College Football Rankings 2020: Projected AP Top 25 for Week 5

Oregon was one of the teams that experienced one of the most dramatic drops in the AP Top 25 when the Pac-12 opted to postpone their 2020 football season until the spring. The Ducks were rated in the top 10 of the preseason poll, with high hopes of pushing their way up the rankings with statement games at home against FCS juggernaut North Dakota State and Big Ten favorite Ohio State.

Now that the Pac-12 has reversed course and decided to return in November, the Ducks will climb back into the poll this weekend. Given how we saw teams from the Big Ten slotted into the Coaches Poll last week, however, it is highly unlikely that Oregon will be rated as highly as they were in the preseason — especially without knowing exactly what their schedule will look like or who they will land as their interdivisional opponent.

Given that the Pac-12 will play fewer games than any other Power Five league, there is no margin for error for teams like Oregon that hope to play their way back into College Football Playoff consideration.