“Can anyone beat Oregon?” You can take a wild guess. After Week 12, Oregon is 11-0, one of the three undefeated teams. Dan Lanning and the Ducks can take a breather with their bye this week. And next week, the general perception is they’ll beat Washington in their last regular season game before advancing to the postseason. But what happens after that? 

As per a CFB insider, the postseason is where it could get somewhat messy for Dan Lanning and Oregon. In a new Instagram upload on November 21, Adam Breneman provided his take on the Ducks’ “path to a Big 10 and National Championship.” Putting together a scenario where Oregon beats Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship game, he believes that the next game could be their ultimate threat. He said, “It’s this semi-final game where I think they’ll face their biggest threat of losing. I think it’s more likely than them actually losing in the national title game and it’s because of this little thing called revenge.”

Both Oregon and Ohio State are expected to win the rest of their regular season games. And if they do, they’ll battle for the Big Ten Championship title. Despite the outcome of the game, both the Ducks and Buckeyes will still remain in the playoff picture. If OSU loses, they’ll still be 5th in the CFP. If both the teams continue to win in the playoffs, there is a high chance that they could meet for a third time in the semi-final playoff games. 

Breneman said, “If the Buckeyes get a third chance, I think they’d win this one… “If they play again, buckle up because I think college football gets their first taste of March Madness in Year One of the 12-team playoff.” But Ohio State isn’t the only threat for the Ducks in the semi-finals as Breneman observed. Boise State could be another possible opponent that could threaten Oregon’s national championship hopes. But first, let’s come back to the present and assess the Ducks’ situation. 

Dan Lanning prioritizes self improvement and health 

It’s Oregon’s bye week and fans expect intense practice ahead of their season finale against the Washington Huskies at Autzen Stadium. But the Big Ten leader has other plans directed by their HC. In his media appearance, Dan Lanning said, “There’s a lot of things that we can get better at, so it’s really focused on us. You do get an opportunity to get a hum on another team, but I think the thing that you have to do first is evaluate yourself. That’s what this week has really been about: Us improving and getting healthy and focusing on those details.”

This bye week also has more use. The 38-year-old HC also mentioned that Oregon is taking this time off to focus on the upcoming early signing period. He revealed that they had a personnel meeting this week about potential additions to their 2025 recruiting class which ranks 7th nationally. There has been some criticism of Dan Lanning but it’s so far so good for Oregon. But everyone is highly anticipating what’s coming in the weeks ahead. Stay in the loop so you don’t miss out.