Oregon began the season at No. 2 in the preseason polls, but after a dismal performance at home against UCLA, their College Football Playoff dreams are on life support, and they have fallen entirely out of the top 25. Six weeks into the season, there is nowhere to hide for teams struggling in this wild era of college football.
What Happened to Oregon’s National Title Hopes?
There’s a strong case to be made that Oregon is the biggest disappointment in college football this season. You start at No. 2 with national title favorite buzz, and then you’re outside the Top 25 by mid-October? That’s a gut punch for any fan base. While Dante Moore’s absence definitely compounded things during their struggles against UCLA, this Ducks squad simply hasn’t looked right all season.
The offense, which was so efficient and explosive just a year ago, hasn’t reached those levels. And that defense? It was touted as one of the best in the nation heading into the season, but it’s been merely good, not great. How did they get here? The coaching carousel definitely hit them hard. Offensive coordinator Will Stein is now thriving at Kentucky, and defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi is having a rocky start back at his alma mater, California, even if Cal did pick up a needed win on Saturday. Head coach Dan Lanning tried promoting from within, hoping continuity would keep the Ducks rolling, but to this point, neither side of the ball has played up to expectations. Those promotions got second-guessed real fast. At 3-2, Oregon still has a mathematical chance to reach the playoffs, but they have absolutely no margin for error in their final seven games, which includes a brutal trip to Columbus to face Ohio State. That’s a tall order.
Texas A&M’s Playoff Berth Feels Like Years Ago
The Ducks aren’t alone in crashing back to earth. Texas A&M went from a playoff berth in 2025 to a preseason top-10 ranking to completely out of the polls by Week 6. Mike Elko’s third season in College Station has already hit the “antagonize the message board fans” stage, and that’s never a good sign. After getting absolutely dismantled in Week 6 by Missouri, there are real questions forming about whether the Aggies will regress even further.
Growth isn’t linear, folks, and that’s never been truer than in today’s college football landscape. A successful season one year is no guarantee of another, especially with how quickly rosters can change in the portal era. Plenty of teams find themselves at the midpoint of the 2026 season wondering what in the world happened to all that optimism. While there’s still time to salvage something positive from 2026 for these teams, the reality is a serious step back has been taken, and they have to figure out how to start climbing again.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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