No. 6 Oregon didn’t get the kind of opening statement it wanted last week, and now the Ducks are headed into what looks a lot more like a cleanup job than a true test.
That’s the strange spot Oregon finds itself in after a 34-27 escape against Boise State. The win counted, sure.
But the Ducks fell four spots in the polls anyway, and with Oklahoma State up next, the expectation is less about surviving and more about looking like the team that entered the season No. 2.
The matchup comes Saturday, Sept. 12, at 9 a.m. PT at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, where Oregon will try to extend its FBS-leading road winning streak to 13 games.
On the other side is an Oklahoma State team starting over under new coach Eric Morris, who led North Texas to an 11-2 record in 2025, and a roster that includes 91 new players. The Cowboys opened with a 24-10 loss at Tulsa.
Oregon coach Dan Lanning said Monday the response from his team has been what he wanted to see.
"Certainly, our guys were anxious to get to work today," Lanning said. "...
You see a result like that for us, and ultimately there were some things that we did that were really good in the game, and then there were some things we didn't do well in the game as well. There were individual performances that were really positive and then some that weren't.
But ultimately, we just came out slow."
The Ducks did plenty well enough to win against Boise State, especially through the air. Quarterback Dante Moore completed 28 of 37 passes for a career-best 378 yards and three touchdowns, but Oregon still had to rally from a 17-7 deficit in the final minute of the first half.
That slow start is exactly what Oregon wants to erase this week. The Ducks are expected to have too much talent and too much depth for Oklahoma State, especially with 13 returning starters on offense and defense and five players who were USA TODAY Sports preseason all-Americans. The Cowboys, by contrast, have just two preseason All-Big 12 selections.
Lanning also made clear that Oregon is not walking into a casual atmosphere. He said of Morris and the Oklahoma State environment: "Got a ton of respect for coach Morris and what we are about to face in Oklahoma State," Lanning said.
"This will be his first home game there and I'm sure it will be an unbelievable atmosphere. I've actually never coached there but I hear they do a really good job.”
There’s also the weather to factor in. The early kickoff and projected low-90s temperature could make life more uncomfortable for the Ducks, though Lanning’s group has spent fall camp in Eugene without nearly that kind of heat.
Oregon’s injury picture includes some notable names. Receivers Jalen Lott and Iverson Hooks did not play against Boise State, with Lanning saying Monday that Lott, a five-star freshman, had surgery on his hand and will miss more time.
Hooks tweaked his hamstring before the game and is expected back this week. Also unavailable last week were running back Simeon Price, linebacker Brayden Platt, defensive tackles Tony Cumberland and Anthony Jones, receiver Dillon Gresham and outside linebacker Prince Tavizon.
Oklahoma State has a significant loss of its own. Morris said Tuesday that starting left tackle Jacob Sexton is out for the season after suffering a leg injury on the Cowboys’ first drive against Tulsa. Tight ends Oscar Hammond and Donovan Green are also questionable.
For the Ducks, the clearest edge starts up front and extends across the field. Their defensive line - Bear Alexander, Matayo Uiagalelei, Teitum Tuioti and A'Mauri Washington - combined for 21 tackles, three sacks and five quarterback hits against Boise State, and Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker is already working behind a battered offensive line. Mestemaker was sacked twice, hit 10 times, threw two interceptions and lost a fumble in the opener.
Still, the Cowboys do have one proven piece in Mestemaker. He flourished under Morris at North Texas in 2025, leading the nation in passing yards with 4,379 and finishing second in touchdown passes with 34.
Even with that, the bold predictions tilt heavily toward Oregon. The Ducks are expected to jump out early and avoid trailing, punish Mestemaker with pressure, and clean up the penalty mess from Week 1. Oregon committed 10 penalties for 90 yards against Boise State, including unsportsmanlike flags on Alexander and safety Peyton Woodyard, three pre-snap penalties on offense and an offsides call on Washington.
If there was a week for Lanning to hammer the details, this is it. And if the Ducks handle business the way they’re supposed to, the result could look a lot more like a statement than a scramble.
Prediction: Oregon 45, Oklahoma State 17.
In Other News...
Oregon Heads To Stillwater With One Big Injury Concern Already Looming
Oregon opened the season with a win over Boise State, but the bigger concern coming out of the game was the injury list that kept several Ducks on the sideline. Jalen Lott, Iverson Hooks and Simeon Price all missed the opener, and Dan Lanning said Lott will be out for a short period after hand surgery while Hooks should be back soon after dealing with a hamstring injury.
Stillwater now becomes the next test, and Oregon is already in a spot where getting bodies back matters as much as the matchup itself. The Ducks are preparing for Oklahoma State with the hope that some of the injured players can return in time, but the early-season health picture will be worth watching closely as the week moves on. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Gets An Oregon Twist For Its First Real Home Test
Dan Lanning is tweaking the Ducks routine for Saturdays trip to Oklahoma State, sending Oregon out a day earlier than usual in an effort to ease the transition into an early kickoff and a long cross-country haul. After their normal practice Thursday, the Ducks will head out with the schedule built around an 11 a.m. local start in Stillwater, which translates to 9 a.m. back on the West Coast.
It is a small change, but one that fits the broader challenge Oregon has embraced as it plays a national schedule with repeated time zone shifts. For a team trying to stay sharp in unfamiliar settings, the extra day of travel is less about convenience than giving players a better chance to settle in before what will be Oklahoma States first real home test of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Former Ducks Are Already Making Oregons Transfer Losses Feel Real
After Oregons College Football Playoff semifinal loss, the roster churn came fast, with 31 players entering the transfer portal in search of more playing time. A week into the 2026 season, several of those departures are already showing up on Saturdays for their new teams, giving the Ducks an early reminder of how much talent walked out the door.
Makhi Hughes has been part of Houstons backfield, Jayden Limar is already in Washingtons mix, Kingston Lopa has made his presence felt at California and quarterback Luka Moga is settling in at New Mexico. There are others, too, and the common thread is hard to miss: Oregons transfer losses were never going to be just a spring storyline, and the opening weekend offered the first real signs of what the Ducks gave up in the process. [Read more 🡒]