CFB analyst believes Dan Lanning’s Oregon Ducks are finally ready to break through

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With college football only a little over a month away, the buzz is beginning to build. Soon, August camps will get underway, teams will sell tickets, and fans will flock into stadiums. Everyone wants a piece of the college football action. The College Football Playoff is the goal. However, while many teams strive for it, only one becomes champion. One analyst has named the 2026 team of destiny.

The Oregon Ducks have inched closer and closer to the title game each year. In 2024, Ohio State bounced them from the playoffs. Last year, they fell to Indiana in the semifinals. Now, they will look to take that final step into the College Football National Championship.

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Ralph Russo of The Athletic joined The Paul Finebaum Show and simply stated that this was Oregon’s year.

“It does feel like it’s Oregon’s turn now,” Russo said. “[Oregon head coach] Dan Lanning’s program has gotten to the point where it almost feels a little … breakthrough is inevitable.”

Lanning has done a masterful job ever since he stepped in. He has developed a number of NFL talents and has now led Oregon to two consecutive College Football Playoff appearances. Though the Ducks fell short against the eventual champions both times, they might be ready to become the next champions themselves.

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Oregon is returning the majority of its starters in 2026. Perhaps the biggest returning starter is quarterback Dante Moore. Moore quickly took the college football world by surprise, and he might have been the breakout quarterback of the year if not for Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza.

Moore was projected to be a top-five pick in this year’s NFL Draft. Instead, he returned to lead the Ducks on another playoff run.

The Ducks’ defense is also returning stars like Matayo Uiagalelei, Teitum Tuioti, and Bear Alexander to hold down the defensive line. There’s massive reason for optimism. Oregon, however, still needs to find a way to push past these hurdles.

If Lanning can get the most out of his talented roster, Russo might be onto something. Maybe Oregon will become that team of destiny.

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