Boise State vs. Oregon: Where the Broncos face their biggest challenge

On Thursday, Boise State Broncos On SI broke down one favorable matchup the Broncos could exploit during Saturday’s game at No. 2 Oregon.

We will now take a look at the biggest challenge Boise State will face on Saturday: Blocking the Ducks’ talented defensive front.

Oregon is loaded with star power up front in defensive tackles Bear Alexander and A’Mauri Washington and edges Teitum Tuioti and Matayo Uiagalelei. All four players are seniors who opted to skip the 2026 NFL Draft and return to college.

“Probably one of the top front fours in the entire country,” Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson said during Monday’s press conference. “And honestly in this day and age, really cool to see all four of them come back. I love seeing that where guys come back to school, finish what they started. … All four would’ve had opportunities to go be top-round picks in the NFL, all four came back. They’re a really, really good front.”

The 6-foot-3, 325-pound Washington had 33 total tackles and seven pass breakups as a junior. Washington was projected as the No. 10 overall pick in a recent 2027 NFL mock draft by FOX Sports’ Rob Rang.

Alexander, another monster at 6-foot-3 and 316 pounds, notched a career-best 50 total tackles last year. Alexander could become a first-round pick with a strong senior season.

Uiagalelei, the No. 30 selection in the FOX Sports mock draft, had 34 total tackles (9.5 for loss), six sacks, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery as a junior. The 6-foot-5, 265-pound Uiagalelei could be a double-digit sack guy this fall.

The 6-foot-3, 263-pound Tuioti piled up 16 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks as a junior. Tuioti, another projected early-round draft pick, is the older brother of Boise State linebacker Mana Tuioti.

The talented defensive front will be lining up against a Boise State offensive line with multiple question marks.

Fifth-year senior Roger Carreon is an experienced player for the Broncos at right guard, but the offensive line will also feature new starters at left tackle (Tyler Ethridge, senior), left guard (Carson Rasmussen, fourth-year junior) and center (Stewart Taufa, redshirt freshman). Rasmussen and Taufa were both backups last year while Ethridge transferred in from Division II Colorado State-Pueblo.

At right tackle, returning starter Daylon Metoyer and redshirt freshman Jacob Tracy are both expected to get opportunities at Autzen Stadium.

The Broncos’ rebuilt offensive line will be put to the test against a dominant defensive front on Saturday.

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