Heisman candidate QB, massive O-line: What Boise State should expect at Oregon

BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — There’s no getting around it: Boise State football, which has met all matter of top-tier opponents over the past two decades, will face perhaps the toughest foe in program history on Saturday.

The Broncos will kick off the 2026 season against No. 2-ranked Oregon in Eugene. The Ducks, who are 48-8 in Dan Lanning’s four seasons as head coach and have been in the past two College Football Playoffs, will be the highest-ranked team that Boise State has ever faced.

That honor previously went to TCU, which entered the 2010 Fiesta Bowl ranked No. 3 in The Associated Press poll and No. 4 in the BCS rankings. The Broncos were No. 6 in both rankings and went on to win 17-10.

Boise State is unranked entering this season, and Oregon’s talent, enriched by Name, Image and Likeness money that has allowed it to build a roster full of NFL talent, is off the charts.

The Nike-fueled university is reportedly spending $40 million on its 2026 football roster. By comparison, in the 2025-26 academic year, Boise State spent $10 million in revenue sharing — a system that allows universities to pay a percentage of earnings to athletes — across its entire athletic department.

If Boise State is to stand a chance at Autzen Stadium on Saturday afternoon and end its drought against power-conference teams — BSU last defeated such an opponent when it started the 2019 campaign with a win at Florida State — what will the Broncos have to do?

Here are three key things to know about Oregon, which is favored by 24.5 points.

A Heisman Trophy candidate at quarterback

The last time Boise State traveled to Oregon, it came up against Heisman candidate Dillon Gabriel at quarterback. Gabriel completed 18-of-21 passes for 243 yards and two touchdowns as the Ducks, strengthened by punt and kickoff returns for touchdowns, won 37-34 on a last-second field goal.

This time around the Broncos will face QB Dante Moore. The senior quarterback could have been drafted but shunned the NFL to remain with Oregon for a third season, and he is among the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy this season.

The 6-foot-3 QB completed 71.8% of his passes last season for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns. Moore isn’t one to take off running for the first down, but where he’s most dangerous is when he gets out of the pocket and finds ways to extend plays. His general pocket navigation is elite, and he’s accurate when throwing downfield on the run.

“It’s either he has to go down, or we have to keep him in that pocket,” Boise State defensive coordinator Erik Chinander said Monday.

Moore will be an excellent test for the Broncos’ defensive line as they look to leverage the pocket to collapse it with Moore inside, and strike the right balance between putting pressure on him or defending deep as part of a simple four-man rush.

The Mighty Ducks up front

What makes Moore and his supporting cast so dangerous are the guys protecting them. Based on the projected starting five on the offensive line for Oregon on Saturday, the group will average 6-foot-3 and 323 pounds. Compare that to the Broncos’ defensive front four, which averages 6-foot-2 and 287 pounds.

“We’ve got some big bodies, and we have to simulate. Is it going to be the same? No,” Chinander said. “But the good thing is, a lot of our guys know a lot of those guys… so they know what they’re dealing with,” he continued.

“I don’t think it’s ever been about the size of somebody. I’ll take our guys walking into any game you got.”

Chinander’s defense is trying to revive a pass rush that led the nation with 55 sacks in 2024 but had only 27 last season, ranking 62nd in the nation.

A ball hawk in the secondary

Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen is going to have to make some big plays if Boise State is to be in Saturday’s game, and he’ll have to keep a close eye on Oregon’s No. 4.

Sophomore safety Brandon Finney Jr. returns as one of the most dangerous defensive backs in the country. He played all 15 games as a true freshman last season and led the Ducks with three interceptions and eight pass breakups, while recording 42 total tackles.

“Everybody’s got to be aware of him and where he’s at, at all times,” Boise State offensive coordinator Nate Potter said. “You can try to scheme things, but they’re scheming, too. So it’s just making sure you’re aware of them, and then we’re putting guys in the right position to be successful.”

Boise State vs. No. 2 Oregon

When: 1:30 p.m. Mountain time Saturday
Where: Autzen Stadium (54,000, Turf)
TV: CBS (Brad Nessler, Charles Davis, Jenny Dell)
Radio: KBOI 670-AM and KBOI 93.1-FM/Sirius XM Ch. 84 (Bob Behler, Pete Cavender)
Records: Boise State 0-0, 0-0; Oregon 0-0, 0-0
Series: Boise State leads the series 3-1
Vegas line: Oregon by 24.5 points
Weather: High 68, low 51, humidity 73%, mostly cloudy, 15% chance of rain