EUGENE - Oregon got the win it needed to open the season, but the Ducks spent far too much of Saturday night making things harder than they had to be.
The No. 2 Ducks escaped Boise State 34-27 at Autzen Stadium, a result that got them moving in the right direction but also left plenty of room for unease. For a program built around championship expectations, a one-score battle with an unranked opponent was not the kind of opening statement anyone in Eugene wanted to see.
The most glaring issue was how much of the game Oregon handed away itself. Early in the fourth quarter, the Ducks had almost doubled Boise State’s yardage total and still held only a three-point lead.
That gap existed because of a long list of self-inflicted mistakes. In the first half alone, Oregon had a fair catch inside the 5-yard line, muffed a punt return, jumped offside on fourth down to keep the Broncos’ offense alive, drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and got hit with a false start that stalled a drive late in the half.
The Ducks also failed on fourth down at midfield twice. By halftime, the mess was theirs.
That kind of sloppiness would be frustrating in any opener. For a team ranked No. 2 and carrying its highest preseason ranking ever, it was worse than that.
Oregon did not look like a team trying to announce itself to the sport. The Broncos were still around until their final drive stalled with 1:41 remaining, and that was the only thing that kept the night from turning into a full-blown shocker.
Still, there was one part of the Ducks’ performance that looked every bit as advertised: the receivers. Dante Moore had a loaded group to work with, and Oregon leaned into it. The Ducks ran the ball only 25 times, putting Jeremiah McClellan, Dakorien Moore and Evan Stewart in the spotlight from start to finish.
McClellan was the headliner, finishing with 150 receiving yards and a long of 51. Stewart and Moore added another 175 yards between them.
Stewart’s long catch went for 39 yards, and Moore delivered the play that ultimately swung the game, an electrifying 62-yard touchdown with 7:51 left that featured a hesitation juke and sent one defender to the turf. That score put Oregon ahead for good.
There was one moment, though, when the Ducks got too cute. On third-and-11 early in the fourth quarter, new offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer dialed up a double pass with Stewart trying to hit McClellan in the end zone. The throw was off, McClellan came up short, and Oregon settled for a field goal.
With a Heisman Trophy favorite at quarterback, the Ducks do not need trickery to make their offense dangerous. They just need to let Moore throw the ball.
In Other News...
Oregon Faces An Early WR Twist Fans Didn't Expect
Oregons season opener against Boise State brought an early shakeup to the receiver room, with Iverson Hooks not dressed for warmups and set to miss the game. That is a notable development for a transfer who arrived from UAB as one of the Ducks more interesting offseason additions and even landed on the Preseason Biletnikoff Award watchlist, raising expectations for what he might add to the offense right away.
Freshman Jalen Lott was also not dressed, which opens the door for other Oregon wideouts to pick up snaps and prove their place in the rotation. For a team trying to establish rhythm early in the year, the absence of two receivers changes the look of the depth chart before the first kickoff is even in the books. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Opens With An Early Jalen Lott Concern Fans Will Watch
Oregons build toward its 2026 season opener against Boise State at Autzen Stadium got a little more complicated before kickoff when freshman wide receiver Jalen Lott and transfer Iverson Hooks were not spotted in pregame warmups. Lotts absence stood out most, given the attention he brought into camp and the fact that he was reportedly dealing with injuries suffered during the preseason stretch.
Because this is a non-conference game, the Ducks do not have to put out an official injury report, so the full picture remains unclear for now. What is clear is that Oregon may need to lean on some of its younger receivers sooner than planned, which adds another layer of intrigue to a first game that was already supposed to offer an early look at the depth chart. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Just Got A Title Nod That Raises The Pressure Fast
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For Oregon, the attention is flattering, but it also comes with the familiar weight of expectation. The Ducks have been to the national title game before, in 2010 and 2014, and the next step is the one that has eluded them. Being talked about as a future champion is one thing, but living up to a forecast like this starts long before January. [Read more 🡒]