Oregon started the 2025 season with a big win and a lot of passion and tenacity. Their execution was crisp and they played with great urgency and precision in all phases of the game, beating FCS Montana State 59-13 in Autzen Stadium Saturday.
The best part of the game was that they brought the joy. The Ducks played 78 players in the game. Twelve different ball carriers ran the football and 10 different receivers caught passes. Eight different players scored.
For many fans, the favorite play of the game was Gary Bryant Jr. taking a short pass for a 14-yard touchdown while Dakorien Moore blocked his man all the way back to the bus and deposited him on the turf at the end of the play.
Look at this block from Dakorien Moore 💪 pic.twitter.com/bbfauvOMiD
— Oregon Updates (@oregon__updates) August 30, 2025
It was something to see a five-star receiver take so much joy in blocking. "
We talked about how you're going to show us how much you love your teammates by the way you block on the perimeter today at wideout," Dan Lanning said.
That was the great thing about Saturday. This is a team that loves to play football and they play for each other. It is player-led. There's an enthusiasm and a commitment that can't be faked.
Nothing like an Autzen SHOUT. #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/CbsFPUdz1Q
— Oregon Football (@oregonfootball) September 1, 2025
The energy and the authentic joy in the game will sustain them in adversity. Pressure is a privilege. There's a lot of gratitude expressed in the way the Ducks play football, something that goes way beyond the score and the stats.
This is a well-coached team. The buy-in to the team philosophy and values is really high. They speak with one voice, and what they say reflects an understanding of what Lanning has taught them.
Big wins over an overmatched opponent are not uncommon. It was the way they won that made it different, the attention to detail and the evident commitment to each other.
One of the cliches of the game is "leaving it all on the field." Cliches come to be because they are steeped in truth. This group left it all on the field, and will.
Oregon might not win every game. A lot can happen in a football season. But the way they play the game and how they play for each other is a sight to behold. What a story this will be to follow.
Dakorien Moore’s block on Gary Bryant Jr.’s TD got the love it deserved. Moore also had key blocks on Noah Whittington’s opening run and Jayden Limar’s TD. pic.twitter.com/amlgjGZ4Da
— James Crepea (@JamesCrepea) September 1, 2025