Oregon Ducks' Surprising Program Value Revealed

Dive Into Oregon Ducks' Valuation

Oregon is ranked behind eight Big Ten teams: Ohio State (No. 3), Michigan (No. 5), Penn State (No. 8), Nebraska (No. 10), Washington (No. 12), Iowa (No. 15), USC (No. 16), and Wisconsin (No. 18). The Big Ten and the SEC dominate the top 20 with only Notre Dame (No. 6) and Colorado (No. 20) cracking the list outside of those two conferences.

The Ducks likely have multiple people and factors to thank for making the top 20 most valuable college football teams, the most obvious being Nike co-founder Phil Knight and former Oregon coaches Mike Bellotti, Nick Aliotti, Chip Kelly, and more. The school's relationship with Nike has helped build the Ducks' brand, one that has become nationally recognized. Meanwhile, Oregon also survived conference realignment by landing in the Big Ten.

Under Ducks coach Dan Lanning, Oregon has appeared in back-to-back College Football Playoffs and won the Big Ten title in 2024. However, on-field success doesn't directly equate to financial success, at least in Brewer's study. A number of the nation's top teams are ranked in the top 10, but a number of traditional "blue bloods" also made the rankings.

Historic powerhouses like LSU, Nebraska, Tennessee, and Auburn all cracked the top 15. On the other hand, the Indiana Hoosiers and Miami Hurricanes, the two teams that reached the CFP National Championship, don't appear in the top 20. In fact, no team from the ACC was ranked in the top 20 most valuable college football programs.

Top 10 Most Valuable College Football Teams

1. Texas
2. Texas A&M
3. Ohio State
4. LSU
5. Michigan
6. Notre Dame
7. Georgia
8. Penn State
9. Alabama
10. Nebraska

Brewer's valuation attempts to put a number on the worth of each team, partially calculated through a program's revenue as well as industry trends. As such, it's no surprise to see programs like Texas, Texas A&M, and Ohio State make up the top three. However, the lower placement of Florida and USC might turn heads.

How changes to name, image, and likeness (NIL) rules and the transfer portal affect the sport remain to be seen, but the most invested programs typically have the most success.

Although Miami and Indiana might not be the most valuable teams, the Hurricanes are known to be big spenders in the NIL and the Hoosiers have been clearly committed to coach Curt Cignetti, giving him the resources to compete.

Regardless, Oregon appears well positioned for the future. With Lanning at the helm and Ducks quarterback Dante Moore returning for another season, how much can Oregon boost revenues in 2026?