The No. 2 Oregon Ducks open the 2026 season on Saturday with a lot already working in their favor, and Autzen Stadium is set up to do its part too. The Ducks are asking fans to help turn the place into a “stripe out” against Boise State, with odd-numbered sections in green and even-numbered sections in yellow.
That backdrop fits a program that has spent the last two seasons stacking up wins at a pace almost nobody in college football can touch. Oregon is the only FBS team to win 13 games in each of the last two seasons, and its 38-5 mark since the start of 2023 is the best in the country. The Ducks are also one of just four programs - along with Georgia, Indiana and Ohio State - to reach the College Football Playoff in each of the last two seasons.
Saturday’s opener also brings another look at a familiar face on offense: starting quarterback Dante Moore is back for another Oregon season. Boise State, meanwhile, arrives as the team that pushed Oregon in 2024 before the Ducks escaped with a 37-32 win.
Autzen has become one of the tougher road environments in the sport, and Oregon’s fan base has leaned into that reputation. Dan Lanning made it clear he expects the building to be loud again when the Broncos come to town.
“Excited! It's finally here, Game Week," Lanning said.
“Spencer (Danielson) does a great job of getting these guys ready. They play with an attitude and a toughness that shows up all over film.
They've got some really dynamic players that do a really good job, and it seems like it's a really cohesive unit.”
"... we expect the best. What I'm counting on are our fans to show up, pack the place, make it a special environment like I always see at Autzen Stadium. So it'll be fun to be out there on the field again with our guys and time to hit somebody else.”
There’s plenty of history stacked in Oregon’s favor, too. The Ducks have won 38 straight nonconference home games, the longest active streak in college football, and their last loss in that spot came against Boise State in 2008, 37-32.
They’ve also won 21 straight home openers. Under Lanning, Oregon is 27-2 at home, and the Ducks have won 42 straight games when leading after the first quarter; they’re 34-0 under him in those games.
The opener also marks a first for both sides of the staff. Defensive coordinator Chris Hampton and offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer will each coach their first game as Oregon’s primary coordinators. Both were co-coordinators in 2025 and both have prior coordinator experience.
The weather should cooperate, at least by kickoff. Eugene is dealing with a rainy stretch earlier in the week, with a 98 percent chance on Wednesday, 85 percent on Thursday and 40 percent on Friday. Saturday, though, is projected to be partly sunny with a high around 73 degrees.
The Ducks are listed at No. 2 in both the AP Poll and Coaches’ Poll, their highest preseason ranking in program history. Their previous high was No. 3, which they reached four times. Boise State is unranked.
Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m. PT on Sept. 5 at Autzen Stadium, with CBS carrying the broadcast. Oregon is a 24.5-point favorite on FanDuel SportsBook, and the over/under is 51.5.
Fans can also tune in on KUJZ-FM 95.3 in Eugene, KFXX-AM 1080 in Portland, Sirius 133 and XM 197.
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Boise State Just Sent A Message With One Opener Starting Decision
Boise State is making its opening-night intentions clear before the ball is even kicked off against Oregon. Head coach Spencer Danielson announced that true freshman Rasean Jones will start at wide receiver, a notable nod to how quickly the first-year player has climbed the depth chart and how much the Broncos are willing to trust him in a game that will demand immediate production.
Ben Ford is still expected to factor in as he works back from an ACL injury, but Jones getting the first crack signals a broader theme for Boise State as the opener approaches: nothing is being handed out. The same goes up front, where senior Jason Steele will begin the season as the backup center behind Stewart Taufa, with Danielson keeping the competition open as the Broncos sort out roles heading into a demanding early test. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Just Drew A Firm Line In College Footballs New Debate
As college football adjusts to the NCAAs new 5-for-5 eligibility rule, Boise State has made its stance clear. Athletic director Jeramiah Dickey and coach Spencer Danielson said the Broncos will not recruit or sign former professional athletes who have taken part in NFL camps or signed contracts, drawing a line in a debate that has quickly become one of the sports more confusing new fault lines.
The timing matters because the rule has opened the door to questions about who gets another shot at college football, and tight end DaeQuan Wrights attempt to come back after brief NFL stints helped put that issue in the spotlight. Boise State, though, is signaling that its attention will stay on current college players, not former pros trying to navigate a changed eligibility landscape. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State's NFL Pipeline Just Delivered Another Reason To Celebrate
The NFLs roster deadline brought another familiar boost for Boise State, with nine former Broncos making 53-man active rosters for Week 1 of the 2026 season. It is the kind of snapshot that keeps reinforcing the programs reputation as a steady pipeline to Sundays, with Ashton Jeanty, DeMarcus Lawrence, Khalil Shakir and Ezra Cleveland among the names carrying that brand into the fall.
There is a little more intrigue layered into this years group, too. Lawrence has already said the 2026 season will be his last, while Kellen Moore is settling into his second year as head coach of the New Orleans Saints, a reminder that Boise States reach now stretches well beyond the players on the field. For the Broncos, the roster count is the headline, but the bigger story is how often their alumni keep showing up in meaningful roles at the next level. [Read more 🡒]