A bit of a shock came for Oregon Duck fans a couple of weeks ago when ESPN released their ‘way-too-early Top-25’ for the 2022 college football season and had the Ducks as the third-ranked team in the Pac-12 conference.
No longer was Oregon just chasing Utah, who sat at No. 4 in ESPN rankings. They were also listed below the USC Trojans, who came in at No. 12 in the top-25. Oregon was a few spots below at No. 16.
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That was according to ESPN, though. Recently, USA TODAY Sports put out their version of the top-25, which was more favorable to Oregon, and less favorable to the Trojans. The Ducks, led by a new coaching staff under Dan Lanning, came in at No. 14 in the rankings. Here’s what USAT had to say about Oregon:
It’s a rare season when the Ducks aren’t the favorites in the Pac-12 and perhaps that chip on their shoulder will help them make a playoff run. Mario Cristobal departed to take the Miami job, leading to the arrival of Georgia assistant Dan Lanning. Lanning’s acumen on defense was illustrated with the Bulldogs during his tenure. There’s some quality returners to work with, led by linebackers Noah Sewell and Justin Flowe, that should make Oregon more stingy this fall. Oregon’s quarterback opening will be decided by competition between Auburn transfer Bo Nix and heralded redshirt freshman Ty Thompson. Whomever wins the job will be blessed with a talented offensive line that should lead provide the foundation for a strong running attack.
So where do the other teams in the Pac-12 rank according to USA TODAY Sports? Let’s take a look…