The No. 2-ranked Oregon Ducks opened their 2026 college football season with a seriously tight 34-27 win over Boise State on Saturday, and let’s be real, it was way too close for comfort. FanDuel Sportsbook had the Ducks as a 24.5-point favorite at Autzen Stadium. Talk about cutting it close against a team they were supposed to roll over.
Ducks Started Slow, Fought Back in a Wild One
Seriously, the Ducks looked nervous right out of the gate. Boise State scored on their opening drive, and Oregon even turned the ball over on downs and punted away the first quarter. Not exactly a statement start for a team fresh off a 2025 College Football Playoff semifinal run, huh? Jordan Davison finally put Oregon on the board with a short rushing touchdown. Then Dante Moore added a deep pass down the middle to Jamari Johnson, but a muffed punt turned into a Boise State touchdown right after, leaving Oregon trailing 17-14 at halftime. Head coach Dan Lanning must have ripped into them during the break. Whatever he said worked, because the Ducks came out with a field goal to tie, forced a punt, and then Moore connected with Jeremiah McClellan for their first lead, 24-17, with just over 5:30 left in the third. Of course, Boise State quickly punched back to tie it up before the fourth quarter. The fourth quarter saw an opening field goal from Oregon, then Dakorien Moore found his footing, connecting on a pass before absolutely juking the defense and taking it 62 yards for a touchdown. That’s what you call a momentum swing! The defense, despite being on the field a ton, came up absolutely huge on a fourth-and-10 stop with 2:24 left, sealing the W after Oregon punted. What a nail-biter.
Dante Moore’s Career Day Puts His Draft Stock in Focus
Despite the team’s slow start, Dante Moore himself had a standout performance. He threw for a career-high 378 yards, going 28 for 37 with 3 touchdowns and zero interceptions. That’s keeping cool under pressure, especially in a game this tight against a gritty Boise State team that finished 9-5 last season and returns 27-year-old quarterback Maddux Madsen. Remember all that drama back in January about whether Moore would declare for the 2026 NFL Draft? He settled it on ESPN’s SportsCenter, saying, “With that being said, of course I’ll be coming back to Oregon for one more year, being able to play for the Oregon Ducks and reach our goal and be national champions.” He had a chance to be a top pick in the 2026 draft and is still a top prospect for 2027. Mel Kiper Jr. sees him as a potential No. 1 overall pick if he can play better in big games this season, though he’s also leaving the door open for Arch Manning. ESPN’s Jordan Reid is still high on him, believing he’ll be selected No. 1 overall in his latest mock draft if he plays at last season’s level. This down-to-the-wire win and career high in yards certainly shows his ability to handle the heat.
With the first-game jitters out of the way, Oregon definitely needs to clean up some of those mistakes. But hey, a win is a win, especially when your top QB prospect shows he can deliver under pressure. Let’s see how they build on this.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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