Two weeks into the 2026 season, the Oregon Ducks have a lot of work to do. If they were aiming for an eight-win season, the loss to the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Saturday would be disappointing, but nothing more. But with national championship expectations — not just hopes, real expectations — the Ducks simply can't be making the mistakes that they've made through two games.
A scary combination has arisen: Oregon is both beating themselves and proven early on that they're not as good as they, or anyone else thought they were. Boise State didn't build a double digit lead because of a coincidence. Oklahoma State's win was anything but gimmicky. The Broncos, for much of the game, were better than the Ducks. And the Cowboys were better than the Ducks for all
60 minutes.
If last week wasn't a moment of looking in the mirror for every members of the Oregon program, this week certainly is. Not one aspect of the team performed well: Offense, defense, special teams or coaching. Everything was exceptionally poor and unacceptable.
That sentiment is reflected in our weekly report card, where high grades were hard to come by.
Quarterbacks
Grade: D
In a battle of potential first-round quarterbacks, Dante Moore got straight up schooled by Oklahoma State's Drew Mestemaker. Over 20 scouts and multiple NFL general managers were in attendance, only for Moore to put together the worst performance in his Oregon career while Mestemaker lit it up, picking apart the Ducks' defense. Moore's final stat line of 14-of-29 for 191 yards and two touchdowns doesn't tell the entire story, as he had a number of throws that he surely would want back whether they were low, high or anywhere in between. He was all over the place, looking like anything but his normal self. The positive? We've probably seen the worst of Moore this season already. If he has another dud like this, his draft stock will increasingly drop right along with Oregon's title chances.
Running Backs
Grade: C-
The phrase unacceptable fits Dierre Hill Jr.'s game-ending fumble, in which he appeared to lose focus and didn't catch a pitch from Moore. That's the exact sign of a team asleep at the wheel, even while down eight points in the final minutes. Other than that, Hill had a solid game in finding open holes, though Jordon Davison struggled as he recorded just 2.9 yards per carry on eight totes. Touted as game-changers entering the season, Hill and Davison have not lived up to the billing through two games.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Grade: D
Drops were contagious on Saturday. Dakorien Moore dropped a potential touchdown on fourth down and other normally reliable pass-catchers let passes go through their hands, putting a damper on the Ducks' ability to consistently move the ball down the field. Evan Stewart showed some pop for the second straight week, leading the group with four catches for 68 yards and a touchdown. Messiah Hampton's presence was a pleasant surprise, with the true freshman catching three passes for 31 yards. But with Jamari Johnson out, the tight end position wasn't a factor much at all, as backup Andrew Olesh, a transfer from Penn State, managed just one catch for nine yards. Even in a disappointing win in Week 1, the wide receivers performed well. That was not the case in this week's loss.
Offensive Line
Grade: D-
Dan Lanning thought that he'd found a starting five on the offensive line, but he may need to reevaluate his choice. The group surrendered four sacks and didn't create consistant push in the run game, with the team carrying the ball 30 times for just 90 yards. Tackles Ziyare Addison and Fox Crader just aren't doing their jobs well enough early in the season, and there's a case for the coaches to take a long, hard look at both player's job security. As a whole, the unit looked outclassed and overwhelmed with Oklahoma State's defensive front — something that can't happen if the Ducks are going to go where they want to go.
Defensive Line
Grade: D
Even before A'Mauri Washington left the game for a large stretch due to injury, Oregon's defensive front had issues right from the beginning. By game's end, they've given up 237 rushing yards on 5.9 yards per carry and two scores. Bear Alexander followed up a standout Week 1 with a quiet Week 2 performance, further allowing the narrative to live on about his inconsistencies. With Washington out for much of the second half, the responsibilities were placed upon North Carolina transfer D'Antre Robinson, who didn't seem up to the task. In fact, nobody was up to the task against the Cowboys' rushing attack — one that mustered up just 3.4 yards per carry the prior week against Tulsa.
Linebackers
Grade: C+
If not for Devon Jackson's eye-popping speed in chasing down Mestemaker on his 75-yard rush and his 96-yard pick-six, the linebacking crew would have just a little bit better of a grade as other position groups. Jerry Mixon was solid, totaling nine tackles and a tackle for loss. Jackson tied for his career high with seven tackles, while Dylan Williams had four tackles. And if we're grouping in edges Teitum Tuioti and Matayo Uiagalelei here, the technique and execution on read-option plays was as poor as it gets. Crashing inside prematurely was a theme that Oklahoma State targeted and had major success with, leading to a significant amount of their rush yards on the day.
Secondary
Grade: D
Whenever there was a crucial moment, it seemed like the Cowboys would find an open receiver down the field and convert. Whatever it was, coverage or a skill issue, the Ducks' secondary had an awful showing in allowing Mestemaker to throw for 317 yards and two touchdowns. Oklahoma State's receivers were constantly finding themselves open and presenting as friendly targets for Mestemaker, who didn't have to make a ton of tight-window throws. Rather, he was picking apart the defense and looking like the veteran starter that Moore was supposed to look like. Oregon's secondary talent is much better than this, so figuring out what the issue truly is is imperative.
Special Teams
Grade: B+
Arguably the only unit without a major blemish was the special teams, as kicker Gage Hurych knocked in a 42-yard field goal and all four extra points while punter Bailey Ettridge averaged 52.6 yards per boot and downed one inside the 20-yard line. The return units were fine. This grade is carried by the talent of Hurych and Ettridge, who both have big legs and potential pro futures.
Coaching
Grade: D
As much as the players underperformed, this was about as bad of a coached game as you're going to get out of Dan Lanning and this staff. There's simply no excuse for how bad some of the decisions were, such as the fourth-and-long call in the fourth quarter that had no chance of being executed. Offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer decided to run a roll-out play with routes only heading towards the sideline, giving Moore no alternatives but to dirt the ball since Oklahoma State had it locked up. Defensively, this was a terrible showing. If it were the NBA, they'd burn the tape for this one. But considering there's only 12 regular season games in a season, everyone will have to painfully sit through the various decisions and plays that they wish they could have back.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Week 2 Report Card: Low grades aplenty after shocking Ducks loss
