Oregon’s late-season push is going to lean on more than the names everyone already knows.
The Ducks are sitting at No. 23 in the College Football Playoff rankings after knocking off previously ranked Northwestern, 34-26, and they still have a chance to make noise in both the CFP race and the Big Ten title picture if they finish strong. But getting there will take more than Dylan Raiola’s quarterback play and a defense that keeps holding up. It will take some of the freshmen from Oregon’s 2026 class stepping into bigger jobs right now.
One of the clearest examples is running back Smith, who turned into the breakout story of the Northwestern win. The Fresno, California, native ripped off 82 yards on eight carries and scored the fourth-quarter touchdown that put Oregon ahead for good.
Dan Lanning had already hinted that Smith was ready for a larger workload. During his Nov. 2 press conference, Lanning pointed to what he had seen from Smith in practice.
"I think he’s done what a lot of our young players have done that have been able to come in and make an impact. As you start with a small role, and then that role grows over time as trust builds,” Lanning said.
That kind of comment usually means one thing: more touches are coming. With starter Jordon Davison banged up ahead of Oregon’s Nov. 7 trip to face No. 10 Ohio State, Smith looks like a player the Ducks may need to lean on even more inside the Horseshoe.
The other freshman making a serious climb is interior offensive lineman Tommy Tofi, whose rise might be the most surprising of the bunch. Oregon needed help up front, especially with the offense going through struggles at quarterback and the eventual switch to Jay Johnson as interim play-caller. Tofi has answered by becoming a force in the run game.
"He’s gotten better and better. I think the guys around him have communicated really well. He’s got good strength and the ability to move people, which is huge," Lanning said to reporters about Tofi’s ascension.
Tofi has also been sharpened by going against defensive tackles Bear Alexander and A’Mauri Washington in practice, and that kind of daily work should leave him better prepared for the stretch ahead.
Then there’s Benjamin, the four-star signee who has already logged more snaps than the other two and shown his versatility on defense. Oregon is going to need that starting in Columbus, where Benjamin will likely help bracket Ohio State star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, the projected top pick of the 2027 NFL Draft.
His role could matter even more as the Ducks move through the rest of the schedule against quarterbacks who can hurt teams with their legs. That includes Washington’s Demond Williams Jr. in the final regular-season game, a Nov. 28 matchup that could wind up shaping Oregon’s postseason path or its Big Ten title game hopes if the Ducks finish 9-3 overall.
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Ohio State never found a clean answer after the opening stretch, and the offense largely stalled once the first quarter passed, with Luke Fahey unable to steady things. Oregon, meanwhile, kept piling on behind backup quarterback Dylan Raiola, who helped drive the Ducks to 395 yards and five touchdowns in the latter part of the game. For a program trying to make a national statement, this was the kind of performance that leaves a mark, even if the full ripple effect is still to come. [Read more 🡒]