Oregon sits at 6-3 after a 41-28 victory over Ohio State in Columbus, a turnaround that has drawn praise for head coach Dan Lanning despite the Ducks falling short of their primary goals for the 2026 season. The team opened with a narrow win over Boise State before suffering upset losses to Oklahoma State and UCLA, and a third defeat to Illinois left them 4-3 by late October.
Quarterback instability compounded the difficulties: starter Dante Moore was lost for the year after a hit against USC, and his replacement Dylan Raiola threw seven turnovers in his first start. Lanning responded by firing offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer, a rare midseason admission of error, and the offense has since looked more cohesive.
The defense has steadied over the past month, and the Ducks rallied from a 14-point deficit to beat Northwestern 34-26 before dominating Ohio State after trailing 14-0. With home games against Michigan and Washington and a road trip to Michigan State remaining, Oregon still has a path to the College Football Playoff, though the odds remain long.
Observers note that Lanning's handling of adversity — keeping the roster united amid transfers and injuries — may represent his strongest coaching performance to date, even if the season ends without a conference title or playoff berth.
