Boise State vs. Oregon: 4 things to know before Week 1

Game week is finally here as Boise State is set to kick off the 2026 college football season at No. 2 Oregon on Saturday.

Here are four things to know ahead of Saturday’s 1:30 p.m. Mountain time showdown at Autzen Stadium.

1. Oregon has a massive talent advantage

Oregon is ranked No. 2 in the preseason AP Poll and Coaches Poll behind Big Ten rival Ohio State, but the Ducks might have the most raw talent in college football.

In the ESPN preseason top 100 players ranking, Oregon led the way with eight selections. Boise State had one: fifth-year senior edge rusher Jayden Virgin-Morgan.

The Ducks are second behind Georgia in the 247Sports team talent composite ranking for the 2026 season. Boise State is No. 72 in the team talent composite ranking, coming in behind fellow Group of Six schools South Florida (No. 54), UNLV (No. 62), Tulane (No. 69) and Memphis (No. 71) but ahead of new Pac-12 schools Colorado State (No. 75), Oregon State (No. 76), Washington State (No. 78) and San Diego State (No. 80).

It’s safe to say Boise State will be at a significant talent disadvantage on Saturday.

2. Boise State has dominated the series

Oregon has become one of the top programs in the country over the last 20 years, but Boise State holds a 3-1 advantage in the non-conference series.

The Broncos swept a home-and-home series in 2008-09 and trounced the Ducks in the 2017 Las Vegas Bowl. Oregon picked up its first win over Boise State in 2024, a 37-34 come-from-behind victory at Autzen Stadium.

After the 2024 meeting, both teams went on to make the College Football Playoff.

3. The Tuioti brothers face off

Boise State sophomore Mana Tuioti will be in the linebacker rotation this season after appearing in all 14 games as a true freshman.

Mana’s older brother, Teitum Tuioti, is a senior outside linebacker for the Ducks. Teitum earned Walter Camp preseason first-team All-America honors heading into 2026.

Their father, Tony Tuioti, is Oregon’s defensive line coach.

4. Boise State has struggled against Power Four teams

After scoring several big upsets under previous coaches Chris Petersen and Bryan Harsin, the Broncos have largely faltered against power-conference teams in recent seasons.

Boise State has lost 10 consecutive games against Power Four opponents dating back to 2019. The last victory came in the 2019 season opener at Florida State.

The Broncos are 0-5 against Power Four competition under head coach Spencer Danielson, including losses to Notre Dame and Washington last year.

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