Oregon started 2026 ranked No. 2 in the AP Poll and earned 14 first-place votes and 1,597 points. They also opened at No. 2 in the Coaches Poll. Now they sit at No. 21 after two weeks, and Dan Lanning’s team has more to worry about than the drop.
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Joel Klatt had been one of Oregon’s strongest supporters before the season. He ranked the Ducks No. 1 on his own preseason list. That earlier praise makes his latest take stand out. After two games, the same team he once called flawless is raising a different question. On a podcast, he was asked about his team’s identity.
“No, they don’t have one at all. Zero identity. They got linebackers from Oklahoma State talking about how they had massive tells in their offensive line in their run and pass game. I think that they’ve got a coordinator issue. They’ve clearly got an urgency issue,” Klatt said on September 14, during his guest appearance on The Next Round show.
Oregon was a 23.5-point favorite, and Oklahoma State entered 0-1 and had lost 21 straight games against FBS teams. The Ducks beat them 69-3 the year before. Instead, the Cowboys won 39-31.
“This is teetering on this year’s version of Clemson and Penn State with all these guys coming back, turning down the NFL, high expectations…they were lucky it was 39-31,” he continued in the X clip.
While Week 1 brought a comfortable win against Boise State, Week 2 raised questions. For Lanning, who extended just last year to earn $10 million a year, this could be a concerning sign.
Oklahoma State piled up 554 total yards to Oregon’s 281. The Cowboys rushed for 237 yards while Oregon managed 90. First downs went 25-12 Oklahoma State’s way, and time of possession was 36:22 to 23:38. Oregon went 0-for-3 on fourth down and got sacked four times. Those figures explain why Klatt said the final score was lucky.
Before 2025, Klatt picked Clemson to win the national title. They returned veterans including quarterback Cade Klubnik and several first-round talents. They started 1-3 after losses to LSU, Georgia Tech, and Syracuse. Klatt later called it an “utter failure” and said, “something’s broken at Clemson.” They finished 7-6 and lost the Pinstripe Bowl.
Penn State is the other half of the warning. They entered 2025 ranked No. 2 with title expectations, a veteran roster, and quarterback Drew Allar. After a loss to Oregon, they dropped games to UCLA and Northwestern. James Franklin was fired midseason, and they also finished 7-6.
Both of Oregon’s coordinators from 2025 left. Will Stein went to Kentucky, and Tosh Lupoi went to Cal. Drew Mehringer and Chris Hampton were promoted from within. The scheme has not been up to the mark yet. Klatt’s own words from August show how far the view has changed.
“There is a clear number one. And I honestly don’t understand why this is not more unanimous,” Klatt said then. “If you actually evaluate rosters out there and what’s coming back. Everyone else out there has a question. Everybody…. Guess who doesn’t have questions? Not one. Oregon. Oregon is No. 1 in the country, and quite frankly, it’s not close.”
The Boise State game already showed some issues. Oregon won 34-27 but needed a 62-yard late touchdown from Dakorien Moore to pull away. Boise State led 17-7 early. The Ducks went 0-for-3 on fourth down and had 10 penalties for 90 yards. The defensive line managed only three sacks and five tackles for loss against a Group of Five team.
Injuries are also making their life tougher this season. Left guard Trent Ferguson suffered a season-ending knee injury against Oklahoma State. Tight end Jamari Johnson traveled but did not play. Receiver Jalen Lott is out with a hand injury, and Dante Moore needed IVs after the game because of dehydration.
Portland State on Friday, September 18, gives Oregon a chance to clean things up at home. It is an FCS opponent and will not answer the bigger questions. The test comes September 26 at USC. The Trojans are 3-0 and ranked around No. 12. That game will show if the early slide can stop.
The schedule gets harder after that. Ohio State and Michigan will decide a lot. Oregon is 1-1 and still controls its path to a Big Ten title and the playoff if it wins out.