EUGENE, Ore. - Oregon’s true freshmen finally got to show what they can do, and Friday night against Portland State was the kind of showcase that can tilt a depth chart in a hurry.
In the Ducks’ 84-0 rout of the Vikings, first-year players accounted for five touchdowns and three interceptions, with 20 freshmen getting on the field overall. It was the sharpest burst yet from a 2026 class that had been mostly quiet through the early part of the season.
Messiah Hampton was the headliner. With Jeremiah McClellan injured during warmups, Hampton stepped into a bigger role and made the most of it, finishing with team highs in catches (six), receiving yards (71) and receiving touchdowns (two). All three were career bests.
"I still think there are some things for him to clean up, but he's proven that he can play winning football for us," head coach Dan Lanning said of the receiver. "He does his job.
He's becoming a guy the quarterbacks trust. He's going to be where he needs to be, and he works really hard to block on the perimeter as well.
He can play winning football."
The freshman scoring didn’t stop there. Kendre Harrison, making his first career start, powered in from 10 yards out for his first touchdown in the second quarter. Then in the fourth quarter, running backs Tradarian Ball and Brandon Smith each found the end zone as Oregon kept rolling.
Harrison finished with four catches for 53 yards. Smith handled a game-high 16 carries for 71 yards, while Ball added 47 rushing yards on seven attempts and chipped in two receptions for 21 more yards.
On defense, the young Ducks turned the game into a takeaway party after halftime. Davon Benjamin and Jett Washington each picked off their first passes as Oregon players, and Washington added two interceptions of Portland State quarterback Gabe Downing.
Benjamin had the other. Washington also finished with two tackles.
The freshman contribution showed up in the passing game beyond Hampton, too. Hudson Lewis and Gatlin Bair each caught three passes for 25 yards.
A couple more first-year defenders also checked off milestones. Xavier Lherisse and Azel Banag recorded the first tackles of their Oregon careers.
Several other freshmen saw the field without showing up in the stat sheet: offensive linemen Immanuel Iheanacho, Tommy Tofi and Koloi Keli; tight end Dayton Raiola; defensive lineman Anthony Jones Jr.; outside linebackers Dutch Horisk and Prince Tavizon; linebackers Tristan Phillips and Braylon Hodge; and defensive back Devin Jackson.
Among the freshmen who played, Oregon listed five as appearing in three games: Messiah Hampton, Immanuel Iheanacho, Dutch Horisk, Davon Benjamin and Jett Washington.
Eight have now played in two games: Brandon Smith, Gatlin Bair, Hudson Lewis, Kendre Harrison, Koloi Keli, Tommy Tofi, Anthony Jones Jr. and Devin Jackson.
Seven have appeared in one game: Tradarian Ball, Dayton Raiola, Prince Tavizon, Braylon Hodge, Tristan Phillips, Azel Banag and Xavier Lherisse.
Three freshmen have yet to play: Jalen Lott, Anthony Jones and Tony Cumberland.
In Other News...
Oregon's Blowout Clarified One Position Battle Fans Need To Watch
Oregons rout gave the Ducks exactly the kind of late-game runway a staff wants when the score gets out of hand early: starters could ease off, younger players could stack reps, and a few rising names had a chance to show where they fit next. Jordon Davison, Kendre Harrison, Messiah Hampton, Dylan Raiola and Nasir Wyatt all popped in their own ways, a reminder that the depth chart in Eugene is still very much alive as the season moves forward.
Carl Williams IVs situation is the one worth watching most closely after the dust settled. His injury and the way Oregon adjusted during the blowout could open the door for someone else, while Simeon Prices absence only added another layer to the picture. For a team that just showed how much talent it can roll onto the field, the real question now is which young pieces turn a strong outing into a longer-term role. [Read more 🡒]
Kendre Harrison Concern Just Clouded Oregons Next Big Stretch
Oregons win over Portland State came with a reminder of how quickly the Ducks tight end room can shift from a strength to a concern. Freshman Kendre Harrison kept making an impact in the passing game before leaving in the fourth quarter after appearing to get hurt, and his production was a welcome part of an offense that has leaned on young playmakers early this season.
Jamari Johnson has also been sidelined, which puts more pressure on Oregons depth if Harrisons issue lingers beyond the weekend. For a team heading into a more demanding stretch, the health of that position group suddenly matters a lot more than it did before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Lanning Has Oregon Fans Debating One Part Of This Rout
Oregons 84-0 win over Portland State was the kind of result that usually gets buried under the numbers and moved on from quickly, but this one lingered for a different reason. The Ducks piled up a historic scoring total for the program, and Dante Moore and Dylan Raiola helped drive the avalanche with more than 400 passing yards and seven touchdowns between them.
Dan Lanning still ended up fielding a different kind of postgame attention, as some fans took to social media to question the teams aggressiveness even with the game long out of hand. For Oregon, the margin was the headline on the field, but the conversation afterward turned to how far is too far when a powerhouse keeps its foot on the gas. [Read more 🡒]