Dan Lanning addresses the future plans for Popo Aumavae at Oregon

Oregon‘s senior defensive tackle Popo Aumavae was a noticeable absence from their senior day celebration before the Ducks’ victory over Utah. Aumavae suffered a season-ending right foot injury during Oregon’s fall camp, which required surgery. And because of that, the six-year senior nose tackle is petitioning the NCAA for another season. As Ducks’ head coach Dan Lanning wrapped up his press conference on Monday, he addressed what the future holds for Aumavae going forward.

“I know Popo wants to, and I know we certainly want to have him back,” said Lanning. “So, we feel very confident that he’s going to be able to do that.”

It’s been a bad run with injuries for Aumavae over the last two seasons. His 2021 campaign was cut short after he suffered a torn labrum late in the season. The recovery from that surgery kept him out of Oregon’s spring practice. And unfortunately, once he returned to the practice field in fall camp he suffered his season-ending foot injury.

Before tearing his labrum last year, Aumavae recorded 36 total tackles, 16 solo, and three tackles for loss over 13 games. For his career, he has 66 total tackles, 31 solo, nine tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks in a total of 38 games.

Although he is a six-year senior, the NCAA can grant him another year of eligibility based on his season-ending foot injury. And given Lanning’s response, Oregon fans could see their star nose tackle suit up for them one more year in 2023.

Oregon climb back inside Top 10 of College Football Playoff Rankings

After notching a win over Utah last Saturday, the Oregon Ducks have climbed back inside the top 10 of the College Football Playoff rankings.

The CFP Selection Committee released its updated rankings Tuesday afternoon. While the Ducks fell out of contention for the top four following their Week 11 loss to Washington, there is still plenty at stake this season.

In the latest rankings, Oregon moved up three spots to No. 9 following Saturday’s win over the Utes.

The Ducks are one of six Pac-12 teams that cracked the top 25.

USC (No. 6), Washington (No. 13), Utah (No. 14), UCLA (No. 18), and Oregon State (No. 21) all made the cut as well.

Oregon owns victories over the Utes and Bruins and will have an opportunity to capture another top 25 win this Saturday when it faces the Beavers in Corvallis.

A win there would guarantee a trip to the Pac-12 title game against USC on Dec. 2.