The Oregon Ducks have to replace Dillon Gabriel, who is now in the NFL, but can Dan Lanning get his team to win another Big Ten title game and into the College Football Playoff despite the changes undergone? One expert believes so.
While much of the preseason hype surrounding the Big Ten is on Penn State who have several key players returning and of course the reigning national champions, Ohio State. Nonetheless, On3's Ari Wasserman believes that the Ducks can get back to a conference title game after winning it last season over the Nittany Lions.
Wasserman spotlights Oregon's favorable schedule as key to making a run back to the Big Ten Championship.
"I think that Oregon is very undervalued this year, and they do not play Ohio State or Michigan in the regular season, which I think would believe to be a pretty shoe-in Big Ten Championship run, even if they were to somehow lose to Penn State," Wasserman said on "Andy & Ari On3."
"I think that Oregon could win the Big Ten or play in the Big Ten Championship game against Penn State, even if your prediction of Penn State winning a top-five matchup is true as well. So they have the most favorable schedule, and I think it's for the taking."
Oregon come in at No. 7 in the AP Top 25 preseason ranking entering the 2025 college football season. On defense, the Ducks have Matayo Uiagalelei, who recorded 10.5 sacks last season, so the expectation will be that the junior can replicate his performance from last season.
Meanwhile, along with Gabriel, there are other key players that the Ducks need to replace, such as Jordan James, who is now in the NFL after recording 1,267 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground. In the passing game, Tez Johnson is also now in the NFL after leading the Ducks in receptions (83), receiving yards (898), and receiving touchdowns (10).
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The Ducks have plenty of moving pieces this season as they replace key contributors from last year and look for others to build on their development. Still, with a favorable schedule, Oregon has a clear path to being one of the top teams in the Big Ten again.
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