Not long ago, the Oregon Ducks were well-positioned to land one of the top quarterbacks in the 2028 recruiting cycle as their first commitment in the class. Now, their chances are less likely, but a top target is set to come off the board very soon.

2028 quarterback Tristin Gaines, the No. 9 quarterback and No. 85 player overall in the class, is set to announce his commitment on Nov. 14, with his group of finalists including Oregon, SMU, Houston, LSU and Florida. He will announce his decision live on the Rivals YouTube channel.

The Ducks have been closely linked to Gaines for some time, and even started to grow closer to him than fellow quarterback recruit Josiah Boyd, who ultimately committed to UCLA. Gaines has been to Eugene for games twice this fall after picking up an offer in the summer, and it looked like just a matter of time before the Texas native landed in Oregon's class.

However, as things often do in recruiting, the race has taken a turn. SMU, almost four hours north of Gaines' home in Waller, has been "setting the pace" in the recruitment, according to Rivals' Sam Spiegelman, and is considered the favorite right now. Gaines will visit LSU this weekend, for the second time in a month, as the Tigers host Alabama.

Gaines is a dual-threat under center, passing for 2,016 yards and 22 touchdowns as a sophomore while rushing for 542 yards and nine more scores. In nine games this season, Gaines has completed 56% of his passes for 2,223 yards, 24 touchdowns and three interceptions while rushing for 580 yards and two scores. Gaines is also a star on the baseball diamond, winning a pair of gold medals with USA Baseball.

Oregon has continued to make Gaines a priority in their class, but the Ducks appear to have lost some steam in recent weeks, and the team's disappointing season and firing of offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer could have some impact. Quarterbacks coach Koa Ka'ai has been leading the recruitment for Gaines and even went to visit him last month.

The Ducks are still searching for their first commitment in the 2028 class. Oregon has some ground to make up, but no matter what direction the commitment goes, Gaines will likely still be recruited by Oregon heading into the offseason.