The Oregon Ducks spent the offseason getting nothing but praise as the AP and Coaches Polls ranked them 2nd, while many have named the Ducks as a National Championship favorite. On Saturday Afternoon, Oregon entered the season opener as 24.5-point favorites against Boise State, but quickly found themselves in a battle.
The game was far from a perfect showing as the Ducks needed a 4th down stop late in the 4th quarter to secure a 34-27 victory over the Broncos. While it's easy to be concerned after a close game against an unranked opponent, the Ducks beat Boise State on a walk-off field goal in 2024, and went on to go undefeated in the regular season, winning the Big Ten Championship.
A win is a win, and Dan Lanning now has the perfect teach tape to dangle over his team ahead of next weekend's game against Oklahoma State.
Dante Moore is thankful for the lessons Oregon can learn
After a game where Dante Moore set a new career high in passing yards, and threw for 3 touchdowns, he spoke with the media about the game. On the podium, Dante Moore shared a unique take on why the struggles were a good thing, which is part of what makes him such a great leader.
"I'm glad this game was how it was, we've got a lot to learn. Thank god this wasn't a 40 or 50-point blowout."Dante Moore
While the fans would've felt much better without the stress, Dante Moore's take on the game is the correct thought if Oregon uses it to get better. When the Ducks embarrass teams, it's hard to learn anything or to get better, as you don't face any resistance. In this game, Oregon got to see who can rise to the occasion in a close game, and the staff will certainly take note of it.
The Ducks are breaking in a new offensive and defensive coordinator, and that always comes with some growing pains. The coaches now have a better feel for calling plays and for their personnel, and they're only going to continue to grow as they get more experience in the roles.
Oregon was also testing a new offensive line, Evan Stewart was coming off a lengthy injury, and the defense is still holding a few positional battles on the field. The reason you schedule games against Non-Power 4 opponents is to continue to grow before league play, and the Ducks will benefit more from this kind of test than they would from blowing out a FCS opponent.
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