The Dan Lanning era began with an embarrassment. In 2022 Oregon played a neutral site game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, against Lanning's old team, the defending champion Georgia Bulldogs.
Everything went wrong for the Ducks that day. They trailed 28-3 by halftime as quarterback Stetson Bennett IV threw for 368 yards and two touchdowns. New Oregon quarterback Bo Nix threw two picks, the team's leading rusher with 37 yards. Final score, Georgia 49, Oregon 3.
The Bulldogs cranked out 571 yards of offense and converted 9-10 on third downs. Nix averaged 4.7 yards per pass attempt.
Reporters asked Kirby Smart what he said to his former defensive coach after the game. At 36, Lanning was then the youngest head coach in college football.
“He’s a good coach and to keep fighting," Smart said. "He knows we have better players. He'll never say that, but he knows we've got better players. And we got some of the players here because of him. He helped recruit them. So, it’s always hard to make that transition. He’ll do a great job at Oregon.”
Two-time national champions in 2021 and 2022, that Georgia dynasty included 18 five-star players, six first-round NFL draft picks and 25 players drafted in two years. In August 2022 the disparity Smart talked about was vast, real and undeniable.
The next week Oregon would defeat Eastern Washington in Autzen Stadium, 70-14.
Lanning transformed the roster, gradually and then suddenly
Flash forward five seasons to the summer of 2026. Oregon has 13 five-star players on its roster, a total of 55 "blue-chips," four and five-star players:
Oregon 5-star players
Dakorien Moore (Wide Receiver, 2025 Class)
Na'eem Offord (Cornerback, 2025 Class)
Trey McNutt (Safety, 2025 Class)
Immanuel Iheanacho (Offensive Tackle, 2026 Class)
Jett Washington (Safety, 2026 Class)
Anthony "Tank" Jones (EDGE, 2026 Class)
Evan Stewart 2022 (247Sports Composite)
Dante Moore 2023 (247Sports Composite)
Matayo Uiagalelei (2023 Rivals)
Dylan Raiola (247Sports Composite)
Kendre Harrison (247Sports Composite)
Elljah Rushing (2024 247 Sports Composite)
Gatlin Bair (five-star at 247, high four-star in the Composite)
The Ducks have five projected first-round draft picks in the Pro Football Focus 2027 mock draft, a total that would shatter the program record of two.
Dante Moore (No. 3 overall)
Jamari Johnson (No. 14)
Matayo Uiagalelei (No. 24)
Iapani Laloulu (No. 28)
Amauri Washington (No. 29)
Wide receiver Evan Stewart and defensive tackle Bear Alexander could play their way into the first round by the end of the season.
A reader asked Bud Elliott of CBS Sports what the line would be if Oregon played Georgia in 2026.
Oregon -6 https://t.co/sQuy8yN4Fk
— Bud Elliott (@BudElliott3) May 21, 2026
"Just seeing how many of those backup Oregon defensive lineman, they couldn’t afford to keep because they had to pay up to keep those starters from going high in the NFL and those backups are starting and getting rave reviews for national title contenders… and Stewart being back and healthy," Elliott said.
He gives the Ducks a big edge at quarterback, defensive line and wide receiver. At FanDuel, the Ducks are +800 to win the national championship. Georgia is +850, only a slight difference.
It took five recruiting cycles, but Dan Lanning has closed the talent gap with Georgia and the other bluebloods of college football. His 2026 squad has a lockdown secondary, two productive, explosive running backs, the best defensive line in college football, an explosive cast of wide receivers, the nation's best pass-catching tight end and an early first-round draft pick at quarterback.
Over his first four seasons Lanning has lost only eight games, but the blowout losses in high-profile matchups to Georgia, Ohio State and Indiana mar his resume.
Brad Crawford at CBS calls his 2026 team the fourth-most complete roster in college football. Georgia is second. At least on paper, the Ducks have the talent to compete with anyone.
Two challenges remain. They have to stay healthy, and they have to prove it on the field.
Add us as a preferred source on Google