Oregon football soars up post-spring 2021 Top 25 projections

Oregon football made some noise this spring and some of the biggest media outlets took note.

The Ducks showcased an electric offense and solid defense littered with All-American candidates and some under-the-radar players stepped up like Dontae Manning (maybe not so under-the-radar as a former five-star) and Robby Ashford.

Mario Cristobal has assembled arguably the best roster in the Pac-12 for a third straight season and the sky seems to be the limit for this year’s Ducks.

We’re still months away from seeing the preseason AP Top 25, but some media outlets posted their projections for the 2021 season based on spring performances.

Where ESPN, CBS Sports rank Oregon football

Two of the biggest media outlets have released projected Top 25 rankings (or power rankings) after spring ball and Oregon moved up a bit in each.

In ESPN’s, the Ducks went from No. 13 in their way-too-early power rankings following the 2020 season to No. 10 after spring ball. They harped on Oregon’s talented depth and recruiting over the past three classes and the fact that the quarterback battle may have a little more clarity after spring ball, although that will be hotly debated for months.

On CBS Sports, the Ducks absolutely skyrocketed up the rankings projections. In fact, they went from No. 31 in the site’s previous rankings following the 2020 season all the way up to No. 8 after spring practices. This listed the Ducks as the third-highest ranked three-plus loss team from a year ago.

I guess Oregon football fans aren’t the only ones who believe the Ducks will be special in 2021, but it took until after spring ball for ESPN and CBS Sports to realize their potential.