The Oregon Ducks' season didn't end exactly how everyone had hoped it would: With the long sought-after National Championship victory. However, with a regular-season win over Ohio State, a Big Ten Championship, and an appearance in the 12-team College Football Playoffs, the year wasn't anything to scoff at.
To top it off, despite the Ducks losing to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl game and their postseason run coming to an end almost as soon as it started, Oregon earned the No. 3 spot in the final AP Top 25 Poll of the year.
BREAKING: Final College Football AP Poll👀https://t.co/oyF5JdBCYF pic.twitter.com/98UDyu76pI
— On3 (@On3sports) January 21, 2025
In the final Poll, Oregon only trailed the two teams that had made a National Championship appearance – Ohio State and Notre Dame. In fact, the Ducks ranked ahead of the Texas Longhorns and the Penn State Nittany Lions who both made appearances in the semifinal round before losing to the Buckeyes and the Fighting Irish.
With a perfect regular season record, the win in the conference title game, and just one loss at the end of the year, the Ducks actually earned the highest winning percentage in all of college football over the entirety of the season (92.9 percent) – ahead of Notre Dame and Ohio State which both finished with an 87.5 percent win rate.
In Dan Lanning's third season with the Ducks, he not only brought them into the Big Ten but he also helped them take over the conference. He led Oregon to a flawless regular season, a conference title, and the No. 1 ranking in the nation as the Ducks entered the first-ever 12-team CFPs.
So, no, the Ducks did not win the National Championship game. However, Oregon fans should be proud of where their head coach has taken their team in just three seasons. The future looks incredibly bright for the Ducks, especially with Dan Lanning holding the reigns.