Jeremiah McClellan didn’t need a huge stat line to make his presence felt in Oregon’s win at Ohio State. He had just one catch for five yards in the Ducks’ 41-28 victory in Columbus, but Dan Lanning made it clear the receiver’s return from injury mattered in more ways than the box score showed.
“When he was in there, he did a really good job. Sometimes he's open.
I wish we could have been able to find him, but I think his leadership continues to show up. His work ethic continues to show up, and obviously he's a big piece of our offense and a dynamic piece.
So, excited to have him back out there," Lanning said.
That return is now one of the bigger things to watch when No. 16 Oregon hosts Michigan on Saturday in Autzen Stadium.
McClellan had been out since breaking his foot while warming up for Portland State on Sept. 18, and he missed only six games. Lanning said the receiver’s comeback has been driven by how hard he pushed to get back.
“Yeah, I mean, just unbelievable resilience to return as fast as he could. It's always hard to level expectations because he wanted more than anything to be in as much as he could," Lanning said.
“He worked really, really hard to put himself in a position to get back, but I knew early in the week, like, 'Hey man, we need you not just for one, we need you for several.' So, this is a build-up process, and you don't go from not playing any football at all to going to play at a really high level for a lot of snaps," Lanning continued.
Before the injury, McClellan had been Oregon’s leading receiver in yards. Four of his first seven catches went for at least 20 yards, and two went for 50 or more. His ability to threaten defenses downfield gives Dylan Raiola another weapon outside of sophomore Dakorien Moore, and that could matter against a Michigan defense that has been stingy through the air, ranking No. 4 nationally and allowing just 154.8 passing yards per game.
McClellan’s first game back suggested he can still separate. Whether Raiola can connect with him more often against that secondary will be a key subplot in Eugene.
The Ducks also need every healthy body they can get. Oregon’s injury report remains lengthy heading into the Wolverines’ visit, with expected season-ending injuries to starting quarterback Dante Moore and starting outside linebacker Teitum Tuioti.
Starting running back Jordon Davison did not play at Ohio State and is week-to-week with a leg injury. Messiah Hampton and Andrew Olesh were listed as out before the Buckeyes game.
Even with the injuries, Oregon is still in the mix if it can finish strong. The Ducks have three losses, but the path to the College Football Playoff remains alive if they win out, starting with Michigan on Saturday, Nov. 14.
The offense has changed since McClellan was last fully involved. Raiola is now the starter after Moore suffered a concussion that is expected to be season-ending, and Jay Johnson is calling plays after Oregon parted ways with offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer seven games into the season.
Still, the Ducks have found some rhythm. They’ve scored 75 points over the last two games with Johnson calling plays, and they’ve won back-to-back games after trailing by at least 14 points for the first time in program history. It’s also the first time since 1971 that Oregon has pulled off two such comebacks in the same season.
McClellan’s track record suggests there’s more coming. Last season, he finished third on the team with 38 catches for 557 yards and three touchdowns.
Only Malik Benson and Kenyon Sadiq had more receiving yards, and both are now in the NFL. He carried that momentum into 2026, matching his career high with six receptions and setting a personal best with 150 receiving yards against Boise State.
Kickoff for Oregon and Michigan is set for 12:30 p.m. PT on Saturday, Nov. 14, and the game will air on FS1. Ducks fans heading to Autzen are encouraged to wear green.
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