EUGENE — Oregon will open the 2019 season ranked just outside the top 10 of the Associated Press poll.
The Ducks are No. 11 with a total of 860 points in the AP preseason top 25 poll released Monday. It is the 11th time in the last 12 seasons Oregon will open the year ranked and is its highest preseason ranking since 2015 (7).
Oregon, which is No. 13 in the preseason coaches poll, is the highest-ranked Pac-12 team with Washington (13), Utah (14), Washington State (23) and Stanford (25) also ranked.
The highest any of the 62 voters in the AP poll ranked Oregon was No. 6 while the lowest was No. 21 and 11 votes had the Ducks ranked No. 12.
The Ducks scheduled to play four teams ranked in the top 25, including No. 16 Auburn in the season opener. Oregon is 12-3 all-time in season openers when ranked.
Oregon went 9-4 last season and received 18 points for 32nd overall in the final coaches poll and 11 points for 33rd in the final AP poll of 2018. The Ducks are one of eight teams in the top 25 to finish last season unranked and the highest-ranked of that group.
Oregon in preseason AP poll in CFP era
2019: 11
2018: 24, finished season No. 33
2017: NR (21 points, No. 33 overall), finished season unranked
2016: 24, finished season unranked for first time in 10 years
2015: 7, finished season No. 19
2014: 3, finished season No. 2
Preseason AP top 25:
1) Clemson
2) Alabama
3) Georgia
4) Oklahoma
5) Ohio State
6) LSU
7) Michigan
8) Florida
9) Notre Dame
10) Texas
11) Oregon
12) Texas A&M
13) Washington
14) Utah
15) Penn State
16) Auburn
17) UCF
18) Michigan State
19) Wisconsin
20) Iowa
21) Iowa State
22) Syracuse
23) Washington State
24) Nebraska
25) Stanford