RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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College football officially begins this month.
Now that it's mid-August, there are just days to go until Week Zero, and since the season is quickly approaching, we're rolling out our preseason top 25.
After revealing our teams in the back half of our top 25, we conclude our previews of the top 12 teams in the country with the team that we're predicting to win it all at the end of the 2026 season.
Previously: Teams Nos. 13-25 , No. 12 Oklahoma , No. 11 Alabama , No. 10 Texas A&M , No. 9 Ole Miss , No. 8 Texas Tech , No. 7 Miami, No. 6 Georgia , No. 5 Texas , No. 4 Ohio State , No. 3 Indiana , No. 2 Notre Dame
No. 1 Oregon
2025 record: 13-2
Odds to win national championship: +800
Odds to make College Football Playoff: -300
2025 in less than 100 words
The Ducks played key early-season roles in getting other coaches fired. In Week 2, Oregon annihilated Oklahoma State 69-3. Mike Gundy was fired after the Cowboys lost to Tulsa the following week. In Week 5, Oregon went to Penn State for a rematch of the 2024 Big Ten title game. The Ducks won 30-24 in double overtime after Dillon Thieneman's interception of Drew Allar. After losses at UCLA and at home against Northwestern in the following two weeks, Penn State fired coach James Franklin.
Oregon's lone regular-season blemish came after that Penn State game, when the Ducks lost 30-20 at home to Indiana. They would follow that with six straight wins to end the regular season and make the playoff. After a 17-point win over James Madison, the Ducks' defense dominated Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl before Indiana got the best of Oregon again in a 56-22 blowout win in the semifinals.
Dante Moore returned for another season at Oregon in 2026. (Photo by Ali Gradischer/Getty Images) Ali Gradischer via Getty Images
The QB
Dante Moore
It would not have been a shock if that second loss to Indiana was Moore's final game in a Ducks uniform. It reasoned that Moore would declare for the 2026 NFL Draft and likely be the second quarterback taken behind Indiana's Fernando Mendoza. Heck, the QBs from the Peach Bowl could have easily gone in the first two picks.
Instead, with the Raiders holding the top pick and the Jets holding the second pick, Moore decided to come back to school for another season.
In 2025, Moore was 296-of-412 passing for 3,565 yards and 30 TDs with 10 interceptions. Moore's 71.8% completion rate was fourth in the country behind Ohio State's Julian Sayin, Miami's Carson Beck and Mendoza.
This season, Moore will be working with a new offensive coordinator after Will Stein left to become the head coach at Kentucky. Drew Mehringer takes over Stein's old role after previously serving as the tight ends coach.
Stein's offenses have helped quarterbacks make a lot of high-percentage throws; after all, former Oregon QB Bo Nix holds the single-season completion percentage record. It's hard to see Oregon's offense changing wholeheartedly with Mehringer now calling plays, but greater health at receiver could help unlock even more of Moore's potential. Evan Stewart missed the entire 2025 season with a knee injury, Dakorien Moore missed four games and Gary Bryant Jr. missed three games.
Eric Edholm's NFL Draft prospect to watch
QB Dante Moore
The Ducks should have multiple first-rounders next year, but Moore probably has the chance to go highest. After a mixed-bag freshman year at UCLA and a season sitting behind Dillon Gabriel at Oregon, Moore broke out with a great season in 2025. He's a cool operator in the pocket, keeping his eyes downfield, sensing and avoiding pressure well and delivering the ball with a mostly clean, efficient operation. The 6-foot-3 Moore reportedly has added some weight to his frame this offseason to bulk up to the 220-pound range. He's not a gifted scrambler but possesses enough functional athleticism to make plays on the move. Moore struggled with pressure in both Indiana games last season, and his nine fumbles provide a clear area for improvement.
Jamari Johnson could be one of the most prolific TEs in college football in 2026. (Photo by Ali Gradischer/Getty Images) Ali Gradischer via Getty Images
College fantasy football player to watch
TE Jamari Johnson
Both Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill are back at running back and the Ducks have always liked a committee under coach Dan Lanning. Noah Whittington led the team with 129 carries in 2025. And though the injuries at wide receiver played a role, no player had more than 51 catches last season.
Enter Johnson, who is the No. 2 TE in Yahoo's preseason rankings. Oregon loves utilizing its tight ends in the passing game and that shouldn't change in 2026. Johnson saw significant playing time with first-round NFL pick Kenyon Sadiq last season and should have an even larger role in 2026.
Even as Sadiq had 51 grabs for 560 yards and eight scores, Johnson was the team's fourth-leading receiver with 32 catches for 510 yards and three scores. There's a non-zero chance he could end up as Moore's top target in 2026. Draft him accordingly.
Biggest game
Nov. 7 at Ohio State
The Ducks get the Buckeyes and Michigan in back-to-back weeks to start November. The last time Oregon and Ohio State met in the regular season, Oregon won 32-31 when Ohio State QB Will Howard slid to the ground as time expired. Oregon fans would like to forget what happened when the two teams met again in the playoff.
Before the trip to Columbus, Oregon's biggest game is a trip to USC on Sept. 26 that may be more of a test of USC's contender status than it is a referendum on Oregon. The Trojans also haven't beaten the Ducks since 2016.
Even if Oregon loses at Ohio State, the Ducks should have a great shot at making the Big Ten title game and the College Football Playoff.
Why Oregon is No. 1
The Big Ten has three legitimate contenders entering the 2026 season as it looks for its fourth ...
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