A young Oregon fan dressed as a Duck tries to get the official Oregon Duck’s attention from the stands before the Oregon Spring Game at Autzen Stadium Saturday, April 27, 2024. Chris Pietsch/The Register Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Oregon Ducks Football Ranked Near Top of Preseason Coaches Poll

Originally posted on Oregon Ducks on SI
By Arden Cravalho | Last updated Aug 5, 2024 9:45 PM ET

As excepted, Dan Lanning's peers have high expectations for the Oregon Ducks this upcoming season.

The preseason US LBM Coaches Poll is conducted weekly throughout the regular season using a panel of head coaches. The panel is chosen by random draw, conference by conference plus independents, from a pool of coaches who have indicated to the American Football Coaches Association their willingness to participate. Each coach submits a Top 25 with a first place vote worth 25 points, second place 24, and so on down to one point for 25th.

Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

Oregon comes in as the No. 3 ranked team in the country. That is the highest ranking in the preseason coaches poll for the Ducks since 2013. Last preseason, Oregon was ranked just a mere No. 15.

The Ducks received a total of 1,228 points in the poll, but didn't garner any first place votes from any of the coaches. The full top five ranking went No. 1 Georgia, No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Oregon, No. 4 Texas, and then No. 5 Alabama.

There were five other Big Ten programs represented in the poll: No. 2 Ohio State, who the Ducks will face off against in Eugene on Oct. 12, No. 8 Michigan host the Ducks in the Big House on Nov. 2, No. 9 Penn State, No. 23 USC, and No. 25 Iowa. Washington received 123 votes, Wisconsin got 17 votes, and Nebraska had two votes, but all didn't end up in the Top 25.

The Ducks will kick off their inaugural season as members of the Big Ten Conference against Idaho on Aug. 31 in Autzen Stadium.