Ranking Oregon's opponents from toughest to easiest ahead of Week 5

We're through the bye week for the Oregon Ducks, and it came at a much-needed juncture.

>Not only have the Ducks sustained a high volume of injuries that led to a packed injury report for their Week 4 matchup with the USC Trojans, but they lost quarterback Dante Moore to a concussion during the game. Though backup Dylan Raiola filled in admirably and led the Ducks to a win, the bye coming now gives Oregon two full weeks before they next take the field, allowing Moore to get as much recovery as possible and Raiola more time to take reps with the starting offense.

>Regardless of the injuries, it's been a strenuous and taxing first month of football, with an unexpected loss to Oklahoma State following an underwhelming season-opener against Boise State before two strong victories to cap off the first four weeks of the 2026 season.

>Time to take a deep breath, which can include zooming out and examining the rest of the season for the Ducks. We have four weeks of information on the rest of the eight teams that Oregon will face this year, enough to form opinions and provide analysis — though injuries and other factors can certainly change things as the weeks pass.

>At this current moment, we provided a ranking of the opponents left on the Ducks' schedule this fall, going from toughest to easiest. Let's dive into it.

1) Ohio State Buckeyes — Nov. 7

>Record: 4-1, 2-0 Big Ten

>ESPN FPI win percentage: 22.2%

>Analysis: Coming into the season, the Ohio State Buckeyes were clearly the Ducks' toughest opponent on the schedule. That remains true despite Ohio State falling to Texas, as they held a 20-point fourth-quarter lead and lost by a single point. Though both teams losing in the first month may take away some of the muster and excitement, this should still be a very competitive game between two of the most talented teams in the nation. Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and quarterback Julian Sayin are true Heisman Trophy contenders, and the Buckeyes are still right in the thick of the national title race.

2) UCLA Bruins — Oct. 10

>Record: 4-0, 2-0 Big Ten

>ESPN FPI win percentage: 84.9%

>Analysis: The Ducks' next opponent coming off the bye, the UCLA Bruins have emerged this fall after a very disappointing 2025 campaign. They revamped their program this offseason, plucking former James Madison head coach Bob Chesney who then plucked a number of his star contributors with the Dukes' College Football Playoff team from a year ago. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava and running back Wayne Knight form one of the most explosive backfields in the country, while the defense is coming off of holding Maryland to three points and four interceptions — on the road. The Bruins are for real and pose a real threat to the Ducks next weekend.

3) Michigan Wolverines — Nov. 14

>Record: 3-2, 0-2 Big Ten

>ESPN FPI win percentage: 82.3%

>Analysis: While we've gotten 240 minutes of play from each of these teams (save for Northwestern, who's only played three games), the Michigan Wolverines have played 240:01, resulting in them being 3-1 instead of 2-2. Despite that, and Michigan losing on a last-second touchdown to the Iowa Hawkeyes — karma, anyone? — the Wolverines are still a stout football team. Their defense is one of the best in the nation, embodying the Big Ten-esque style of play. Quarterback Bryce Underwood has struggled early on, but shown signs of improvement of late and could be even closer to living up to his five-star billing come mid-November. Overall, the Wolverines can still hang with anyone in the conference based solely on their slogging, physical style of play — much like how Iowa gave Oregon a scare in 2025.

4) Washington Huskies — Nov. 28

>Record: 3-2, 0-2 Big Ten

>ESPN FPI win percentage: 91.7%

>Analysis: The Washington Huskies have not played to the level that was expected of them this season. The offense, led by talented quarterback Demond Williams Jr., has been a slog amid a rash of injuries. Ranked in the preseason at No. 17, the Huskies dropped out of the top 25 due to their underwhelming play during their 3-0 start, then were upset by the Minnesota Golden Gophers. They shouldn't pose much of a test for the Ducks in Autzen if the game were played right now, but there's a chance they round into form later in the year.

5) Nebraska Cornhuskers — Oct. 17

>Record: 5-0, 2-0 Big Ten

>ESPN FPI win percentage: 75.4%

>Analysis: Though they're 4-0, the Nebraska Cornhuskers' quality of opponents hasn't been very strong, with an FCS team, two low-Division-I teams and the Michigan State Spartans. Transfer quarterback Anthony Colandrea has been excellent, tossing 10 touchdowns to just one interceptions, but he's not the sort of ceiling-riser that other passers are in the conference. The Ducks should make quick work of the Cornhuskers at home.

6) Northwestern Wildcats — Oct. 31

>Record: 3-1, 1-1 Big Ten

>ESPN FPI win percentage: 85.4%

>Analysis: Heading to Eugene to take on Oregon on Halloween, the Northwestern Wildcats just gave the Indiana Hoosiers a run for their money in Week 4, narrowly losing by six points. However, the play from the Wildcats — specifically quarterback Aidan Chiles — was abnormal, and unless they keep up that level of play, they'll be at or near the bottom of the Big Ten standings. With Ball State, Michigan State and Rutgers among the three of four teams they face before they play in Autzen, there's a chance the Wildcats have four or five wins come Halloween. But they simply don't have the talent to compete with the Ducks.

7) Illinois Fighting Illini — Oct. 24

>Record: 2-3, 0-2 Big Ten

>ESPN FPI win percentage: 77.6%

>Analysis: While they aren't the same perennial top-25 team of years past, the 2026 Illinois Fighting Illini are still pesky. Transfer quarterback Katin Houser is a solid decision-maker, throwing nine touchdowns to just two interceptions thus far with a solid run game to boot. Illinois' two wins have come against UAB and Southern Illinois, while their losses came against Duke and Ohio State. They project as a mid-tier Big Ten team, but not one that should pose much of a threat to Oregon.

8) Michigan State Spartans — Nov. 20

>Record: 2-3, 0-2 Big Ten

>ESPN FPI win percentage: 85.3%

>Analysis: The Spartans played the Notre Dame Fighting Irish tough in Week 3 before getting dismantled by Nebraska in Week 4. New head coach Pat Fitzgerald is building this program from the ground up after a disastrous couple of seasons under Jonathan Smith and the road appears long before Michigan State will be able to regain relevancy. Though they host Oregon, if this game is within three scores, it'll be a disappointment from the Ducks' perspective.

>Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.

>This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Ranking Oregon's opponents from toughest to easiest ahead of Week 5