Could Oregon Ducks’ 2025 Playoff Strategy Surprise Everyone? ESPN Weighs In

Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.In essence, the Ducks have fewer high-profile regular-season games than they did a year ago, so they will need to dominate in the lower-profile games during the year. If they happen to lose any of those games against teams like Iowa, Washington, Indiana, or USC, it’s fair to think that the committee would ding their resume.”It’s not that they can’t be overcome, but there’s not a lot of wiggle room in a schedule that might include only one or two CFP top 25 teams on Selection Day (Penn State, Indiana?),” Denich continues. “And this schedule has trap games all over it, including trips to Iowa and Washington.”

Last season, the Oregon Ducks soared through one of the most remarkable regular campaigns we’ve seen in program history—finishing undefeated at 13-0, clinching the Big Ten Championship, and snagging the top seed in the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff. Fast forward twelve months, and here we are again—only this time, the roster looks drastically different . The task? To recapture that magic and, as head coach Dan Lanning ambitiously put it, to “double down” on last year’s achievements. But with only a handful of starters returning—just one on offense and three on defense—the challenge is colossal. Yes, the Ducks lost many key players to the NFL, but Eugene is buzzing with fresh talent eager to make their mark. Curious how they’ll convince the College Football Playoff committee that they’re playoff-bound once more? Well, ESPN has already broken down the numbers and strategies this week. Dive in and see what path lies ahead for this revamped Ducks squad and what it’ll take to keep their national championship hopes alive. LEARN MOREA year ago, the Oregon Ducks compiled one of the best regular seasons in program history, going 13-0 with a win in the Big Ten Championship to earn the No. 1 seed in the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff. Now, a year later, with a new-look roster, they’re working to return to the same level of success and, as Dan Lanning has said, “double down” on what they were able to accomplish last year.

Ultimately, there is a lot of confidence that the Ducks can return to the playoff this year and get into contention for another national championship. Even with potential losses against Penn State and one other team on the schedule, a 10-2 record in the Big Ten would still likely be good enough to get into the mix.

According to ESPN, the Ducks have a 57.5% chance to make it to the CFP, with the easiest route being a defense of their Big Ten title. However, if they are unable to win the conference for a second-straight season, a path remains. That path relies on “style points.”

So what can they do to impress the College Football Playoff committee this year and return to the postseason tournament? ESPN laid out the specifics earlier this week.It’s not going to be an easy task, seeing as Oregon returns just one starter on the offensive side of the ball, and three on defense. While a lot of the players from last year’s conference title-winning team departed for the NFL, there is an influx of young and talented players ready to take over in Eugene.

“If Oregon doesn’t win the Big Ten, it might be tough to earn a bye if the Ducks don’t have enough wins against top 25 opponents — unless they look like a dominant one- or two-loss team,” ESPN’s Heather Denich writes. “It depends on what happens elsewhere. Last year, both Oregon and Penn State finished in the selection committee’s top four. This year, PSU has a chance to beat Ohio State during the regular season, and Oregon does not. Instead, the Ducks will have to assert themselves against the likes of Indiana and Iowa.”