Predicting Oregon Ducks' College Football Playoff Outlook

Oregon may have to avoid a second loss to ensure it becomes the third Big Ten team in the CFP with the No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers and No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes coasting to the playoffs.

ESPN updated its CFP bracket predictions after week 10. The Ducks remain in the CFP following the first 10 weeks, but their postseason outlook isn’t looking any better than their 2025 finish, where they fell in the quarterfinal.

Oregon’s Current Playoff Prediction

Both Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach predicted that the Ducks will host a playoff game and make it out of the first round in ESPN’s latest bracket.

Bonagura listed Oregon as the No. 5 seed facing off against No. 12 North Texas.  The Mean Green could secure the best record in the American Athletic Conference and make the CFP with a potential outing at Autzen Stadium.

Another first round scenario for the Ducks could be a No. 7 versus No. 10 matchup against Notre Dame. The Irish dropped their first two games of the season against top 25 ranked Miami and Texas A&M squads.

Notre Dame’s been on a six-game winning streak ever since, picking up a victory against No. 20 USC in that span. The Irish haven’t been tested too much during the season and are only 1-2 in those ranked matchups, so a difficult road environment could pose a challenge for an opposing Notre Dame team at Autzen.

ESPN’s two quarterfinal predictions have Oregon playing in the Orange Bowl. Bongaura predicts No. 5 Oregon to face No. 4 Alabama, while Schlabach has the No. 7 Ducks playing a rematch against No. 2 Indiana.

The Crimson Tide are looking increasingly dangerous since their opening game loss. They win four straight top-20 matchups but do have one more remaining on the schedule against Oklahoma.

The Hoosiers still haven’t dropped a game and already took down the Ducks once this season. As Oregon learned last postseason, however, it’s tough to beat the same team twice, especially in the Big Ten.

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How the Ducks Can Finish the Season Strong

Oregon heads to Iowa next for a Midwest game against one of the top teams in the Big Ten. The Ducks have two regular-season games left at Autzen Stadium, and two of their final four games come against teams in the top 25.

Coach Dan Lanning’s side hasn’t looked as sharp as it did to open the season. The offense struggled in its loss to Indiana, as well as in the first quarter against Wisconsin.

If Oregon is to continue its win streak and add a pair of ranked wins to its resumé, that could be the confidence booster the team needs heading into the postseason. On the other hand, one loss could plummet the Ducks' CFP hopes.