a 6-8 edge rusher commit in Achilles Reyna for the 2027 class, and 2026 five-star signee Immanuel Iheanacho checks in at more than 6-6.
Fa’alafi’s appeal, though, goes well beyond the frame. He moves with surprising ease and has some of the best pass-blocking footwork in his class. According to 247Sports, he’s a former basketball player from New Zealand, and that background shows up in the way he carries quick feet onto the football field.
He pairs that movement with real violence at the point of attack. His first punch can wreck a pass rusher’s plan before it gets started, and he finishes blocks with a nasty edge, using his hands and power to drive defenders into the turf.
That blend of leverage and force makes him a problem for edge rushers and gives him a path to play either tackle spot. Left tackle could be in his future, but right tackle also looks like a strong fit.
Oregon won’t have an easy path here. UCLA is on the short list, and the Bruins remain unbeaten in the Big Ten.
USC is also in the mix and trying to build its 2028 class. Ohio State made the cut as well, giving Fa’alafi three Big Ten options.
The rest of the list includes Oklahoma as the lone SEC school, along with BYU and Notre Dame. For Oregon, landing Fa’alafi would be a major win and another sign that the Ducks can keep stacking elite size up front.
In Other News...
UCLA Already Has Fans Arguing What An Undefeated Start Is Worth
The first 2026 College Football Playoff rankings gave UCLA a number to argue about, and not necessarily the one its fans expected. The Bruins landed eighth in the opening release, even as several teams with worse records were placed ahead of them, including Alabama and Texas, which immediately turned an undefeated start into a debate about how much it is actually worth in the eyes of the selection committee.
For UCLA, the next chance to keep making its case comes Nov. 7 at Minnesota, with the game set for Fox. Until then, the ranking gives the Bruins something more than a spot in the standings to carry into November: a reminder that staying unbeaten is only part of the job, and that style, schedule and perception can matter just as much when the playoff picture starts to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA Just Got A Surprising CFP Ranking Boost From RG3
Robert Griffin III took a swing at the College Football Playoff selection committees first 2026 rankings, and UCLA came out looking a lot better in his version. Griffin posted his own top 25 after the committee unveiled its list, and his board pushed the Bruins up alongside a few other teams he clearly believes were undersold, while leaving out some of the usual heavyweights the committee included.
For UCLA, the contrast matters because the Bruins are still trying to make sense of where they sit in the national picture after Nico Iamaleavas season-ending knee injury. The committee chair defended the initial rankings by pointing to quality wins and strength of schedule, but Griffins alternate list suggests there is still room for debate, and plenty of room for UCLA to keep climbing if it keeps stacking results. [Read more 🡒]
UCLAs Playoff Push Now Hinges On One Brutal Stretch Ahead
UCLA entered the first College Football Playoff rankings of the 2026 season with a top-10 spot, landing at No. 8 and giving the Bruins another sign that their unbeaten start has them firmly in the national picture. The committees opening board was a reminder that the margin for error is thin, especially for a team still trying to build a playoff rsum while the rest of the country keeps sorting itself out.
Bob Chesney didnt sound interested in parsing the outside view, and that fits the way the Bruins have handled the season so far. He brushed aside the ranking talk and steered the focus back to performance, which is where UCLAs attention has to stay with a demanding stretch still ahead and every game carrying more weight than the last. [Read more 🡒]