PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — If you put any stock in the preseason polls, 2019 could be a better season for the Oregon Ducks football program.
Head coach Mario Cristobal’s squad is ranked 13th in the nation in the first Amway Coaches Poll. Oregon won nine games last season, and are predicted to top that when the 2019 campaign gets underway.
Oregon’s inclusion in the Top 25 makes it 11 times in the last 12 seasons that the Ducks will open the season ranked among the elite programs in the country. Five Pac-12 teams cracked the top 25. Washington leads the way, one spot ahead of Oregon at No. 12, with Utah, Washington State and Stanford also included in the first poll of the season.
The Ducks kick off the season against No. 16 Auburn AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The game will also be featured on ESPN’s College GameDay.