Oregon Ducks Aiming for First National Championship in 2026 with Star QB Dante Moore
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The Oregon Ducks are entering Year 5 under head coach Dan Lanning, and the first four years have been filled with success. Lanning has posted a 48-8 record during this period, winning double-digit games each year and capturing the Big Ten championship in 2024.
Despite his efforts, he has not yet led the Ducks to a national championship win in the College Football Playoff (CFP), which would be the first in the school’s history. In 2024, the Ducks finished the season with a perfect 13-0 record before entering the CFP, but they lost their opening game 41-21 to the Ohio State Buckeyes. In 2025, they entered the CFP with an 11-1 record. The Ducks won their first two game against the James Madison Dukes 51-34 and Texas Tech Red Raiders 23-0, but then lost in the semifinals to the Indiana Hoosiers 56-22.
Oregon received significant news before the 2026 season: star quarterback Dante Moore announced his return. In 2025, he threw for 3,565 yards, 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, while completing 71.8% of his passes. Due to his return and other contributing factors, CBS Sports’ Cody Nagel believes that Oregon will win the national championship in 2026, making it the fourth consecutive Big Ten team to achieve this feat.
“The past two seasons for Oregon ended with losses to the eventual national champion,” Nagel wrote. “But now it’s the Ducks’ turn to break through. Quarterback Dante Moore returns to lead a roster that should be among the FBS leaders in returning production after fielding a relatively young roster in 2025. That continuity should help limit the impact of losing both coordinators, giving Oregon the talent and experience to finally reach the pinnacle of college football — which would mean four straight national championships for the Big Ten.”
The immediate effect of Moore’s return is that Oregon now enters the 2026 season as a legitimate national title favorite rather than just a contender. Analysts largely agree that continuity at quarterback, combined with one of the most experienced rosters in the country, gives the Ducks a rare blend of talent and stability. That balance has often been missing in past CFP runs, where Oregon ran into eventual champions before it could capitalize on its own momentum.
Zooming out, this prediction highlights how close Oregon has already been. The Ducks have lost to the eventual national champion in each of the last two seasons, suggesting the gap between Oregon and the sport’s elite may be razor-thin. With Moore’s efficiency, leadership and familiarity with the system, Oregon’s offense should remain explosive even after losing both coordinators, while the defense continues to reflect Lanning’s championship pedigree.
Looking ahead, Oregon will open the 2026 season with massive expectations and the pressure that comes with them. If Moore and the Ducks navigate early Big Ten tests, they could find themselves on a historic path, one that ends with the program’s first national championship and a fourth straight title for the Big Ten.
Related: Dan Lanning, Oregon Predicted to Land Commitment From Top 10 WR
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Feb 10, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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