Oregon walked out of its season opener with a 34-27 win over Boise State, and the Ducks’ receiver room looked every bit as dangerous as advertised.
The headline names all showed up at Autzen Stadium, but the most interesting part of the night was how Oregon handled Evan Stewart. Dan Lanning kept stressing his belief in the fifth-year receiver, who has had a rocky stretch in Eugene after missing the entire 2025 campaign because of a torn patellar tendon in his right knee during last year’s summer offseason.
“I got the most trust in Evan (Stewart) because of how hard he's worked, and that means we gotta create some more of those moments for him in practice, right, where it's a challenge and where it's tough, but he's been very consistent throughout practice and able to field those balls, and that's just something he's going to have to be able to work through, and then continue to challenge ourselves to find other guys that can also do those things," said Lanning.
Stewart’s first game alongside Dante Moore offered both promise and a reminder that the chemistry is still a work in progress. The redshirt junior quarterback targeted him often, and Stewart finished with a team-high eight catches for 72 yards. Moore said the two were still sorting through some of the bumps that came with live action.
Moore announced to the media, "There were some times when Stew got in his head because of some mistakes he had made. But just knowing him, he’s going to bounce back.
He’s going to make sure that he goes out here next week attacking with a smile on his face. And the playmakers we have here are special.
I’m blessed to be here with them.”
The biggest miscue for Stewart came on special teams. At the 10:32 mark of the second quarter, he muffed a punt return, and Boise State cashed in soon after, stretching its lead to 14-7 on a 38-yard touchdown pass from fifth-year quarterback Maddux Madsen to junior running back Sire Gaines. There was also a kick-catch interference call that appeared to be missed on the play, though Minnesota Golden Gophers transfer Koi Perich could end up taking over punt-return duties in Week 2.
While Stewart’s night had its rough patch, Oregon’s other receivers were the ones who made the loudest noise. Junior Jeremiah McClellan was the standout, piling up 150 receiving yards and a touchdown on six catches. Sophomore Dakorien Moore, widely viewed as the Ducks’ top NFL prospect, added 93 yards on six receptions, including a 63-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter after making a sharp stop on a dime.
After Drew Mehringer picked up his first win as offensive coordinator, Lanning praised the way the staff and wideouts attacked the game plan on the perimeter.
“I think credit's deserved," Lanning stated. "I thought Drew (Mehringer) again called a really good game from a standpoint of finding opportunities to either create a double move or work crossing routes on certain looks, coverages.
I thought the guys were in sync. They played on the selfish ball.”
Lanning added that the production was spread around and that the Ducks’ collection of explosive pass-catchers kept Boise State under constant pressure.
“It seems like the ball was distributed pretty evenly, and guys took advantage of those opportunities. I think it makes it hard when you have multiple guys who can be explosive."
Now Oregon turns the page to a road trip to Stillwater, Oklahoma, where it will face Oklahoma State on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 9 a.m. PT on ESPN. Because of the unusual kickoff time for a West Coast team, Lanning moved the team’s departure from Eugene Airport up to Thursday, Sept. 10, a day earlier than usual as Oregon adjusts to its first different time zone of the 2026 season.
Oklahoma State enters the matchup riding a 30-game home-opener winning streak at Boone Pickens Stadium.
In Other News...
Boise State Just Took A Recruiting Hit Fans Will Notice
Boise States 2027 recruiting class took a notable early blow when Kingston Parks, a three-star wide receiver from Aledo High School in Texas, announced he is no longer committed to head coach Spencer Danielson and the Broncos. Parks had already taken a winding path to this point, first committing to Utah, then backing off that pledge before landing with Boise State, which made his departure feel especially abrupt for a program trying to build momentum on the recruiting trail.
The Broncos still have 14 known commitments in the class, and wide receiver is not completely empty behind Parks, with JIsaiah Mitchell already in the fold. Even so, losing a pass-catcher with Parks profile is the kind of setback fans notice, especially this early in the cycle, and it leaves Boise State with another position group to keep recruiting hard as the 2027 class continues to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Dakorien Moore Is Becoming A Bigger Problem Than Boise State Saw
Oregons offense found another explosive answer against Boise State when Dakorien Moore turned a 62-yard touchdown into one of the nights biggest momentum swings. For a Broncos defense trying to settle in, it was the kind of play that quickly changed the temperature of the game and reminded everyone how dangerous the Ducks can be when their young receiver gets a clean lane.
Dan Lanning has been as impressed with Moores habits as his highlights, pointing to the receivers coachability, his effort on the less visible parts of the job and the way he handles game situations with maturity. Moore also said he is healthy and ready to go for Oregons next road trip to Oklahoma State, which is hardly comforting news for anyone hoping Boise State was going to see the last of him anytime soon. [Read more 🡒]
Oregons Boise State Win Just Took On A Different Look
Oregons narrow win over Boise State in Week 1 looks a little different now that the Ducks and their next opponent have both stumbled in the FPI. Oregon still sits high at No. 8 with a 22.7 rating, but it also took a small hit after escaping Boise State, while Oklahoma State fell even further after its loss to Tulsa and now checks in at No. 72 with a negative rating.
For the Broncos, the bigger takeaway is how quickly the Cowboys are trying to sort through early-season problems. Oklahoma State is leaning on a roster full of newcomers, including quarterback Drew Mestemaker, who arrived from North Texas, and now must also absorb a major change up front after losing its starting left tackle for the season. How that reshuffle holds up in Week 2 is another complication for a team already searching for answers. [Read more 🡒]