Joel Klatt has two Duck games as key to determining 2026 Big Ten title

The OregonDucks fell short of reaching the 2025 Big Ten title game in Indianapolis this past season after winning it the year before. All was good, however, as they still hosted a playoff game and reached the College Football Playoff semifinals.

But not being able to defend their conference championship from a year before left a bitter taste in the mouth of the Oregon program. In order to rectify that situation, the Ducks might have to run the table as the Big Ten promises to be one of the best, if not the best, conferences in the country.

A lot will go into determining who makes it to Indianapolis in 2026 and who ultimately wins it. According to Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt, there are five games on the league schedule that will have a say in all of this, and to no one's surprise, the Ducks appear more than once on his list.

Klatt has an early tilt with USC down in the Coliseum on Sept. 26 as one of those key matchups. It will be the conference opener for both teams. He portrays the game as who will be the king of the western part of the Big Ten. This game, with it being so early in the season, should set the tone for the rest of the year. It's No. 4 on his list.

No. 2 on his list is the Nov. 7 game between the Ducks and the Buckeyes. This could very well be the first of two games with these teams involved, as both Oregon and Ohio State figure to be not only conference favorites but national title contenders. Unless disaster strikes either team, this one has Big Noon on Fox written all over it.

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Joel Klatt has two Ducks games that might be key to 2026 league title