3 reasons why Dan Lanning's Oregon may struggle in Big Ten during the 2024 season

Oregon is set to complete its move to the Big Ten in August, just ahead of the 2024 college football season. The university reached an agreement to move to the Big Ten last summer following the implosion of the Pac-12 due to its inability to secure a lucrative media deal.

The Ducks are undoubtedly one of the best teams in college football at the moment. Dan Lanning's arrival in 2022 has changed the fate of the program significantly, and it's touted for something huge in the Big Ten. Nonetheless, they won’t find it so easy in the league.

Here’s a look at three reasons why Oregon could struggle in the Big Ten:

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Three reasons why Oregon may struggle in the Big Ten

#1 Stronger league

Oregon is transitioning to a league where the level of competition is way above the Pac-12.

The Big Ten is one of the strongest leagues in the college football landscape and also boasts some of the best teams in the realm, regularly competing for the national championship.

The Ducks will be playing tougher opposition from next season in the Big Ten. They are scheduled to face Ohio State and Michigan in their first season in the conference, which could have an impact on their College Football Playoff hopes. That means the team could go through a tough time in the Big Ten.

#2 Longer travels

Geographically, Oregon doesn't align with the Big Ten. However, we are in an era where geographical location is no longer crucial to conference alignment in collegiate athletics. The school is located on the West Coast while the Big Ten has always been an East Coast league.

It means the Ducks will have to travel coast-to-coast for most of their road games as a member of the Big Ten. Having to make students travel that long distance to play could obviously affect their performance, which could in turn take a toll on their outing in the league.

#3 Financial disadvantage

Oregon joined the Big Ten quite late alongside its rival Washington. That's unlike fellow Pac-12 teams, USC and UCLA, who had sealed their realignment agreement with the conference before the negotiation of the new television deal, which is set to take off next season.

With the Ducks joining after the deal is done, they won't get a full share of conference distribution in their early years in the conference. In an era where investment into the team is very crucial, it places the program at a competitive disadvantage and could affect its performance in the Big Ten.