Oregon Football is around the corner, and that means fans will get a weekly dose of their favorite team. Dan Lanning has done a tremendous job of winning the hearts and minds of his fans, but no great run lasts forever. Will 2026 be the season that the Ducks lose a step?
Here’s a look at the biggest matchups and the games in which Lanning’s team could meet its match.
Top 3 Biggest Opponents On Oregon’s Schedule
The Michigan Wolverines are one of the most talked-about teams on any given online doomscroll, so plenty of eyes will be on the upcoming Nov. 14 matchup. The Ducks are likely to have the edge, but if the Wolverines can resemble the way the team looked under Jim Harbaugh, expect fireworks. The playoffs will be on the horizon by this point, and every point will matter.
The first game of the season is always one of the biggest. The Ducks will face the Boise State Broncos on Sept. 5. With the NFL season not scheduled to kick off until Sept. 9, expect many additional eyes on the contest. A blowout win will set the tone for the season, but a close game or a loss could take the program a month or more to recover from.
The Ducks will face the USC Trojans and UCLA Bruins in back-to-back games, but with the Ducks traveling to face the Trojans, the difficulty and stakes will be higher. As such, expect more attention for that contest between the geographical rivals. Coming off a 9-4 season, the Trojans are no slouch, so anticipate an entertaining affair to cap Oregon’s first month of action.
3 Games Where Dan Lanning’s Squad Will Fall Short
For a team as dominant as the Oregon Ducks have been, the pickings for tough matchups are slim. However, no team is guaranteed victory against the Ohio State Buckeyes. The Buckeyes haven’t lost more than two games in a season since 2011, so the odds are high that Dan Lanning will come up short in the Nov. 7 contest set to take place at Ohio Stadium.
The Washington Huskies slumped in 2024, but many observers have found the team on the incline in 2025. If the momentum continues upward, Washington could be in line for a double-digit win season. As such, expect Ducks quarterback Dante Moore to have his hands full in the final game of the season. With the playoffs likely to be staring Oregon in the face, it could be easy to overlook the team in front of it.
College football isn’t the NFL, and a trip halfway across the country is a huge deal. That’s what Moore and Lanning will have to contend with as the Ducks travel to face the Illinois Fighting Illini. The team has been on a run with nine or more wins in each of its last two seasons. If the Ducks don’t come ready to play, Lanning’s team could find itself in an uncomfortable situation in the fourth quarter.
Overview
Overall, the Ducks have little to worry about on this side of the playoffs. As long as Dan Lanning and Dante Moore can stay focused, the program should have little trouble crossing into double-digit wins. The entire schedule won’t roll over for the Ducks, however.
Here’s a look at the big picture, courtesy of ESPN.
| Date | Opponent | Time (EST) |
| Sat, Sept 5 | vs Boise State | 3:30 PM |
| Sat, Sept 12 | @ Oklahoma State | 12:00 PM |
| Fri, Sept 18 | vs Portland State | 10:30 PM |
| Sat, Sept 26 | @ USC | TBD |
| Sat, Oct 10 | vs UCLA | TBD |
| Sat, Oct 17 | vs Nebraska | TBD |
| Sat, Oct 24 | @ Illinois | TBD |
| Sat, Oct 31 | vs Northwestern | TBD |
| Sat, Nov 7 | @ Ohio State | TBD |
| Sat, Nov 14 | vs Michigan | TBD |
| Fri, Nov 20 | @ Michigan State | 8:00 PM |
| Sat, Nov 28 | vs Washington | TBD |
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