Oregon Ducks Clear MVP in Narrow Win Over Boise State

The No. 2 Oregon Ducks survived the upset against Boise State thanks to one key performance.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning talks to the officials as the Oregon Ducks host the Boise State Broncos on Sept. 5, 2026, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore received an early season test in week 1 that required every ounce of his Heisman Trophy potential.

Thanks to Moore’s career-high 378 passing yards and three touchdowns, the No. 2 Oregon Ducks (1-0) held on for a 34-27 win on Saturday at Autzen Stadium over a Boise State (0-1) team that fought until the final whistle.

Sept. 5, 2026; Oregon quarterback Dante Moore throws against the Boise State Broncos at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Oregon shook off a slow first half start where the Ducks managed just 66 total yards. Moore took over from there as Oregon scored on all of its possessions in the second half, including an 87-yard scoring drive that barely took three minutes.

Every time that Boise State, who took a 17-14 lead heading into the break, threw a punch, Moore had an even better counter as Oregon’s weaponry simply out ran the Broncos.

Sep 5, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore touches “The O” on his way to the locker room before a game against the Boise State Broncos at Autzen Stadium. Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“We knew it wasn’t going to be an easy game,” Moore said in the CBS postgame interview with Jenny Dell. “They came in here two years ago and put in the same effort. As a guy who experienced that game, we knew it wasn’t going to be a cakewalk. So when we were down or when we were up, we always had that next-play mentality.”

Moore finished 28 of 37 as Oregon ran up 497 yards of total offense. He didn’t do it alone, connecting with seven different Ducks receivers.

Receiver Jeremiah McClellan hauled in 150 yards on six receptions and a touchdown to lead the team, while tight end Jamari Johnson and receiver Dakorien Moore also found the end zone. It was Moore’s 62 yard catch-and-run with 7:51 remaining in the fourth quarter that put the Ducks up for good.

Sept. 5, 2026, Eugene, Oregon; Oregon wide receiver Evan Stewart carries against the Boise State Broncos during a Week 1 contest at Autzen Stadium. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Receiver Evan Stewart posted 72 yards on eight catches in his first game since 2024 while running back Jordon Davison rushed for 12 carries, 90 yards and Oregon’s first score of the year.

Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen kept the Broncos competing, finishing with 181 yards and three of his own touchdown tosses. The Oregon defense, however, shut him down on the game’s final drive to seal the Week 1 victory.

But the Ducks talent, speed and resiliency proved to be too much for the Broncos to outlast.

Sept. 5, 2026; Eugene, Oregon; Oregon coach Dan Lanning walks the field during warmups before facing the Boise State Broncos on at Autzen Stadium. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

“It reveals character,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning told CBS' Jenny Dell after the game. “We won the game. There’s a lot to fix, there’s a lot to clean up. I think these guys are going to come out motivated.

Oregon now turns its attention to week 2. The Ducks (1-0) take to the road for the first time this season, traveling to face Oklahoma State for a 9 a.m. PT kickoff on Sept. 12. The Cowboys (0-1) dropped their season opener to Tulsa by a 24-10 margin.

Despite the Oklahoma State loss, the trip to Stillwater will be a true road test for Lanning’s squad who now has its first bout of adversity under their belts.

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