By almost any metric you wish to look at, the 2023 season for the Oregon Ducks has been a success so far. Head coach Dan Lanning has the squad off to its first 5-0 start since 2013, and Oregon is one of only two teams in the nation to boast both an offense and a defense that rank inside the top 10 nationally.
Quarterback Bo Nix is among the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy; wide receiver Troy Franklin is among the favorites to win the Biletnikoff Award, and the Ducks have one of the best odds in the nation to make it to the College Football Playoff and win a national championship.
If you were to tell an Oregon fan all of those things about two months ago, they certainly would sign up for those results in an instant. It’s safe to say that we’ve learned a lot about this team through the first five weeks, but there is still a lot to find out going forward.
While the Ducks’ numbers look great so far, it is important to note that they have not faced the meat of their schedule just yet. Over the final 7 weeks of the regular season, Oregon will go up against five teams that have been ranked inside the top 15 at some point this season, with a trio of No. 7 Washington, No. 13 Washington State, and No. 18 Utah all in a row coming out of this bye week.
We are certain to learn a lot more about the Ducks going forward.
So at this point in the season, what do we know for sure about this team, and what are a few things that we still need to find out? Let’s break it down in this midseason check-up to close out the bye week: