CFB Top 50, #5: 2025 Oregon Ducks

by
Bracket Yard
August 18, 2025

The 2025 Oregon Ducks sit at number five on the CFB Top 50 countdown this year, with the season fast approaching.

There were many who thought that Oregon could be 2024’s team of destiny. After all, the Ducks went into the College Football Playoff as the number one overall seed. It was not to be last year, as Oregon went one-and-done, losing to eventual champions Ohio State in the quarterfinals.

The Ducks were just about as good on defense in 2024 as they were on offense, meaning they have a lot to live up to in 2025. Clearly, we think this is going to go well, but how well?

2025 Oregon Ducks Basic Facts

Head Coach: Dan Lanning (4th season)

2025 Conference: Big Ten Conference

2024 Record: 13-1 (9-0), Big Ten champions

Final Resolution of Last Season: Lost in CFP quarterfinal, ranked 3rd (AP)

2024 Scoring Offensive Rank: 17th (34.9)

2024 Scoring Defensive Rank: 16th (19.4)

Oregon Key Additions and Subtractions

IN – Bear Alexander, defensive lineman. Transferred from USC.

IN – Makhi Hughes, running back. Transferred from Tulane.

OUT – Derrick Harmon, defensive lineman. Drafted by Pittsburgh in 1st round of 2025 Draft.

OUT – Josh Conerly, offensive lineman. Drafted by Washington in 1st round of 2025 Draft.

OUT – Dillon Gabriel, quarterback. Drafted by Cleveland in 3rd round of 2025 Draft.

Best Game on the Schedule in 2025

September 27 at Penn State. This could be a top-five matchup when this game happens. Pretty hard to top that.

2025 Oregon Ducks: Outlook

Oregon lost a lot of talent in the spring draft. There were 10 Ducks taken, and most of them were in the first three rounds. That says something about the quality of a team on both sides of the football. As a footnote, all 10 of those players went to a different team.

Dante Moore looks like the new man under center for the Ducks, but the word on the street is that it’s not a guarantee. Austin Novosad is another candidate in the conversation, but what is notable is that the whole depth chart for Oregon at quarterback are underclassmen. As we have established here, a young quarterback can succeed at the collegiate level if he has the right pieces around him. Any quarterback at Oregon would with this amount of talent, but one would imagine Lanning will go with the playmaker who gives them the best chance to win. Joining that new quarterback will be Makhi Hughes, a running back who transferred in from Tulane after a strong 2024 season.

The Ducks should glide through the earlier part of their schedule, including the rivalry game against the Beavers, until they hit a massive contest at Penn State in late September. Their Big Ten schedule does not really dip into easier territory after that. However, one thing to remember about this team is that Oregon will not be afraid to play other teams: other teams should probably be afraid to play them. They will win most of their Big Ten games and contend for a playoff bid. What happens from there is up to them.