Heading into the college football season, the expectations and goals are simple for the Oregon Ducks: win the National Championship. After making back to back trips to the College Football Playoff, making it there is now an expectation, and if the fans are going to feel good about the year, it’ll be because the team won it all.
Dante Moore, Matayo Uiagalelei, and A’Mauri Washington all returning for another season sets the ceiling so high for this group that it can’t be wasted. The rest of the team has more than enough talent to the point that anything short of a deep CFP run will be a massive failure.
Oregon-Ohio State battle begins in Big Ten Preseason Poll
On Monday Morning, Cleveland.com unveiled the annual Big Ten Preseason Media Poll with the Ducks placing second behind Ohio State.
NEW: Big Ten Preseason Media Poll via @clevelanddotcom👀
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The two teams at the top won't surprise anyone as the Ducks and Buckeyes have two of the most talented rosters on paper. The biggest surprise may be the media voting the defending National Championship winning Indiana Hoosiers 3rd as they do lose a ton of talent, but Curt Cignetti has been dominant in his two seasons as head coach of the program.
While both teams are loaded on paper, each comes with the reason to be concerned which won't be answered until we see the teams in action. Oregon has to overhaul the offensive line with several pieces leaving for the NFL while Ohio State has to replace a ton of talent on their defense like Arvell Reese and Caleb Downs.
Ever since Oregon came to the Big Ten, the Ducks have battled with Ohio State, and this should be another year with both pushing for the Conference Championship as well as the Big Ten Championship. After the Buckeyes knocked Oregon out of the Playoff two seasons ago in the Rose Bowl, the Ducks finally have their chance to get revenge.
The path to the College Football Playoff and Big Ten Championship won't be easy for the Ducks as they'll face USC (4th), UCLA (13th), Nebraska (11th), Illinois (9th), Northwestern (14th), Ohio State (1st), Michigan (5th), Michigan State (16th), and Washington (7th).
The Big Ten Media Poll is just the start of the hype Oregon is going to have going into the season, and it'll be up to everyone to live up to the hype. This has to be the season Oregon brings a National Championship to Eugene with the talent on this roster, and falling short would be a disappointment with how exciting the season can be.
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