Boise State heads into its 2026 opener with a roster that will be short on top-end depth against Oregon, but the Broncos do have one position group that could make things interesting in Eugene: running back.
The Ducks come in loaded. Oregon is ranked second in both the preseason AP Poll and Coaches Poll, and the program put a nation-leading eight players on ESPN’s preseason top 100 player rankings.
Boise State, by comparison, had just one player on that list - edge rusher Jayden Virgin-Morgan. The Broncos will visit Autzen Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 1:30 p.m.
Mountain time.
Even with that talent gap, Boise State’s backfield looks built to travel.
Junior Dylan Riley and sophomore Sire Gaines both passed on significant NIL opportunities to stay in Boise, and the pair projects as one of the top running back duos in the West. Broncos coach Spencer Danielson said after last weekend’s scrimmage that both backs have made a strong impression in camp.
“They’ve had great fall camps,” Danielson said of the two backs after last weekend’s scrimmage. “Not only just in running the football, their pass protection has been great.
They will stand linebackers up right in the hole. When we go live, they’re cutting.
I mean, we’re playing real football with them and they’re doing it at a high level. Catching the ball out of the backfield, Dylan and Sire have both made explosive plays in the pass game.
They’re just buying into what we do, and they both have huge roles on special teams. … They’re just continuing to elevate their game.
I think they’re going to be two of the better ones.”
Riley, listed at 5-foot-10 and 203 pounds, gives Boise State the speed element. Last season he logged 195 carries for 1,125 yards and 10 touchdowns, while also adding 15 receptions for 149 yards and two more scores.
Gaines brings a different look. The 6-foot, 220-pound sophomore is the power runner in the mix, coming off 811 yards and eight touchdowns on 161 carries. He also caught 11 passes for 72 yards and a touchdown.
Danielson said Boise State will need to handle the pairing carefully to get the most out of both backs.
“We have to do a really good job understanding the plays we’re going into the game with, which (guy) can do them really well, but also being able to play the hot hand,” Danielson explained. “Because we need to get them in rhythm, too … I think (running backs coach James Montgomery) has a really good plan. It’s been good seeing it performed in the scrimmage, too.”
The Broncos also added depth behind Riley and Gaines with two Power Four transfers this offseason: Juelz Goff from Pittsburgh and Harry Stewart III from Kansas.
Goff, who is 5-foot-9 and 200 pounds, is viewed as a natural third-down back and should factor into the game against Oregon. Stewart III, listed at 5-foot-10 and 215 pounds, gives Boise State another physical option in the backfield.
In Other News...
Dan Lanning Just Earned A Powerful Endorsement Oregon Fans Will Love
As Matayo Uiagalelei gets ready for his senior season in Eugene, the attention around Oregons defensive front keeps building. The Ducks are counting on one of their most talented edge players to chase big goals this fall, including a run at the programs career sack record and a stronger case for the NFL draft, while his family continues to have a close view of the program from the inside.
Dave Uiagalelei, who is also the father of Chargers backup quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, recently spoke highly of Dan Lannings leadership and character in an interview. For Oregon fans, praise like that carries weight, especially when it comes from a family that has seen both the college and pro sides of the game up close, and it adds another layer to the belief that Lannings program has become a place players and parents can trust. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Just Made Its USC Recruiting Battle Even More Interesting
The recruiting board for Oregons 2025 defensive back class just got a little more intriguing with Caron Williams trimming his list to 12 schools, and the Ducks remain firmly in the mix. The highly ranked California cornerback has long been viewed as one of the more important secondary targets on the West Coast, and Oregons appeal is obvious here: a chance to land a versatile defender who could fit into multiple spots in the back end.
USC has emerged as the Ducks closest competition in this race, setting up another familiar battleground between two programs that often chase the same top regional talent. For Oregon, the appeal goes beyond simply adding a cornerback. Williams ability to line up in different roles would give the Ducks more flexibility in how they build their defense, which is exactly why this recruitment feels like one worth watching as it moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
Former Oregon QB Is Forcing His Way Into Browns Debate
Dillon Gabriel kept making the kind of August case that tends to linger into September, and for Oregon fans it was a familiar sight. The former Ducks quarterback was sharp in Clevelands final preseason game, completing 12 of 15 passes for 186 yards and three touchdowns in a 37-13 win over New England, while Deshaun Watson and presumed second-string Shedeur Sanders sat out the second half.
Gabriels latest outing only adds to a Browns quarterback conversation that already had layers, especially with his draft status and college background part of the broader picture around Clevelands depth chart. Even with the roster decisions still to come, he has done enough in exhibition play to make his name hard to ignore, which is exactly the sort of problem a team would rather have than not. [Read more 🡒]