Dan Lanning got a close-up look at what Oregon’s running back room can do when the depth chart gets squeezed.
On Oct. 31 against then-No. 20 Northwestern, sophomore Jordon Davison went down after hauling in a pass near the sideline and absorbing a hard hit in the first quarter. He later emerged from the locker room in street clothes and on crutches, and he did not return for the second half.
That opened the door for true freshman Brandon Smith, who made the most of it. Smith finished with a team-high 82 rushing yards and a touchdown on only eight carries, giving Oregon a needed spark in a game that turned physical fast.
Lanning said he expected a bruising night from Northwestern, and the injuries piled up on both sides. Even Northwestern sophomore safety Jon Jon Stevens was hurt while trying to bring Smith down in the third quarter, leaving a frightening scene when Stevens stayed motionless on the field. He was able to get to his feet shortly after, responded to trainers, and was eventually carted off through Autzen Stadium’s tunnel in Eugene, Oregon.
“A couple of our guys got banged up just within the play of the game. I also want to acknowledge that I shared a moment there where I think everybody in the stadium felt something similar when you saw Jon Jon Stevens go down for them.”
Lanning also made it clear he was thinking about both Stevens and Davison in that moment, while also wishing Smith had gotten more work during the prior practice week.
“You're sitting there thinking, ‘Man, I pray this kid’s okay. I hope he's going to be all right,’" Lanning continued.
"To see him get up and go walk off was great. But that's just evidence of how physical this game was.
And what's tough, we talk about guys like Brandon (Smith) or Dink (Da'Jaun Riggs); those guys that are getting those third and fourth reps. Those are a lot of reps that they execute today that they didn't get in practice.”
Da’Juan Riggs also had to absorb a bigger role than usual. The junior finished with three rushing yards on six carries, and while the box score hardly pops, Lanning said Riggs handled the unexpected workload with the right mindset.
Lanning said, "They had to get the mental rep right and be able to execute the mental rep. They did an outstanding job of that.
Our coaches did a good job of coaching on the sideline to make them able to have a performance like that. And every big run is going to involve somebody stranded a little bit harder for a big block.”
As a group, Oregon’s running backs totaled 105 rushing yards and one touchdown on 28 carries, good for 3.8 yards per attempt. The Ducks will need more from that unit in their biggest test of the 2026 season on Saturday, Nov. 7, when they travel to Ohio Stadium to face No.
11 Ohio State at 12:30 p.m. PT on CBS.
Ohio State enters the game after a 30-18 upset loss to USC on Oct. 31, its first outing without junior quarterback Julian Sayin. Sayin has been out indefinitely since suffering a right-throwing-arm and shoulder injury on Oct. 17.
Lanning said Oregon will continue to monitor Davison’s status heading into the first Big Ten injury report on Wednesday at 5 p.m. PT.
"Our status report will come out on Wednesday,” Lanning said on Monday when asked about it. “You know, don't think it's long-term with Jordon, but you guys will find out when the injury report comes out.”
In Other News...
Lincoln Riley Explains Tense Ohio State Exchange After USC Statement Win
USCs 30-18 win over Ohio State ended with more than just a statement on the scoreboard, as Lincoln Riley and Buckeyes athletic director Ross Bjork were involved in a brief verbal exchange on the field afterward. It was the kind of postgame moment that can linger a little longer than the game itself, especially after a result that carried real weight for both programs.
Riley brushed it off in his press conference, calling it a non-issue and saying the emotions of the moment spilled over before the two sides moved on quickly. He did not get into what set it off, leaving the scene as one of those tense little footnotes that follows a big win and invites a little more curiosity than the coach was willing to satisfy. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio States Oregon Upset Hopes Suddenly Rest On An Unplanned Change
A late change at quarterback has turned Ohio States trip to Oregon into a very different kind of test. Freshman Luke Fahey will get the start in place of the injured Julian Sayin, and the Buckeyes now have to lean on a new face in a game that could shape how the rest of their season is viewed. At 6-2, Ohio State still has plenty to play for, but the margin for error gets thinner when the offense is adjusting on the fly.
For the Buckeyes to keep pace with Oregon, the formula looks straightforward even if the execution is not. Fahey has to be protected, Jeremiah Smith needs to be part of the offense early and often, and the defense has to make life uncomfortable for Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola. Oregon enters at 5-3, and with both teams trying to steady themselves, this matchup suddenly feels like it could hinge on how well Ohio State handles an unplanned pivot. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Just Got A Brutal CFP Wake-Up Call
The first 12-team College Football Playoff rankings delivered an early jolt to the race, and Ohio State came out on the wrong side of it. The Buckeyes landed at No. 12, just outside the current field, after a recent loss and a quarterback injury helped push them down in the eyes of the selection committee.
Notre Dame checked in one spot ahead of Ohio State at No. 11, leaving both programs with work to do if they want to climb back into position. For the Buckeyes, the path forward is about more than style points now - they need to steady the season and make the committee reconsider before the bracket starts to harden. [Read more 🡒]