Entering the 2026 college football season, the Oregon Ducks were widely believed to be in strong position for the program’s first National Championship.Years of elite recruiting under head coach Dan Lanning, sustained success in the Big Ten Conference, and the return of starting quarterback Dante Moore set Oregon up to challenge for a conference championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff. Instead, the season went off the rails almost immediately.A close season-opening win over Boise State did little to inspire confidence, then the Ducks were demolished by a surprising Oklahoma State team, with the underlying performance far exceeding…