The Oregon Ducks are set up to have one of the most dangerous offenses in the country next season, and Dante Moore is walking into 2026 with real Heisman Trophy buzz around him.
He’ll have plenty to work with, too. Evan Stewart and Dakorien Moore are back, and Dan Lanning dipped into the portal to bring in UAB wide receiver Iverson Hooks.
With that kind of support, Oregon should be able to stress defenses all year long. But the Ducks won’t cruise through the schedule without a fight.
With the regular season opener against Boise State getting closer, four defenses stand out as the biggest tests waiting for Moore and the offense.
Ohio State looks like the most imposing of the bunch. The Buckeyes keep pumping out first-round NFL talent, and 2026 could bring another wave of it.
They may have to replace linebackers Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles, along with safety Caleb Downs after the 2026 NFL Draft, but there is still plenty of firepower in place. Safety Devin Sanchez and defensive lineman Kenyatta Jackson are among the names expected to carry that unit forward, and Jackson in particular has drawn praise as one of the best defensive players in the country heading into the fall.
Oregon will have to face that group in Columbus at the Horseshoe, one of the toughest road environments in the sport.
The Ducks also draw USC on the road, and that one comes with a different kind of challenge. Oregon had no issues with the Trojans at Autzen Stadium last season, rolling to 42 points and beating USC for the fourth straight time. This year’s version of the Trojans defense should be better with Gary Patterson taking over as defensive coordinator, which could make the trip to Los Angeles a much tougher assignment for Moore and the offensive line.
Washington is another defense Oregon has to navigate, and the Ducks have had the upper hand there lately. Lanning has beaten the Huskies in each of the last two seasons, and Moore saw them in Seattle last year when he was held in check a bit, finishing with 286 yards and one touchdown. Washington returns key pieces in the secondary, including Big Ten honorable mention safety Alex McLaughlin and linebacker Jacob Manu.
Michigan rounds out the list, and unlike Ohio State and USC, this one comes at Autzen Stadium. That gives Oregon a break, but the Wolverines still look capable of making things uncomfortable. The hiring of former Utah coach Kyle Whittingham is expected to help Michigan take a step forward, and the defense has multiple high-level athletes, including safety Rod Moore and linebacker Chase Taylor.
So the Ducks will face two of their toughest defensive tests on the road in Columbus and Los Angeles, while Washington and Michigan come to Eugene. For an Oregon offense with this much talent, those are the games that will show just how high the ceiling really is.
In Other News...
Washington Just Missed On A Recruit Who Could Have Meant More
Washingtons quarterback recruiting picture got a little clearer this week, but not in every way the Huskies might have hoped. Three-star signal caller Caden Jones, a Class of 2027 prospect who also stands out on the basketball court, has made his college choice, and it comes with a family tie that helped shape the decision. Washington had been in the mix for Jones on both fronts, while also building momentum elsewhere in the quarterback room with the commitment of four-star Blake Roskopf.
The part that stings a bit more for Washington is that Jones was never just a football target. As a two-sport athlete, he had also drawn interest from the Huskies mens basketball staff and held an offer from Danny Sprinkle, which made him one of the more intriguing crossover recruits on the board. Losing a player with that kind of versatility matters in a program trying to keep its recruiting base broad, even if Washington has already made a strong move at quarterback in this cycle. [Read more 🡒]
Washington May Have An Early Answer At Left Tackle
Washingtons offensive line picture is starting to take shape, and one of the first answers may already be sitting at left tackle. Kodi Greene, a freshman who arrived with plenty of attention attached to his name, has been working his way into a spot that matters immediately for a Huskies offense trying to settle around returning quarterback Demond Williams Jr. before the season gets rolling.
Greenes spring work gave Washington a reason to believe it might not need a long audition at the position, even with fall camp still offering chances for other linemen to push for time. The bigger question now is how quickly that early momentum carries into the kind of live setting that tells a staff whether a young tackle is merely holding his own or truly ready to protect the edge from day one. [Read more 🡒]
Washington Recruiting Surge Just Reached A Nerve Wracking July Test
Washingtons 2026 recruiting run has already picked up momentum with offensive linemen Tye Kennedy and Gecova Doyal in the fold, and now the focus shifts to how the Huskies keep that pace going through a tricky July stretch. Chris Fetters and Scott Eklund of Dawgman.com have been tracking the next wave of decisions closely, with Washington still working through its board at cornerback and along the offensive line while trying to keep the class moving in the right direction.
DaJohn Yarboroughs upcoming decision looms as the next obvious checkpoint, the kind of announcement that can either keep the momentum rolling or force the staff to adjust quickly. The Huskies are also monitoring a few other names at positions of need, and the bigger question hanging over the class is whether this surge can carry all the way to Signing Day and settle into the kind of number Washington wants to land. [Read more 🡒]