What went right for Boise State against No. 2 Oregon

The good far outweighed the bad for Boise State in Saturday’s season-opening 34-27 road loss to No. 2 Oregon.

The Broncos (0-1, 0-0 Pac-12) built a 10-point first-half lead and led 17-14 after 30 minutes of play. The Ducks (1-0, 0-0 Big Ten) scored on their first four possessions of the second half and got two fourth-quarter defensive stops to stave off Boise State’s upset bid.

Here are five things that went right for the Broncos at Autzen Stadium.

1. Clean performance in all phases

Coming off a 2025 season that was defined by sloppy play, the Broncos turned in one of their cleanest performances of the Spencer Danielson era on Saturday.

Boise State had no major breakdowns on offense, defense or special teams, won the turnover battle 1-0 and committed just three penalties for 25 yards to Oregon’s 10 penalties for 90 yards.

Quarterback Maddux Madsen, who had two touchdowns and nine interceptions in his previous four starts against Power Four competition, protected the ball and made some big-time throws. It wasn’t a perfect performance—Madsen finished 15 of 29 (52 percent) for 181 yards—but the fifth-year senior fired three touchdowns amid a ferocious Oregon pass rush.

The Broncos didn’t put the ball on the turf and were mostly sound defensively against Oregon’s dynamic offense.

Overall, it was a clean operation in all phases for an opening game.

2. Newcomers show out

Several newcomers made an immediate impact in a Boise State uniform.

• True freshman wide receiver Rasean Jones lived up to the hype, leading the Broncos with four catches for 76 yards.

• Division II Colorado State-Pueblo transfer Tyler Ethridge performed like Kage Casey at left tackle.

• JeRico Washington Jr., a transfer from Kennesaw State, excelled in coverage and as a run-stopper.

• True freshman Madden Soliai looks ready for action at nickelback.

There were plenty of standouts up and down the roster, but the four above newcomers turned in particularly strong performances against the Ducks.

3. Offensive line holds its own

Considering the opponent, Boise State’s offensive line was up to the task on Saturday.

Ethridge and right guard Roger Carreon were two of the best linemen on the field. First-year starters Carson Rasmussen (left guard) and Stewart Taufa (center) were not overwhelmed by the powerful Oregon front.

Madsen was sacked twice in the first quarter but was brought down just once the rest of the way.

Removing the three Madsen sacks, Boise State gained 108 yards rushing on 33 carries. While not a massive number, the Broncos were able to get consistent yards on the ground.

For an offensive line with three new starters, it was an impressive performance against arguably the top defensive front in college football.

4. Tackling much improved

While uber-talented Oregon put up 497 yards of total offense, Boise State tackled well for most of Saturday’s game.

First-year safety starter Travis Anderson led the way with 11 tackles, and Anderson got plenty of help from linebacker Boen Phelps (seven tackles), fellow safety Derek Ganter Jr. (seven), cornerback Jaden Mickey (six, 1.5 for loss), and others.

Boise State’s starting cornerback duo of Sherrod Smith and Washington Jr. both cut down ball-carriers for fourth-down stops.

It was a totally different look for a Broncos defense that ranked among the worst tackling teams in the country in 2025.

5. Special teams comes through

It wasn’t a spectacular performance for Boise State’s special teams unit, but the Broncos showed great improvement from last year with zero miscues.

New placekicker Canaan Moore went 2 for 2 on field goals and 3 for 3 on PATs. Oscar Doyle averaged 42.3 yards on his six punts, and the Broncos had no coverage breakdowns with a fumble recovery on a muffed Oregon punt.

After two years of special teams frustration, the Broncos appear to be much improved in 2026.

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