Oregon Ducks Fans Will Love Receiver Malik Benson's Classy Postgame Move

Wide receiver Malik Benson quickly became a fan favorite during his time with the Oregon Ducks. The transfer has made his impact felt with multiple clutch plays throughout the season.

After the Ducks shutout the Texas Tech Red Raiders 23-0 at the Orange Bowl, Benson was seen gifting Oregon fans with confetti from the win.

How Wide Receiver Malik Benson Became a Fan Favorite

oregon ducks malike benson college football playoff orange bowl texas tech red raiders wide receiver dan lanning transfer — Jan 1, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Malik Benson (4) juggles oranges as the “The Duck” celebrates following the 2025 Orange Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Benson finished with 51 yards on five receptions and six targets. He entered the College Football Playoff quarterfinal coming off back-to-back 100-plus yard games. The challenging Red Raiders defense tested Benson and the Oregon offense, but the Ducks still rattled off 23 unanswered points.

Oregon fans have come to admire Benson for his timely catches throughout his season with the Ducks. His postgame gesture at the Orange Bowl displayed his eagerness to show his mutual appreciation for the Oregon faithful.

Something I noticed that felt impactful after Oregon’s Orange Bowl win…
Wide receiver Malik Benson running to the stands, confetti in hand, passing out handfuls to fans in the crowd.#goducks #wreckem @OregonDucks_SI pic.twitter.com/zZsGXp8QgJ
— Ally Osborne (@allysosborne) January 1, 2026

Benson is up to 645 receiving yards this season on 36 receptions and six touchdowns. His connection with quarterback Dante Moore led to Oregon gaining major yardage in the waning moments against Iowa when trailing, as well as in heated rivalry matchups against USC and Washington.

The transfer had stints with Florida State and Alabama after spending several years playing at the JUCO level. He didn’t hesitate to shout out to the Ducks' fanbase after their first-round win vs. James Madison.

“I feel like, just as a whole community, they brought the juice. Just getting another opportunity to play in Autzen, just an electric crowd, and it’s just been a blessing just this whole season,” Benson said. “The way it’s turned out, just coming to Oregon, everybody welcoming me with open arms to finally get another opportunity to play in this place. It means a lot.”

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Oregon Prepares For Indiana Rematch

The Ducks’ attention now shifts to the CFP semifinal against the Indiana Hoosiers. Oregon’s only defeat this season was against the Hoosiers in a 30-20 loss at Autzen Stadium.

But as the Ducks learned last postseason against Ohio State, it’s not easy to beat the same team twice. Benson only had one reception in the first outing – which was a 44-yard touchdown – but will look to get more targets in the second meeting.

Oregon won eight games straight following the loss in mid-October. The first game against Indiana was the first big test for what’s a much younger team than the program had a season ago. Now that the Ducks have more experience under their belt, Oregon looks to rest ahead of its appearance in the Peach Bowl.

“It always starts with us,” Dan Lanning said after the game. “That's where we're going to go back and look at this game and say, okay, what did we do really well? Let's go to the doctor, let's figure out what kind of medicine we've got to take for the next game because I think that's always the greatest indicator of what you have to improve, when you start to analyze what you have in front of you.”