Oregon’s showdown with UCLA on Saturday carries real weight on the field, but the Ducks are also trying to win over some of the biggest recruiting names in the country while the game is happening at Autzen Stadium.
The biggest visitor on hand is 2028 five-star edge rusher Kameron McGee, a prospect Oregon is clearly trying to make a statement with. For Dan Lanning and his staff, this is a chance to push for what would be the program’s first commitment in the 2028 class.
McGee is rated a five-star by Rivals and 247Sports, and both outlets have him as the No. 1 player in Illinois and the No. 1 edge rusher. 247Sports has him as the No. 1 recruit in the 2028 class, while Rivals has him at No.
McGee has already put together a strong season at Brother Rice, where he posted 54 tackles, 10.5 sacks, nine breakups and two forced fumbles in 2025, according to 247Sports. Notre Dame is currently the team to beat in the Rivals Prediction Machine, but only barely at 12.6 percent. There’s still a long way to go in his recruitment, and Oregon has a real opening to make up ground.
That opening gets a little more interesting because Brother Rice teammate Brayden Parks already picked Notre Dame on July 23, with Oregon finishing second. According to Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong, McGee is taking his third trip to Eugene, which gives the Ducks another shot to leave a lasting impression.
What happens against UCLA could matter, too. If Oregon’s defensive front can stand up to the Bruins’ rushing attack, that kind of performance could help the Ducks with McGee. And with other recruits around him, including players from both his class and the one ahead of it, Oregon has a chance to show him the kind of environment it’s building.
The quarterback group on campus is worth watching as well. Five-star 2027 commit Will Mencl is set to return to Eugene after a strong start to his senior year at Chandler in Arizona.
MaxPreps lists him with 1,659 passing yards and 15 touchdowns, plus 134 rushing yards and three rushing scores. Mencl gives Oregon another quarterback option for 2027 and a potential successor to current quarterbacks Dante Moore and Dylan Raiola.
Oregon will also host another future quarterback in 2028 four-star Tristin Gaines, who plays in Waller, Texas. Rivals has him as the No. 9 quarterback and No. 86 recruit overall, and the Rivals Prediction Machine gives Oregon more than a 90 percent chance to land him.
Gaines will get a look at Raiola making his first start for Oregon after beginning the season as the backup. For both Mencl and Gaines, the setting gives them a chance to see how Oregon’s quarterback room operates when the stakes are high.
Other visitors expected on the sideline include 2028 four-star tight end Presley DeLance, who is an in-state prospect, DeLance’s teammate and current 2027 three-star EDGE commit Josh Christensen, and four-star athlete Jayce Halasz.
In Other News...
Oregon Win Now Comes With A Big Ten Question For Bear Alexander
A viral clip from Oregons game against UCLA has put Bear Alexander in the middle of a question that could linger well beyond the final whistle. The video shows the Ducks defensive tackle appearing to strike UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava during a tackle, and Iamaleava later left the game with a lower body injury, adding a sharper edge to a moment that has already drawn plenty of attention.
Now the focus shifts to the Big Ten, which can review incidents under its sportsmanship policy and has the option to hand down discipline if it sees fit. Oregon coach Dan Lanning recently condemned a similar incident involving another player, which only adds to the scrutiny around Alexander as the conference weighs its next move and the Ducks wait to see whether the play leads to anything more than a social-media storm. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Heads Into UCLA Test With Pressure On More Than One Front
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Dylan Raiolas role is part of the conversation, and so is the challenge of handling a UCLA defense that has been good at creating turnovers. Oregon also has to be sharp against the Bruins rushing attack, which can put pressure on a defense quickly if it loses leverage early. Add in the need for the Ducks offensive line to keep improving, and there is plenty here beyond just a top-25 matchup. [Read more 🡒]
Oregons New Football Facility Says Everything About Where This Program Is Going
A new chapter is taking shape in Eugene, and it is hard to miss what Oregon is trying to say with it. The Ducks are building an indoor football practice facility called 2.Mo, a sprawling 170,000-square-foot project that will rise nearly 100 feet high and stand as the largest of its kind in college football. The project broke ground in February 2025 and is expected to be finished in 2027, giving the program a massive new space to match its increasingly aggressive ambitions.
For Dan Lanning, the facility is about more than modern architecture or a flashy campus addition. It is another piece of the Ducks pitch to recruits and a tool for player development, with the coach pointing to the buildings unique features as evidence of the programs commitment to growth. Oregon has long sold itself on being ahead of the curve, and this is the latest sign that the Ducks do not plan on backing off that approach anytime soon. [Read more 🡒]