Seven Oregon Freshmen Who Turned Heads In Portland State Win

Under the Friday night lights of Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon, the No. 21 Oregon Ducks (2-1, 0-0 Big Ten) dismantled the Big Sky Conference's Portland State Vikings (0-4, 0-1 Big Sky) in a shutout effort, 84-0. That point total for the Ducks set a modern-day program scoring record.

Coach Dan Lanning also reached the 50-win milestone during his Oregon tenure, doing so in just 59 games as the leader since 2022.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning cheers on his team as the Oregon Ducks host the Portland State Vikings on Sept. 18, 2026, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

This 'get right' opportunity after being upset the previous week by the Oklahoma State Cowboys in Stillwater, Oklahoma, opened up the doors for numerous first-year players to become more comfortable with the college game and add to their highlight film.

Tight End Kendre Harrison

Oregon senior tight end Jamari Johnson has now missed his second straight game with an undisclosed injury suffered during the season-opening victory over the Boise State Broncos.

Stepping up in his absence in Week 3, freshman Kendre Harrison looked all that he was hyped up to be coming out of the 2026 recruiting class. The five-star talent finished with 53 receiving yards and one touchdown on four catches in his coming-out party for the Ducks.

He didn't completely overshadow Penn State Nittany Lions sophomore transfer Andrew Olesh at tight end, who added 23 receiving yards and a touchdown of his own through two receptions in the win.

Still, a noticeable outing for Harrison, who many believe will follow in the footsteps of now-New York Jets tight end Kenyon Sadiq as an NFL first-round draft pick. The dual-sport athlete plans to play power forward for coach Dana Altman and the basketball program at the conclusion of the 2026 football season.

Wide Receiver Messiah Hampton

With star junior wide receiver Jeremiah McClellan in street clothes and a boot on his left leg on the sidelines, Messiah Hampton stamped his name of approval with a game-high six receptions, 71 receiving yards, and his first two career touchdowns.

Hampton's first score came off the hands of redshirt junior quarterback Dante Moore. The second from Nebraska Cornhuskers transfer Dylan Raiola in the junior's first action under center for the Pacific Northwest program.

Sep 18, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks defensive back Jett Washington (24) intercepts a pass during the second half against the Portland State Vikings at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Defensive Backs Jett Washington, Davon Benjamin

The nephew of the late Kobe Bryant, Oregon safety Jett Washington, was all over the field and snagged his first two career interceptions and a forced fumble against Portland State. That wasn't the only freshman member of the secondary to force a takeaway this night.

Ducks defensive back Davon Benjamin added a takeaway of his own after jumping the route. Those two names will be heard quite frequently in the coming years.

Honorable Mention: Wide Receiver Gatlin Bair

The once 2024 five-star recruit Gatlin Bair served a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Dallas, Texas. The stud from Burley, Idaho, may not have jumped out on the stat sheet against the Vikings, but he showed flashes of what can come.

Bair is arguably the second-fastest player on the 2026 roster, behind senior linebacker Devon Jackson.

Honorable Mention: Running Back Duo of Brandon Smith, Tradarian Ball

Oregon's running game finished with 266 total yards of offense and five total touchdowns. Five different running backs had a total of 51 touches, and two freshmen had 22 of those out of the backfield.

Brandon Smith ended up with 67 rushing yards and a touchdown on a game-high 15 carries. In the fourth quarter, Tradarian Ball did the dirty work with 47 rushing yards and a touchdown.

Aug 29, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Trent Mosley (4) carries the ball against the San Jose State Spartans at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Up Next for the Ducks

Next up for Oregon is their first Big Ten Conference test, coming on the road at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The No. 12 USC Trojans announced on X that tickets for the game have sold out. Third-party tickets are still available for the old Pac-12 Conference rivalry matchup taking place next Saturday, Sept. 26, at 4:30 p.m. PT on NBC.

Someone to keep an eye on is USC true freshman wide receiver and punt returner Trent Mosley, who will miss the Trojans' week 3 matchup against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights with a knee injury.

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