The Oregon Ducks will embark on their third season in the Big Ten on Saturday with a battle against the new face of their former conference: Boise State. Newly minted into the Pac-12, the Broncos will arrive at Autzen Stadium with a familiar game plan: run the ball, play aggressive defense, and ignore the odds.
The Ducks are big favorites, but that hasn't stopped Boise State from making the matchup a tight battle in the past. Oregon's talent edge could allow them to put the Broncos down early in this one, but there are a few important things the Ducks need to accomplish in the season opener. Boise State shouldn't be overlooked as one of the programs vying for a College Football Playoff bid, and the Ducks have plenty on the line to start the season as well.
To avoid another stressful game against Boise State, Oregon needs to dominate in the trenches and make smart decisions, avoiding the early-season miscues that can occasionally boil into upsets around the country. Let's take a look at three keys to help the Ducks start the 2026 campaign with an important win.
Shut Down Dylan Riley & Sire Gaines
Last time Boise State came to Eugene, the Ducks squeaked by with a couple of special teams touchdowns and a walk-off field goal. The biggest difference between that game and this Saturday is one terrifying force: Ashton Jeanty. The Heisman finalist carried the Broncos in the 2024 matchup, rushing for 192 yards and three scores.
Jeanty won't be on the field this Saturday, but Boise State's best chance to move the chains still relies on the ground game. Dylan Riley and Sire Gaines combined to rush for 1,935 yards and 18 touchdowns last season. The Broncos can run between the tackles and have enough speed to force the Ducks to step up and make tackles on the edges as well.
Oregon's run defense was solid last season, allowing 120.7 yards per game, but the return of A'Mauri Washington and Bear Alexander in the interior should give the Ducks a massive edge against the Broncos. If the Ducks can get out to a fast start by stuffing the rushing lanes, forcing Riley and Gaines to bounce runs to the outside where the second and third levels of the defense can clean it up, the Broncos will have to turn to Maddux Madsen at some point with an aerial attack. That's probably how Oregon wants to win this game.
Stay Cool & Avoid First Game Jitters
The point spread in this game is big because of the gap in talent in favor of the Ducks. However, the team might not be super polished for the first game of the season. Things are still unsettled at some positions. Dante Moore is getting back up to game speed and focused on making better decisions; the defense has some big goals in the pass rush department, and there are some new and young faces that figure to make an impact.
Don't expect everything to go perfectly, but it's important not to let small errors snowball into a major problem. In 2024, Oregon let small mistakes against Idaho and Boise State pile up and create a stressful atmosphere in the game. This Boise State team is good enough to take advantage of some of those mistakes, so the Ducks need to have a short memory.
Drop a pass? Forget about it. Moore misses on a deep ball? Next play. Miss a tackle or give up a big play defensively? Keep your head in the game and make the next one. Oregon has enough veteran production and experience to not be overwhelmed by Boise State on either side of the ball, but the constant conversation about a national title coming into the season has set high expectations for the players and coaches. It can be easy to overanalyze a mistake or two, especially for freshmen stepping into a big role, so the Ducks need to keep their heads on right.
Keep Dante Clean
The Ducks will definitely look to establish the run, but given Boise State's reworked secondary, they would be wise to take some shots downfield in the passing game. To do so, they need to buy Moore some time in the pocket. The offensive line remains unsettled, so Oregon is planning to run a couple of different combinations up front in an attempt to find a solid group of five or six guys moving forward.
Boise State has a strong pass rush, so it will be a worthy first test for the unproven Ducks along the offensive line, particularly Fox Crader on the left side and whatever combination of Gernorris Wilson, Tommy Tofi and Ziyare Addison line up on the right side. The last thing the Ducks need is for Moore to take too many hits from the pocket in the first game of the season. Getting Dave Iuli (torn triceps) back in the fold will only help the unit to start the season.
Maybe they'll find a core group to move forward with as well, but a rotation up front with several guys isn't a big issue in the opener. Winning in the trenches is key to start the season the right way, and Oregon will need to find ways to slow Boise State's aggressive rush.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Keys to victory for the Oregon Ducks vs. Boise State
