The Oregon Ducks rolled out to a 28-0 first-quarter lead against Portland State, but the bigger storyline for Dan Lanning’s team was who wasn’t on the field. Wide receiver Jeremiah McClellan, who entered Week 3 as Oregon’s leading receiver with 170 yards, warmed up with the Ducks before the game but then switched into street clothes before kickoff.
That absence stood out even more because McClellan’s injury comes after the upset loss to Oklahoma State and was not expected. Tight end Jamari Johnson was already unavailable again after missing the Oklahoma State game, leaving Oregon to adjust on the fly against the Vikings.
With McClellan out, Oregon leaned on its other options early. Tight ends Andrew Olesh and Kendre Harrison got involved in the first quarter, while Evan Stewart and Dakorien Moore worked the outside for quarterback Dante Moore. Freshmen receivers Messiah Hampton and Gatlin Bair also saw first-quarter action.
The Ducks kept stretching the game open, and Harrison found the end zone at the start of the second quarter for his first career touchdown, pushing Oregon ahead 35-0 before halftime.
Even without McClellan, Oregon still had plenty to work with. Moore and Stewart remained downfield threats, and the missing snaps also gave younger receivers like Hampton and Bair a chance to collect valuable reps at Autzen Stadium.
Through the first quarter, Stewart led Oregon with 61 receiving yards on two catches. Dakorien Moore had one catch, and it went for a 45-yard touchdown. Hampton added two catches for 23 yards, while Harrison posted his biggest outing of the season so far with two receptions for 34 yards.
The injuries to McClellan and Johnson were not disclosed, but Oregon hardly needed either player against Portland State after putting up 28 points in the opening 15 minutes. Still, as Big Ten play approaches, the Ducks’ depth chart is starting to matter more.
Whether McClellan and Johnson are available for Oregon’s matchup with No. 12 USC remains unclear, which makes the emergence of Hampton and Harrison more significant.
The Ducks’ talent has never been in question, but an injury to McClellan would hit hard in the receiver room. The expectation was that Moore, Stewart, and McClellan could form one of the best trios in the Big Ten, if not all of college football.
There’s also a new wrinkle coming in 2026, when Big Ten teams will be required to submit official injury reports before conference games. That means Lanning and Oregon will have to start revealing more about the status of McClellan, Johnson, and others.
Oregon’s first injury report of the season will come out Wednesday ahead of the Sept. 26 game against USC.
In Other News...
Oregon's Blowout Clarified One Position Battle Fans Need To Watch
Oregons lopsided win gave the Ducks something every contender wants in October: a chance to get out of the game early and let younger players handle real snaps without the pressure of a tight finish. It also offered a useful look at the depth chart, with Jordon Davison, Kendre Harrison, Messiah Hampton, Dylan Raiola and Nasir Wyatt all turning in encouraging work while the starters got a breather.
The bigger storyline for Oregon may be less about the score and more about how the personnel shuffle settles in the coming weeks. Simeon Prices absence raised a small red flag, and Carl Williams IV now appears to be fighting to keep hold of a starting job after injury and recent adjustments changed the look of the group. For a team with bigger goals ahead, those kinds of battles can matter long after a blowout fades from memory. [Read more 🡒]
Kendre Harrison Concern Just Clouded Oregons Next Big Stretch
Freshman tight end Kendre Harrison gave Oregon a real lift in the win over Portland State, hauling in four catches for 53 yards and a touchdown before his afternoon took a worrying turn in the fourth quarter. For a Ducks offense trying to keep building rhythm, Harrisons emergence added another layer to the passing game and hinted at how quickly he can become part of the weekly plan.
The concern now is what comes next for a position group already stretched thin, with Jamari Johnson also sidelined. If Harrisons issue lingers, Oregon could be forced to lean harder on other options at tight end just as the schedule is about to tighten up, making his status one of the quieter but more important storylines to watch. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Suddenly Has A New Injury Concern On Offense
Jeremiah McClellans day against Portland State took an unexpected turn when the Oregon wide receiver was spotted on the sideline in a walking boot and using crutches after going through warmups with the team. It added another layer of concern for an offense that had already been trying to sort out its passing game after McClellan flashed in the season opener but had a quieter outing the previous week.
Oregon is already working through an injury situation at tight end with Jamari Johnson, so McClellans status only deepens the questions on that side of the ball. The Ducks do at least get an extra day before their next game, which gives the staff and training room a little more time to assess where things stand and how much help the offense will have available. [Read more 🡒]