Oregon football panic meter after Boise State puts them on early fraud watch

Oregon football is 1-0 on the season, but it was not a pretty victory for the Ducks. Oregon came into the game against Boise State as a 24.5-point favorite. Oregon escaped with a seven-point victory over Boise State on Saturday.

Oregon started slow in the game. They allowed an 11-play, 75-yard drive that took 6:23 off the clock, as Boise State took a 7-0 lead. Oregon drove the ball just over midfield on the next drive, but did not convert a fourth down and turned the ball over. Still, the Ducks tied the game in the second quarter. The Ducks forced a punt on the next drive, but muffed the return, leading to Boise State getting the ball back. Maddux Madsen threw a touchdown pass on the next play to give the Broncos the lead again.

While Boise State took a 17-7 lead, poor clock management gave Oregon time at the end of the first half, and Oregon capitalized, making it a 17-14 game going into the half. The Ducks tied the game early in the second half, and then took the lead later in the third quarter. After taking the lead once again in the fourth, the defense stepped up, leading them to the 34-27 win.

The panic meter does not need to be too high

Oregon came in ranked second in the nation, and there should be some panic. First, Oregon struggled on third down. They converted just four of 12 third-down conversions, while going 0-3 on fourth downs. That is something that cannot happen again if the Ducks are to make a run towards a national championship. Meanwhile, the team made plenty of mistakes. Oregon was penalized ten times for 9 yards in the game. They also lost the turnover battle, turning the ball over once while not forcing one.

Regardless, Boise State has always played Oregon tight, especially in Eugene. Beyond the seven-point win this year, the Ducks also took a win in 2024 over Boise State. That was a 37-34 win in Eugene. The other time the two teams have faced off with Oregon being at home was in 2008, when Boise State won the game 37-32. Overall, the Broncos are 3-2 all-time against the Ducks.

There were also some positives in the game. Dante Moore was great. He completed 28 of 37 passes for 378 yards and three touchdowns. He also had two receivers have solid games. Jeremiah McClellan brought in six receptions for 150 yards and a score, while Dakorien Moore had six receptions for 93 yards and a touchdown. While everything was not perfect, it was the first game of the season.

Oregon should not be fully panicked, but this needs to be a wake-up call. The Ducks will face off with Oklahoma State next week, before facing Portland State. They face USC, Ohio State, Michigan, and Washington in Big Ten play this year.

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