Oregon
Best, Worst, Most Likely Scenarios for Oregon Football
Trey Mcnutt Commits To Oregon
As fans begin to sense football season in the air, it’s easy to start imagining both how well the upcoming year could go and, alternatively, how poorly.
Today I’ll go through the best, worst, and most likely scenarios for how Oregon Football’s season will turn out in 2024.
Worst-case scenario:
A disaster season for the Ducks would likely involve losses to Ohio State, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
Injury is obviously the easiest way for a team to have its worst-case season but Oregon feels as injury-resistant as a team can be.
Whereas a quarterback injury would tank the vast majority of teams’ seasons, the Ducks would be able to turn to transfer Dante Moore who figures to at least be able to provide solid quarterback play in Oregon’s offense while he develops.
Other means of the Ducks hitting their floor could involve a less-than optimal fit for transfer cornerbacks Jabbar Muhammad and Kam Alexander.
Defensive tackles Derrick Harmon and Jamaree Caldwell not panning out could lead to a lack of run-stopping ability for Oregon which will be essential in the Big Ten Conference.
As always, a litany of offensive line injuries would also force Oregon to play more sideline-to-sideline which will be tougher in the Big Ten than it was in the Pac-12 Conference.
With all of this being said, I don’t see a way Oregon goes any worse than 9-3 this year.
Best-case scenario:
Picture this, if you will;
Dillon Gabriel is a seamless fit in Oregon’s offense and torches defenses with primarily short and intermediate passes to Tez Johnson and Evan Stewart.
Jordan James, Noah Whittington, and Jay Harris balance out the offense by gashing opponents on the ground behind high-level offensive line play.
Defensive line transfers and edge rusher development produce a staunch front that neither surrenders easy rushing yardage nor gives quarterbacks adequate time to throw.
Finally, Oregon’s oft-maligned secondary rounds into form behind an influx of talent in the transfer portal and returners like Jahlil Florence, Dontae Manning, and Daylen Austin developing into a highly trustable second line of cornerbacks.
If you think of this team how I do, none of this sounds unreasonable, even all at once.
I don’t think there’s a ceiling on how good this Oregon team can be.
If everything comes together, I can absolutely see the Ducks putting together an undefeated regular season.
From there, anything is possible as making it through the regular season unscathed likely means this is one of, if not the best team in the country.
Realistic scenario:
While it’s nice to think that everything will mesh perfectly for Oregon Football this year, it’s highly likely that one facet of the team will come up short of expectations.
Conversely, there will probably be a unit on this roster that’s even better than fans anticipate.
In practice, I think Oregon will drop a game to one of Ohio State, Michigan, or Wisconsin and finish the regular season 11-1.
From here, all signs point to the Ducks heading to Indianapolis for a rematch with Ohio State for the Big Ten Championship with a first-round playoff bye on the line.
BBC Travel has published its list of the 20 best places to travel in 2026.
The list of global destinations only includes two U.S. travel spots, and one is the Oregon coast.
The BBC write-up is glowing, calling Oregon’s coastline “one of the country’s bucket-list road trips” – and noting that Oregon is the only U.S. state where all beaches are free and public.
- 6 Oregon towns make list of ‘most adorable’ in PNW
Kaitlyn Brajcich of Sustainable Travel International contributed to the BBC’s article, praising the coast’s accessibility and sustainability:
“Mobi-Mats laid over the sand and free beach wheelchairs enable more visitors to enjoy the shore, as does a new partnership with Wheel the World that maps inclusive lodging and experiences.”
Brajcich also cited the easy availability of bikes, sustainable seafood and transit options as reasons to visit the Oregon coast.
The Oregon coast has racked up plenty of superlatives over the years” “most adorable” small towns, most beautiful landmarks, best campground and more.
If you’re planning to visit the coast this winter, Winter Whale Watch Week begins Saturday, Dec. 27 and runs through Wednesday, Dec. 31.
“Trained Oregon State Park volunteers will be stationed at 14 sites along the Oregon Coast from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.,” the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department said in a news release, “to help visitors spot gray whales on their southward migration to the calving lagoons in Mexico.”
A map of the volunteer sites is available on the Oregon State Parks website.
Winter is also the best season to watch storms and view king tides at the coast, but remember to follow safety guidelines if you go.
- The 6 best places to witness king tides on the Oregon and Washington coasts this winter
The other U.S. location to make the BBC’s travel list? Philadelphia, where 2026 will see a yearlong celebration of America’s 250th birthday, including art and museum exhibits, concerts and a variety of sporting events like the FIFA World Cup.
Mater Dei junior defensive back Danny Lang has set a tentative commitment date and USC is firmly in the thick of his recruitment. The four-star junior, one of the top prospects in a loaded West Coast 2027 defensive back class, said he plans to make his college decision on in the summer after completing a final round of official visits.
“I’m most likely going to commit on July 2,” Lang told Rivals. “That’s my birthday so I think that would be a good time to lock it in.”
Lang, rated the No. 193 player nationally in the Rivals Industry Ranking, has emerged as a key target for several national powers. He spent his first two high school seasons at safety before transitioning to corner as a junior, a move that showcased his range, instincts, and positional flexibility.
USC’s Position with Lang
Lang confirmed the USC Trojans, Ohio State Buckeyes, Ole Miss Rebels, and Oregon Ducks will receive official visits. The Trojans, however, already hold one of the strongest relationships in the race.
“USC of course is in there,” Lang said to Rivals. “I’ve been there a lot already and have a really strong comfort level and I like what USC is building. My relationship with T-Reed (Trovon Reed, DB) is very strong.”
That track record matters. Lang has visited USC multiple times across the last two years, including two unofficial visits in 2025. The Trojans also offered early and are the only program to host him more than once. Because of this according to Rivals, the Trojans are an overwhelming favorite to land the hometown star with a 95.5 percent chance.
Lang’s game fits the modern college secondary. At 6-foot-1, he can play corner or safety, allowing staffs to match him to multiple roles. As a sophomore he totaled 33 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Those numbers reflect both physicality and a knack for creating turnovers, traits that translate well across alignments.
MORE: Lincoln Riley Gives USC Roster Updates Ahead of Alamo Bowl vs. TCU
MORE: Should USC Quarterback Jayden Maiava Enter the NFL Draft or Return to School
MORE: What Four-Star Elija Harmon’s Commitment to Oklahoma Means for USC Recruiting
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A Deep 2027 DB Class USC Wants to Control
The broader context heightens USC’s urgency. The 2027 recruiting cycle on the West Coast is unusually strong at defensive back, and the Trojans are in the mix for several national names.
Aaryn Washington, ranked No. 50 overall, recently named a top two of Georgia and USC, with the Trojans positioned as a legitimate contender. Should he commit, he would become USC’s first defensive back pledge in the 2027 cycle. Duvay Williams, ranked No. 40 nationally, is another priority target. The Gardena native is already polished in press coverage and consistently erases opposing receivers. He is widely viewed as a lean toward USC.
Lang fits cleanly into this picture. He is ranked No. 56 overall and No. 9 at corner, giving USC a chance to land three top-60 national defensive backs from Southern California alone. Honor Fa’alave-Johnson and Gavin Williams also remain high on the Trojans’ board, forming what could become the strongest defensive back haul of the Lincoln Riley era.
Why It Matters for USC
Landing even two of these prospects would reshape USC’s secondary pipeline. Adding three or more would qualify as a foundational class for the program’s long-term defensive rebuild. The Trojans’ staff has put themselves in a competitive position early in the cycle, particularly with local players who have repeatedly visited campus and built trust with the current defensive staff.
Lang’s July decision timeline gives USC a clear target window. His official visits will shape the final stretch, but the Trojans’ familiarity, development pitch, and strong connection with Trovon Reed ensure they will remain a major player until the end.
Gov. Tina Kotek’s commitment to boosting prosperity through economic development is encouraging, and I hope her efforts are successful, (“Oregon’s governor unveiled a ‘roadmap’ to business prosperity. Here’s what’s at stake,” Dec. 2). Too often, Oregon’s leading industries and businesses hear platitudes on the importance of economic development only to witness actions that dilute economic development funds, which provide high returns on investment.
Oregon hospitality and leisure is the third-largest private employer sector, creating more than 200,000 jobs and generating $14 billion in annual economic activity – driven in part by state and local lodging taxes.
The state’s 1.5% lodging tax raises approximately $40 million a year and is reinvested in economic development, including tourism promotion and related infrastructure. But some state lawmakers are trying to increase the tax and divert the additional revenue for things without economic benefits – things which should be paid for with general funds. Worse yet, there are efforts to change how county and city lodging taxes are distributed.
State and local lodging taxes are designed to be an economic development tool, and the current system has proven itself – a $40 million investment at the state level and hundreds of millions at local levels for a $14 billion return.
The economic headwinds facing Oregon’s economy are fierce. We should be laser focused on creating the strongest multiplier effect we can with these finite economic development resources. If lawmakers care about Oregon’s economic prosperity, they will abandon these harmful proposals in the upcoming session, and the governor should rebuke any efforts contrary to the goals of her economic development roadmap.
Jason Brandt
Brandt is president and CEO of the Oregon Restaurant and Lodging Association
To read more letters to the editor, go to oregonlive.com/opinion.
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