Boise State is walking into Autzen Stadium with one obvious problem on its hands: Oregon’s defensive front.
The Broncos already spent Thursday looking at one matchup they can attack, but the bigger issue Saturday against the No. 2 Ducks is clear. If Boise State wants to function on offense, it has to deal with a loaded Oregon line that brings star power at every spot.
Defensive tackles Bear Alexander and A’Mauri Washington, along with edge rushers Teitum Tuioti and Matayo Uiagalelei, give Oregon a front that Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson didn’t hesitate to praise on Monday.
“Probably one of the top front fours in the entire country,” Danielson said during Monday’s press conference. “And honestly in this day and age, really cool to see all four of them come back.
I love seeing that where guys come back to school, finish what they started. … All four would’ve had opportunities to go be top-round picks in the NFL, all four came back.
They’re a really, really good front.”
The numbers back up the reputation. Washington, listed at 6-foot-3 and 325 pounds, posted 33 total tackles and seven pass breakups as a junior. FOX Sports’ Rob Rang projected him as the No. 10 overall pick in a recent 2027 NFL mock draft.
Alexander, a 6-foot-3, 316-pound force, set a career high with 50 total tackles last season and could push himself into first-round territory with another strong year.
Uiagalelei, who checks in at 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, was projected at No. 30 in that same FOX Sports mock draft after a junior season that included 34 total tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. He could be a double-digit sack player this fall.
Tuioti, the 6-foot-3, 263-pound edge, piled up 16 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks as a junior and is also viewed as an early-round draft prospect. He also happens to be the older brother of Boise State linebacker Mana Tuioti.
That group is about to meet a Boise State offensive line with plenty to prove. The Broncos do have an experienced piece in fifth-year senior Roger Carreon at right guard, but the rest of the unit is still taking shape.
Boise State is expected to start Tyler Ethridge, a senior transfer from Division II Colorado State-Pueblo, at left tackle. Carson Rasmussen, a fourth-year junior and former backup, is set to step in at left guard, while redshirt freshman Stewart Taufa takes over at center after serving as a backup last year.
Right tackle is also unsettled, with returning starter Daylon Metoyer and redshirt freshman Jacob Tracy both expected to get chances at Autzen Stadium.
Against Oregon’s front, that rebuilt line is heading straight into a major test.
In Other News...
Oregon 5-Star Commit Is Already Recruiting Another Elite Edge
Oregons defensive staff landed a major piece in the 2027 recruiting cycle when five-star edge rusher Rashad Streets from Milbrook High School in Raleigh, North Carolina, picked the Ducks over Alabama, Ohio State and NC State. Defensive coordinator Chris Hampton and edge coach Kamran Araghi were the key figures in getting the commitment, another sign that Oregon is continuing to sell itself as a real national player on the recruiting trail.
Streets has not waited long to start helping with the next phase of the class. During his official visit, he was already making the case for Oregon to Ohio State five-star edge commit David Jacobs, who is also part of that loaded 2027 group. For a program trying to stack elite pass-rushing talent, having one five-star commit recruiting another is the kind of momentum that can keep a cycle moving well beyond the first pledge. [Read more 🡒]
Autzen Is Facing A Threat Oregon Fans Never Wanted
Autzen Stadium has always been one of college footballs liveliest places to watch a game, but the price of getting through the gate is changing the feel around Oregon home Saturdays. Ticket costs have climbed sharply in recent years, with many games now opening above $100 and marquee matchups climbing to around $400, a jump that has become impossible for longtime fans to ignore.
For a program that has long leaned on a loud, loyal, every-week crowd, the concern is less about one expensive game than what happens if the trend keeps going. The fear is simple: if attending becomes a luxury instead of a habit, the people who helped make Autzen such a difficult place for opponents could slowly get pushed out of the stands. [Read more 🡒]
Oregons Defensive Mindset For 2026 Just Came Into Focus
Brandon Finney Jr. sounded like a sophomore who already understands the standard in Eugene. After a recent practice, the Oregon cornerback talked about his goals and mindset for the 2026 season, pointing to the Ducks' embrace of the Harada method as part of a larger push to make history. The approach is rooted in small daily improvements, and Finney said the idea has helped reinforce a team culture built around consistency, accountability and keeping the bar high.
Finney also made clear that the message is not coming from one place alone. He credited the leadership around the program, along with the support from coaches and teammates, as part of what keeps the group aligned heading into the next season. For a defense trying to define itself early in the cycle, that matters, because the Ducks are not just talking about talent or potential. They are trying to build the habits that make those things mean something when the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]