Every Oregon Ducks Season Opener Result Under Dan Lanning

Coach Dan Lanning enters his fifth season at the helm with the No. 2 Oregon Ducks. The program’s quest to win its first National Championship begins with its season opener at Autzen Stadium against the Boise State Broncos on Sept. 5.

Setting the tone at home will be important for the Ducks before their challenging Big Ten schedule approaches. How has Oregon performed in its first four openers under Lanning, and how much did those performances matter at the end of the regular season?

2025 – Oregon vs. Montana State: 59-13 Win

oreogn ducks dan lanning boise state broncos dante moore idaho vandals georgia bulldogs vikings bobcats dillon gabriel bo nix — Aug 30, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) celebrates with wide receiver Dakorien Moore (1) after a touchdown scored by wide receiver Gary Bryant Jr. (2) during the second half against the Montana State Bobcats at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

A home game against the Montana State Bobcats marked the first start for quarterback Dante Moore in an Oregon uniform. Not only did Moore impress with three touchdowns and 213 passing yards, but the Ducks’ offense as a whole showed that there was a lot to be excited about in 2025.

This opener was additionally the first collegiate games for blue-chip recruits Jordon Davison, Dierre Hill Jr. and Dakorien Moore. Davison proved in his debut that he would be a key part of the Oregon backfield for the present and future, rushing for three touchdowns.

Hill rushed for 48 yards, while Moore recorded 26 receiving yards, 17 rushing yards and turned heads with a pancake block in the end zone.

The lone Bobcats touchdown came in the fourth quarter, and the Ducks secured a dominant win – their third-straight in season openers.

2024 – Oregon vs. Idaho: 24-14 Win

While Oregon’s 2025 opener was convincing and left fans wanting more Ducks football, 2024 was closer than fans would’ve wanted against a Big Sky opponent.

Dillon Gabriel debuted at quarterback for the Ducks with two touchdowns on 41 of 49 completions. Jordan James rushed for 95 yards and a touchdown, while receiver Tez Johnson displayed individual brilliance with 81 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

But the defense allowed two second-half Vandals’ touchdowns, and the opposing side was within a field goal with under 10 minutes to go. The Ducks ended up squeezing out the win, with much left to be desired.

It didn’t end up being much of an indication of how Oregon’s season would go. The Ducks ended up building throughout the season, however, and going undefeated in the regular season before winning a Big Ten Championship.

2023 – Oregon vs. Portland State: 81-7 Win

Talk about a way to open the season. After having too tough a test right off the bat in the previous season opener, the Ducks entered a matchup that’d be at home vs. a team they had the heavy odds of defeating.

This was Lanning’s second season opener with the program and the first that came at home. Quarterback Bo Nix was in his second season in Eugene, which began with a three-touchdown, 287-yard passing performance.

The only Vikings score came in the first quarter, and the Ducks outscored Portland State 74-0 the rest of the game. Highlights included 119 rushing yards and two touchdowns from Bucky Irving, 86 rushing yards and three touchdowns from James, plus two touchdowns and 100-plus receiving yards performances from both Troy Franklin and Gary Bryant Jr.

The defense limited the Vikings – who Oregon will host again in 2026 for the first time in three years – to just 200 yards of offense. Lanning also played 25 freshmen in the season opener.

2022 – Oregon at Georgia: 49-3 Loss

The only season-opening loss in the Lanning era came in his very first game as an acting head coach. This outing came on the road and against the No. 3-ranked team that won the National Championship the season prior.

A victory wasn’t necessarily expected for the Ducks in this one, but the fashion in which they lost certainly left room for doubts about the new coach and the new quarterback.

Oregon didn’t record a touchdown in this game and only scored one field goal in the second quarter. The Ducks conceded 571 yards of total offense their 313 yards.

Things only went up from this game, however. Outside of Nix transferring in and Lanning beginning his tenure, this was the first game for two new coordinators and many of the key starters on the roster, including Irving.

Season Opener Result Takeaways

Looking back at the Ducks’ openers under Lanning, only one ended in defeat, which was the only road opener. Each season opener allowed Lanning to play new players, including giving true freshmen reps to gain confidence.

Oregon showed improvements after each season opener, proving that any glaring issues weren’t anything that couldn’t be corrected over the course of the season.

Outside of the Georgia loss, a 27-21 defeat in 2019 to No. 16 Auburn is the only other season-opening loss in the past decade for Oregon. The Ducks once again enter as the heavy favorites against the Broncos, but as the Vandals showed in 2024, no opponent can be overlooked.

Expect Lanning to utilize the first game of 2026 as an opportunity for transfers and true freshmen to gain their first snaps in an Oregon uniform. Like 2022 (and 2023 for former offensive coordinator Will Stein), this will additionally be the first opportunity to see new coordinators in action and provide members of the coaching staff the chance to gain reps in new roles.

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