Oregon Ducks’ 2022 schedule with game-by-game score predictions

We’ve seen what Dan Lanning and the Oregon coaching staff can do so far in the offseason, and it’s been pretty impressive when it comes to recruiting and building a new culture in Eugene.

But what can we expect when the pads start cracking and the scores start to matter? How high of expectations should we set for the Ducks in Lanning’s first season?

We took that question to heart and looked at the upcoming schedule. It starts off with a bang, obviously, as the Ducks will face both the defending champion Georgia Bulldogs in week 1, as well as a top-25 team in the BYU Cougars in week 3.

After that, things don’t get much easier, with a decently tough Pac-12 slate that ends with 3 important games in a row to close it out — vs. Washington, vs. Utah, and at Oregon State.

Will it all end up with Oregon making a trip back to the Pac-12 Championship game? It’s certainly possible. Here is out game-by-game prediction for the 2022 season.

September 3rd: vs. Georgia Bulldogs (Atlanta)

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Oregon Duck fans predicting a season-opening win against the defending national champions at a “neutral site” down in Atlanta may be getting a little ambitious. I’m not saying it can’t happen, and there’s certainly a scenario where the Ducks shock the world with new head coach Dan Lanning, but I don’t think I’m ready to predict it. The Bulldogs are simply too talented, and though they lost a lot of starters this past offseason, there will be enough 5-star recruits to replace them.

Prediction: Ducks lose 23-13

Record: 0-1

September 10th: vs. Eastern Washington Eagles (Eugene)

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Returning home for a game against a team like Eastern Washington will be a nice relief for the Ducks who will likely need to rehab some bumps and bruises after a physical game in Georgia. Oregon has enough talent to put a team like the Eagles away, and they should be able to give the home crowd at Autzen a show, where we really see what Kenny Dillingham’s offense is capable of.

Prediction: Ducks win 52-16

Record: 1-1

September 17th: vs. BYU Cougars (Eugene)

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Not enough has been made about how tough Oregon’s early-season schedule is. Everyone is talking about Georgia in week 1, but hardly anyone has made note that the BYU Cougars are coming to town just a couple of weeks after that. BYU was 5-0 against Pac-12 teams in 2021 and finished the year No. 19 in the AP Top-25. They will start the year at No. 22 in the way-too-early rankings, which will set the Ducks up for another top-25 matchup just a month into the season. In the end, I think that Lanning’s defense will prove too tough for the Cougars to take advantage of.

Prediction: Ducks win 31-20

Record: 2-1

September 24th: at Washington State Cougars (Pullman)

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This early-season trip to face the Washington State Cougars could prove to be incredibly tough. A lot of that will have to do with how well new WSU transfer QB Cameron Ward fits into the system. He was extremely prolific at Incarnate Word, but is yet to face a true big-boy defense like Oregon’s under Lanning. I think the Ducks will get Lanning’s Pac-12 career off to a hot start with a show up in Pullman.

Prediction: Ducks win 42-21

Record: 3-1

October 1st: vs. Stanford Cardinal (Eugene)

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Stanford’s recruiting ranking may be impressive this year, but it’s way too early to think that will impact their on-field product. The Cardinal still don’t seem to know who their starting quarterback will be next year, and there are enough questions on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball that I don’t expect them to give the Ducks much trouble. Of course, we thought the same thing last year…

Prediction: Ducks win 38-13

Record: 4-1

October 8th: at Arizona Wildcats (Tucson)

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I won’t be surprised if the Wildcats surprise some people this season, especially in the Pac-12. After former Washington State quarterback Jayden de Laura transferred to Arizona, the offense looks better, and when you add talented transfer WR Jacob Cowling as well as 4-star WR Tetairoa McMillan to the roster, it could be dangerous. The biggest challenge for them will be on the defense, but I think that the Wildcats will find their way into some thrilling wins this year. I don’t, however, think that will come against the Ducks.

Prediction: Ducks win 56-28

Record: 5-1

October 22nd: vs. UCLA Bruins (Eugene)

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The UCLA Bruins are certainly going to be one of the few dangerous teams in the Pac-12 South this season. They return their starting QB, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and RB Zach Charbonnet, and were impressive at times last year under Chip Kelly. Is this the year that UCLA finally makes the leap into a true contender in the conference? I wouldn’t be surprised. I still think the Ducks pull this one out, but it’s going to be close.

Prediction: Ducks win 34-31

Record: 6-1

October 29th: at California Golden Bears (Berkeley)

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The Golden Bears don’t give me much fear on the schedule, to be completely honest. They do have a new quarterback, with transfer Jack Plummer coming over the Purdue. They still have a lot of questions to answer on the offense and the defense, though, and don’t seem ready to really compete with the top teams in the conference.

Prediction: Ducks win 38-17

Record: 7-1

November 5th: at Colorado Buffaloes (Boulder)

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There seems to be a real chance that Colorado is the worst team in the Pac-12 this coming year. They have gotten killed by the transfer portal, losing some of their top players on both offense and defense, and they have a somewhat uninspiring battle at the QB position. It may be another tough season for the Buffaloes.

Prediction: Ducks win 55-20

Record: 8-1

November 12th: vs. Washington Huskies (Eugene)

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Welcome to the end-of-season stretch of games where things get pretty tough for the Ducks. That isn’t to say that the Washington Huskies are going to be one of the top teams in the conference, but whenever you pit them against Oregon, there is sure to be an exciting game. Rivalries just pull that out of teams, and it’s been made clear over the years that these two teams really don’t like each other. Dan Lanning will get his first meeting with Washington at home, fortunately, but that doesn’t mean it will be a pleasant experience for anyone.

Prediction: Ducks win 34-21

Record: 9-1

November 19th: vs. Utah Utes (Eugene)

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With Oregon looking for some much-needed revenge against the Utes after a pair of losses late in the season last year, I won’t be shocked to see this game come billed as one of the best of the weekend with likely two highly-rated teams in the Pac-12. Unfortunately, I don’t yet feel confident enough to predict that Oregon will get that revenge this year. With QB Cameron Rising returning, and a number of their best defensive pieces back on the field, the Utes will be really good once again this year. I think their upper hand over the Ducks stays, unfortunately.

Prediction: Ducks lose 21-17

Record: 9-2

November 25th: at Oregon State Beavers (Corvallis)

(Photo by Tom Hauck/Getty Images)

The Oregon State Beavers are going to be a good team this year. They have been trending up under Coach Smith, and were in contention for the Pac-12 North this last season. I think that trend could continue this year, and the fact that Oregon has to go up to Corvallis makes me a little bit uneasy. In the end, I think that Lanning will be able to end his first season in Oregon with wins over both rivals.

Prediction: Ducks win 28-24

Record: 10-2

December 2nd: Pac-12 Championship Game (Las Vegas)

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I predict that the Oregon Ducks meet the Utah Utes in the Pac-12 Championship game. Sound familiar? While the USC Trojans have made a great case for being one of the top teams in the conference via the transfer portal, there are still enough holes on the roster that have me questioning whether or not they can beat out the Utes. In the north division, I don’t really see anyone who is going to top the Ducks. Oregon State? Stanford? Washington? It seems unlikely.

In a twist to last year’s fate, I think that Lanning is going to learn something from his first meeting with Utah and make the proper adjustments, winning the Pac-12 Championship game in his first season with the Ducks.

Prediction: Ducks win 23-20

Record: 11-2

End of Season Prediction

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Pac-12 champions in the first season under Dan Lanning? That certainly sounds like something to celebrate in Eugene. While it may be a little ambitious to project an 11-2 record for this new coaching staff, I have seen enough early on to think that this group knows what it is doing and can be the start of something special on the field.

While a Pac-12 title is possible, I’m not sure that will get the Ducks into the College Football Playoff. A pair of losses in the worst Power-5 conference is unlikely to be strong enough of a resume. Still, a trip to the Rose Bowl in Lanning’s first year is certainly something to be excited for.

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