After falling to 4-3 on the season, all eyes were on how Oregon would respond to the recent struggles with the hopes of making the College Football Playoff seemingly gone, Dante Moore out for the season, and Drew Mehringer fired. Northwestern came to town as the No. 20 ranked team in the country, and Chip Kelly had a chance to stick it to his former school if he put together another big game.
When the Wildcats raced out to a 10-0 lead, Northwestern easily could've run away with the game, but the Ducks did not quit. Instead, Dan Lanning's team battled the entire game and was rewarded with a thrilling win to get the season back on track.
6 big winners from Oregon's upset win over Northwestern
Brandon Smith - Running Back
Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr. both dealt with injuries in this game, which could've left the Ducks offense without many answers. Instead, true freshman running back Brandon Smith showed why his teammates compared him to Saquon Barkley this offseason, making countless defenders miss. Smith finished the game with 8 carries for 82 yards and a touchdown while catching 4 passes for 32 yards. The freshman looks like one of Oregon's most dynamic playmakers, and he should only see his workload increase down the stretch.
Jay Johnson - Interim Offensive Coordinator
This week, Oregon moved to a new offensive coordinator, hoping that Jay Johnson's experience could help elevate the unit. The move away from Drew Mehringer was a success as the Ducks scored 34 points, scoring 20+ points for the first time since September. The offense still has plenty of room to improve, but the sequencing from Johnson was far better than the product the Ducks got under Drew Mehringer.
Nasir Wyatt - Edge Rusher
With all the talent on the Oregon defense, Nasir Wyatt reminds you almost weekly that he may be the most talented player for the unit, even in a limited role. With Northwestern trying to regain the lead in the 4th quarter, Wyatt came up big again to force Northwestern to settle for 3, leading to the Ducks extending the lead on Dakorien Moore's 75-yard touchdown. Next season, Wyatt is going to be tasked with replacing Teitum Tuioti and Matayo Uiagalelei, and he looks ready to assume the role.
Chris Hampton - Defensive Coordinator
In the 1st half, as Chip Kelly schemed open big plays at will, it looked like Chris Hampton had no answers for the Wildcats' offense. Instead, Hampton went into the locker room and adjusted, holding the Wildcats to 2 long field goals in the second half, putting a lid on the Wildcats offense. While Hampton has to continue to grow in his first season as the full-time defensive coordinator, he clearly has what it takes to call the unit.
Dylan Raiola - Quarterback
When Oregon's offense has struggled, Dylan Raiola has been the first to accept the blame, which only makes it right to credit him in the win. While Raiola put the ball on the ground once, he didn't turn the ball over, and he made some big time throws, finishing 22-31 for 336 yards and 3 touchdowns. Jay Johnson did a great job helping create throws for Raiola, and the pairing could lead to an uptick in production over the final stretch.
The game sealing play to Jamari Johnson is the perfect example of why Raiola will always draw belief from head coaches as he's incredibly talented.
DYLAN RAIOLA TO JAMARI JOHNSON THATS GAME pic.twitter.com/t1UYBo6zwf
— FD (@flooduck) October 31, 2026
Dakorien Moore - Wide Receiver
While Dakorien Moore fumbled in the 1st half, he put together the type of performance you hope for in a No. 1 wide receiver. Moore finished the game with a pair of touchdowns, catching 7 passes for 128 yards. Like most of the offense, Jay Johnson did a great job of getting Moore favorable matchups, and he made the most of them.
Chip Kelly is the biggest loser from Oregon's second half frenzy
Coming into the game, there was plenty of buzz for Oregon to consider Chip Kelly for the offensive coordinator job, and with what he's put on tape it made sense. In the 1st half, it looked like Kelly was saving up plays for his return to Eugene as the Wildcats moved the ball at will, scoring on 4 of 5 drives in the first half.
The second half was a far different story as Chris Hampton adjusted and outcoached the veteran coach, proving that some of Kelly's production was fool's gold. If Kelly kept his 1st half production for the rest of the game, all the discourse would've been around hiring him, but instead Kelly squandered an opportunity to put his former school in a tough place.
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