No. 2 Oregon opened its 2026 season at Autzen Stadium with plenty of buzz around a roster built on returning veterans and a wave of freshmen, but Boise State showed up ready to make noise in its first year as a Pac-12 team.
The Ducks leaned on senior quarterback Dante Moore, senior center Iapani Laloulu, and senior edge rushers Teitum Tuioti and Matayo Uiagalelei, among others, while the Broncos brought fifth-year quarterback Maddux Madsen into a game their coach, Spencer Danielson, called an "awesome moment" for his offense to test itself against a top-rated opponent.
Boise State struck first. On its opening scoring drive, Madsen hit Cam Bates wide open in the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown at 11:09 of the first quarter, finishing an 11-play, 75-yard march and putting the Broncos ahead 7-0.
Oregon answered later in the first quarter with a big defensive play. Teitum Tuioti got to Madsen for a sack on the final snap of the period, forcing fourth down. Earlier in the quarter, Bear Alexander had also dropped Madsen for a 2-yard loss on a Broncos drive that ended with Oregon taking over on downs.
The Ducks had flashes of offense, too. Moore connected with Jeremiah McClellan for a 50-yard gain down the sideline at 4:10 of the first quarter, and McClellan kept working as a key target early. Moore later found him again for a first down to the Boise State 26-yard line, and then for another catch that moved Oregon to the BSU 9.
Oregon’s first touchdown came early in the second quarter. At 11:17, Jordon Davison punched in a one-yard score on an 8-play, 50-yard drive that took just under four minutes, tying the game.
Boise State briefly regained momentum on special teams at 10:24 of the second, when the Broncos muffed a 37-yard punt and appeared to recover it on Oregon’s 38-yard line. The call was confirmed, giving Boise State first down.
But the Broncos couldn’t fully capitalize. An incomplete pass from Madsen at 11:13 forced a kick back to Oregon, and the Ducks quickly went back to work.
The pregame scene had its own share of storylines. Oregon’s coin-toss decision sent the Ducks to defer to Boise State. The Ducks also paid tribute to Dolly Parton with a video and butterfly logo in green and yellow, recognizing her 1970s song "Eugene Oregon."
Oregon’s entrance carried a different kind of nod, appearing to reference "Flat Stanley," with the Ducks rushing into the tunnel after his blanket uncovered the true mascot. Freshman wide receiver Jalen Lott was not spotted with the pregame workout receiver corps, and senior UAB transfer Iverson Hooks was in street clothes and not working out with the receivers.
Boise State’s trip to Eugene was complicated before kickoff. According to Bronco Nation News writer B.J.
Rains, the team’s charter had to land in Portland after rains in Eugene prevented a safe arrival at the Eugene Airport. Buses were sent to Portland International Airport to bring the Broncos to Eugene, with the team’s estimated arrival projected for Friday night at 9 p.m.
PT.
Weather also hovered over the buildup, with AccuWeather calling for a 55 percent chance of precipitation in Eugene, a 71-degree high, a 50-degree low, and "Intervals of clouds and sunshine with a thundershower."
The Ducks wore a mix of "Generation O," "Mighty Oregon" and "Gang Green" uniforms for a green, yellow and white look tied to the stripe-out theme.
The series history came in with Boise State holding the edge at 3-1. Oregon’s lone win in the matchup came in a 37-34 victory at Autzen Stadium in the second game of the 2024 season. Before that, the Ducks had fallen in Las Vegas in 2017, in Boise in 2009 and at home in 2008.
In Other News...
Oregons Offensive Line Battle Just Took An Unexpected Early Turn
Oregons offensive line picture got a little clearer, and a little more crowded, in its recent game, where the Ducks mixed veterans with second-year players up front. Ziyare Addison, Douglas Utu, Iapani Laloulu, Michael Bennett III and Fox Crader were among the starters, while Trent Ferguson, Dave Iuli and Gernorris Wilson also saw work as the staff continued sorting through its options.
The more interesting part was who did not get into the rotation. Freshmen Tommy Tofi and Immanuel Iheanacho were held out of playing time, while Kawika Rogers, Devin Brooks and Bryce Boulton were absent or unavailable because of injury or other reasons. For a unit still taking shape, that kind of early sorting can say plenty about where the competition stands, even if there is still room for the depth chart to shift again. [Read more 🡒]
Oregons Sloppy Opener Made One Role Battle Even More Urgent
Oregons season opener against Boise State offered an early glimpse of how the Ducks depth could shape the rest of the fall, even as the performance itself was uneven. In limited snaps, Nasir Wyatt, Andrew Olesh, Naeem Offord, Davon Benjamin and Dylan Williams each flashed enough to give the coaching staff something to think about as it sorts through the first wave of lineup choices and role assignments.
Dan Lanning singled out Williams for his work in the opener and said he expects a strong season from him, which only adds to the sense that some of these rotations are still very much in motion. With starting jobs and playing time still being sorted out, the Ducks have already reached the point where one position battle feels especially urgent, and the early evidence suggests more opportunities are coming for players who made the most of their chances. [Read more 🡒]
Jeremiah McClellan May Have Forced His Way Into Oregons Plans
Jeremiah McClellan turned in the kind of outing that can change how a coaching staff thinks about its receiver rotation. In Oregons recent game, the sophomore tied his career high with six catches and set a new personal best with 150 receiving yards, a performance that came with the sort of steadiness Dan Lanning has been asking for from his playmakers.
McClellan also added a touchdown on an eight-yard reception that was reviewed and confirmed, giving the Ducks another weapon in the red zone. Dante Moore praised his dedication and big-play ability afterward, and for Oregon, the question now is less about what McClellan did in one game than how quickly that showing pushes him into a bigger role going forward. [Read more 🡒]