No. 2 Oregon edged Boise State 34-27 in a competitive season opener on Saturday, overcoming an early slow start at Autzen Stadium. Quarterback Dante Moore threw for 378 yards and three touchdowns, including a pivotal 62-yard touchdown reception by Dakorien Moore with just under eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
The game remained tightly contested late, with both teams exchanging field goals to tie the score at 27 in the fourth quarter before Oregon pulled ahead. Despite being hampered by 10 penalties for 90 yards, the Ducks outpaced the Broncos with 497 total yards compared to Boise State’s 274.
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning acknowledged the team’s challenges in critical moments, saying they “gave [Boise State] an opportunity to hang around” despite winning the overall yardage battle. “We kind of gave them an opportunity, a chance to hang around,” Lanning said postgame.
Boise State, competing in their first season as part of the reconfigured Pac-12 Conference, was led by quarterback Maddux Madsen, who completed 181 yards and three touchdown passes. Madsen entered the game after a sophomore campaign in which he threw for 2,334 yards and 18 touchdowns. The Broncos had finished the previous season 9-5 in the Mountain West Conference and suffered a 38-10 loss to Washington in the LA Bowl.
Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson reflected on the team’s effort despite falling short. “You put your all into something, you put all the chips on the table, and you come up short—it hurts,” Danielson said. “You put your toe in and you've got your eyes other places, you can walk away easier because you can make excuses. We're not going to make any excuses. We've got to find a way to be better.”
The victory extended Oregon’s winning streak in season openers at Autzen Stadium to 16 games and marked their 39th consecutive home win against nonconference opponents—currently the longest such streak in the nation. Dante Moore, who returned to Oregon this season after passing for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns last year, noted the team’s focus on resilience. “We’ve learned a lot this offseason. There’s been times in our practices where the offense has started super slow, and coach [Dan] Lanning said, ‘Hey, it’s adversity. What you gonna do?’ So it all just comes back to how we respond,” Moore said.
Boise State entered the contest as 24½-point underdogs but showed determination despite the loss. The Broncos will look to build on this performance as they continue adjusting to their new conference affiliation. Oregon will seek to maintain their momentum as they pursue another strong season following last year’s 13-2 record.