The college football world is buzzing with anticipation, and the Oregon Ducks are right at the center of it all. Remember the 2020 season, when the pandemic stole some of the sport's most anticipated matchups? For Oregon, that meant missing out on a marquee non-conference showdown against the North Dakota State Bison—a team that had won eight of the last nine FCS national championships at the time. It was a clash that fans had circled for months, one that promised to test the Ducks against the most dominant non-FBS program in the land.

Fast forward to 2026, and that long-awaited matchup might finally become a reality. North Dakota State is making the historic jump to the FBS, joining the Mountain West Conference. And according to On3's post-spring College Football Playoff projections, the Bison could be heading straight to Autzen Stadium for a first-round playoff game against Oregon.

Brett McMurphy's projections have the Ducks as the No. 5 seed, hosting the No. 12 seed Bison in what would be an electric atmosphere in Eugene. It's a game that feels like destiny—a chance to settle old scores and give fans the thrill they were denied five years ago. And if Oregon wins that opener, the road gets even tougher: McMurphy sees them facing Kirby Smart's Georgia Bulldogs in the Cotton Bowl on New Year's Day.

That's where the run is projected to end, with Georgia advancing to face Miami in the semifinals, while Ohio State takes on Notre Dame in the other. McMurphy has the Hurricanes ultimately hoisting the trophy, but for Oregon fans, the real story is the chance to finally see their Ducks take on the Bison in a game that matters—and in the playoffs, no less. It's the kind of matchup that makes college football so unpredictable and so thrilling, and it's one we can't wait to see unfold.