11-13-25 - Gameday Minnesota - Emerald Media Group

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2025

OREGON vs. MINNESOTA EDITION

THIS BUS RUNS ON BELIEF

Inside the journey that led an Oregon fan to create his perfect tailgating vehicle.

O R E G O N VS. M I N N E S O TA P R E V I E W P G . 7 • I N S I D E ‘ D U C K F O R CE O N E ’ P G .

1 0 • P U N TE R F R OM D OW N U N D E R P G . 1 5

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t e e w s o ,s

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2025

GAMEDAY GAMEDAY, the Daily Emerald’s football edition, is published by Emerald Media Group, Inc., the independent nonprofit news company at the University of Oregon founded in 1900.

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BUSINESS

Editor in Chief Tarek Anthony

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Sports Editors Jack Lazarus Owen Murray Copy Chief Olivia Ellerbruch Sports Writers Harry Leader Henry Light Joe Krasnowski Max Koebel Rachel McConaghie Rowan Shea Photo Editor Saj Sundaram

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(On The Cover) Owner and designer Cory Dent stands with his custom tailgate bus “Duck Force One.”

(Right) Ducks defensive lineman A’Mauri Washington (52) rushes Badgers’ Quarterback Hunter Simmons. The University of Oregon Ducks defeated the University of Wisconsin-Madison Badgers 21-7 at Autzen Stadium on Oct. 25, 2025.

(Saj Sundaram/Emerald)

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2025

WEEK 11 TEAM ROSTERS: MINNESOTA OREGON vs.

OREGON OFFENSE

PLAYER DANTE MOORE BROCK THOMAS JORDON DAVISON NOAH WHITTINGTON DIERRE HILL JR. MALIK BENSON DAKORIEN MOORE GARY BRYANT JR. ISAIAH WORLD EMMANUEL PREGNON IAPANI LALOULU GERNORRIS WILSON DAVE IULI MATTHEW BEDFORD ALEX HARKEY KENYON SADIQ

# 5 12 0 6 23 4 1 2 76 75 72 78 74 77 71 18

POS QB QB RB RB RB WR-X WR-Z WR-Y LT LG C T RG RG RT TE

MINNESOTA OFFENSE

YEAR RS-SO/TR RS-SO FR SR/TR FR SR/TR FR RS-SR/TR RS-SR/TR RS-SR/TR JR RS-SO RS-JR RS-SR/TR SR/TR SR/TR

# 52 1 50 10 44 28 26 54 47 31 21 7 4 5 12 0

POS DT DT DT EDGE EDGE MLB MLB ILB OLB FS FS CB CB CB SS STAR

YEAR JR RS-JR/TR RS-FR JR JR SR RS-JR JR RS-FR JR/TR RS-FR RS-FR FR RS-SR/TR SO/TR RS-SO

OREGON SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER ROSS JAMES ATTICUS SAPPINGTON LUKE BASSO

# 92 36 43

POS P K LS

# 8 11 0 16 17 50 65 78 74 73 86 87 5 6 1 7

POS WR WR WR WR WR LT LG C RG RT TE TE QB QB RB RB

YEAR RS-FR RS-JR/TR RS-SR RS-SO/TR RS-SR/TR RS-FR JR RS-JR RS-SR/TR RS-SR/TR RS-SR RS-SR/TR RS-FR RS-SO JR RS-FR

MINNESOTA DEFENSE

OREGON DEFENSE PLAYER A’MAURI WASHINGTON BEAR ALEXANDER TIONNE GRAY MATAYO UIAGALELEI TEITUM TUIOTI BRYCE BOETTCHER DEVON JACKSON JERRY MIXON ELIJAH RUSHING DILLON THIENEMAN AARON FLOWERS IFY OBIDEGWU BRANDON FINNEY JR. THERAN JOHNSON PEYTON WOODYARD DAYLEN AUSTIN

PLAYER JALEN SMITH JAVON TRACY LE’MEKE BROCKINGTON MALACHI COLEMAN LOGAN LOYA NATHAN ROY GREG JOHNSON ASHTON BEERS MARCELLUS MARSHALL DYLAN RAY JAMESON GEERS DREW BIBER DRAKE LINDSEY MAX SHIKENJANSKI DARIUS TAYLOR FAME IJEBOI

YEAR SR/TR RS-SR/TR RS-SR

PLAYER ANTHONY SMITH LUCAS FINNESSY DEVEN EASTERN JALEN LOGAN-REDDING RUSHAWN LAWRENCE JAXON HOWARD DEVON WILLIAMS MAVERICK BARANOWSKI MATT KINGSBURY JOHN NESTOR ZA’QUAN BRYAN JAYLEN BOWDEN KOI PERICH KERRY BROWN AIDAN GOUSBY DARIUS GREEN

# 0 46 91 97 16 1 9 6 49 17 4 5 3 14 7 12

POS DE DE DT DT DT OLB WLB MLB MLB CB CB CB S/WR S S NB

YEAR RS-JR RS-SR RS-SR RS-SR RS-SR/TR RS-SO/TR RS-SR RS-JR RS-SO JR/TR RS-SO JR/TR SO RS-SO RS-JR RS-SR

MINNESOTA SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER TOM WESTON BRADY DENABURG ALAN SOUKUP

# 42 92 80

POS P K LS

YEAR RS-SO/TR SR/TR SO

(Oregon roster from ourlads.com; Minnesota roster from ourlads.com)

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2025

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AROUND THE BIG TEN: WEEK 11 OREGON DUCKS VS. MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS PREVIEW After tight wins in the last two games, both teams enter Friday’s game with something to prove.

BY RACHEL MCCONAGHIE Sports Writer

The No. 8 Oregon Ducks (8-1, 5-1 Big Ten) flock back home to host the Minnesota Golden Gophers (6-3, 4-2 Big Ten). They will meet for the first time since joining the conference.

Both teams enter on the heels of narrow wins. Oregon survived an 18-16 battle at Iowa, while Minnesota used overtime to deliver Michigan State their sixth loss in a row, 23-20.

In his ninth year with the program, head coach P.J. Fleck’s Minnesota team has made its name this season with just three losses that have all come on the road at Cal, No. 1 Ohio State, and Iowa.

In every other outing, they’ve been outscoring opponents.

“When you play a team like Oregon… they have incredible talent,” Fleck said on Monday at a press conference. “I think Dan Lanning has done a tremendous job accumulating elite talent — that’s well documented. It’s one thing to have it; (it’s) another to connect it — have them all play together. They’re really talented.”

Minnesota ranks first in the Big Ten for sacks with 32 on the season. Led by defensive junior linemen Anthony Smith with 8.5 and sophomore Karter Menz with 5.5, the Gophers rank in the top 25 for total yards allowed per game and in overall points allowed. Despite the lead, the Gophers have struggled to capitalize on stopping the ball.

“I think sometimes we’re getting more and more sacks, which are allowing them not to just throw the ball up where we can get a takeaway,” Fleck said. “You want to get takeaways, as many as you

can, and we’re not getting enough, that’s for sure.”

Senior linebacker Devon Williams has continued to make his mark in the Big Ten. He ranks sixth in the Big Ten for tackles assisted and tenth among others in total tackles. He leads the Gophers in total tackles with 70 this season.

“I think he’s had a really good year,” Fleck said. “He has just continued to be dedicated to doing the unrequired work. Devin has been that way all season long, and you talk about somebody who’s grown up and matured within the culture of the program–” The Gophers’ defense remains their identity. Sophomore safety Koi Perich is one of the top young defenders in the Big Ten conference and ranks sixth in returning and in the top 30 for defense with 54 total tackles, 31 assists and one interception.

On the offensive side of the ball, freshman running back Fame Ijeboi leads the team with 384 yards.

Redshirt freshman Drake Lindsey has shown a strong performance as quarterback for the Gophers this season, leading the offense with 1,743 yards and 10 touchdowns.

“He’s like a sponge,” Fleck said. “I think Drake has handled and responded really well to all of them. The really good, the really hard: he grows.”

(ABOVE) The Oregon Ducks and the Wisconsin-Madison Badgers continue to play in the torrential downpour.

The University of Oregon Ducks defeated the University of Wisconsin Badgers 21-7 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. on Oct. 25, 2025.

(Saj Sundaram/Emerald)

Indiana had to sweat one out in Happy Valley and Wisconsin's punter had an unlikely day in the Badgers’ win over Washington.

BY ROWAN SHEA Sports Writer

The Big Ten saw a couple of anomalies in Week 11. In one game, a thrilling matchup ends with a late-game drive to score in the final seconds. In the second, a punter with more passing yards than any quarterback led an upset.

Makai Lemon has season-high performance leading No. 17 USC to win over Northwestern

Starting off on Friday night, No. 17 USC blew by unranked Northwestern, 38-17. The Trojans never trailed and racked up 482 yards of offense, 299 of which were passing yards from Jayden Maiava – who also threw for two touchdowns.

Junior wide receiver Makai Lemon had a season-high in receiving yards with 161, the longest of which was a 52-yard bomb in the second play of a touchdown drive in the third quarter. Lemon had the first Trojans touchdown on a 7-yard reception and he had the last touchdown on a 4-yard rush in the fourth quarter.

No. 1 Ohio State explodes with 473 yards of total offense in 34-10 win over Purdue

pass and seemed like he was going to be pushed out of the endzone. Somehow, Cooper managed to keep his toes inside the endzone, securing the 27-24 win for Indiana.

Wisconsin beats Washington 13-10 with Punter Sean West leading the team in passing yards

The Badgers, who came into this game without a Big Ten win, eked out their first against the No. 23 Huskies. The Huskies only had a field goal and a touchdown, both coming in the second quarter.

The Badgers weren’t much better, getting a field goal in the second quarter and having a touchdown and a field goal in the third quarter. This game would have nothing to write home about if it wasn’t for Wisconsin’s punter, Sean West, who had the most passing yards for any Wisconsin player on the day with a 24-yard throw off a fake punt.

Around the Big Ten: Scoreboard

Rutgers beat Maryland 35-20. Scarlet Knights quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis threw for four touchdowns, 229 yards and two interceptions.

Ian Strong led Rutgers’ receivers with two touchdowns, and Antwan Raymond had 240 yards on 41 carries with one touchdown.

Nebraska went into the Rose Bowl and beat UCLA 28-21 in their first game without quarterback Dylan Raiola, who suffered a season ending fibula injury against USC last week. Backup TJ Lateef threw for 205 yards and three touchdowns, and two went to receiver Emmett Johnson.

The Buckeyes had a field day in the second quarter, getting a touchdown on three straight drives and capping off the quarter with a field goal. Ohio State picked up another field goal and touchdown in the fourth quarter, completing their 34 point day. Purdue had a measly day on offense, only posting a field goal in the first quarter and a touchdown in garbage time.

Heisman Trophy contender Julian Sayin had 303 passing yards on the day, one touchdown and an interception. Purdue’s Ryan Browne had only 76 passing yards, no touchdowns, and an interception.

No. 2 Indiana tip-toes their way to a 27-24 win over Penn State

If there was any game that was far and away the standout of the day, it was this one. All was going Indiana’s way into the fourth: it led by 10, intercepted Ethan Grunkemeyer, tacked on a field goal and were 15 minutes away from a drama-free win.

But Penn State has had an unusual season, and the former No. 2 team decided to have a little bit of fun with the current one. Penn State opened up the fourth with a touchdown on its first drive, intercepted Fernando Mendoza on Indiana’s next drive and scored another touchdown off that interception. After a series of punts, Penn State led 24-20 with 36 seconds left.

Wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. had announcer Gus Johnson, and everyone inside Beaver Stadium, shocked. Cooper leaped up, caught Mendoza’s

Nov 8, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (3) makes a catch in the end zone for a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium.

(Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images)

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OREGON’S HANDLING OF IOWA’S RUN DEFENSE BODES WELL FOR ITS DIFFICULT MATCHUPS DOWN THE STRETCH The Ducks’ 261-yard performance against the Hawkeyes’ strong rushing defense will be the blueprint for tests against Minnesota in Week 12 and Washington in Week 14.

BY HENRY LIGHT Sports Writer

Oregon’s running back room, last week, answered a chorus of questions from analysts about its ability to produce against Iowa’s formidable rushing defense, but standout units in Minnesota and Washington will pose additional challenges down the stretch.

Although Oregon’s rushing offense leads the Big Ten in rushing yards per game, the Hawkeyes’ run defense, which ranked third in the conference in rushing yards allowed, was seen as one of the biggest threats to the Ducks leaving Kinnick Stadium with a win. The Ducks responded by rushing for 261 yards, eclipsing that defense’s previous season-high yards allowed of 173 against Penn State.

“This is a tough team to run on. That’s as good a defense as you’ll get to play, and they play great, great D, but we felt like it was really important to run the ball, and we had a lot of creative ways to do that,” Dan Lanning said to GoDucks after the game.

The Ducks’ dominance on the ground dropped Iowa to fourth in the conference in rushing yards allowed per game, but the next two teams in that metric, Minnesota and Washington, lurk in Oregon’s remaining schedule.

As has been the case throughout the season, the depth of Oregon’s running back room was the key to its success.

Noah Whittington, Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr. each put up over 40 yards, with Whittington leading the way with 17 carries for 118 yards.

“Our running backs ran extremely hard tonight. I’ve got

a feeling Noah’s going to have a couple ice packs on him on the flight home, the way those guys ran, and they blocked really well,” Lanning said after the game.

Offensive coordinator Will Stein has tapped into the unit’s ability to block downfield all season. It contributed to Oregon’s lone touchdown early in the second quarter, when Davison and Hill lined up on either side of Dante Moore, 19 yards from the endzone, and Davison made a key block near the goalline to allow Hill Jr. to score.

Much of Stein’s success with Whittington throughout the game came through utilizing his breakaway speed straight down the middle, as he did later in the second quarter to set up Atticus Sappington’s 46-yard field goal.

First, Whittington took advantage of a second-level block by center Iapani Laloulu to gain 11 yards on the drive.

Then, when Laloulu and left guard Emmanuel Pregnon double-teamed an interior lineman to open up the middle again, Whittington broke through the Hawkeyes’ secondary for 27 yards.

Stein’s game plan for Whittington seemed largely focused on getting him through Iowa’s defensive line quickly and letting his speed and elusiveness handle the Hawkeyes’ box. That may be more of a challenge against a Minnesota defense that features linebackers Devon Williams and Maverick Baranowski, who sit joint-ninth and thirteenth in the Big Ten in tackles, respectively, and defensive end Anthony Smith, who sits second in tackles for loss with 11.5.

On Oregon’s last full drive before its game-winning two-minute drill, Whittington, Davison and Hill Jr. came together to show what the Ducks’ run game looks

like at full strength.

Whittington got it started with two carries where he was completely wrapped up for what would have been short gains, but fought for nine and then eight yards. Hill Jr. then took his turn, bursting through a gap on the left side of the line created by tight end Jamari Johnson and wide receiver Malik Benson blocking downfield and gaining 11 yards.

Davison then moved the Ducks to the verge of field goal range by evading two tacklers for a gain of 12 yards.

The drive stalled out due to a holding penalty and ended in a punt, but the sequence showed the full potential of Oregon’s run game when it can fully utilize its advantages in blocking and depth.

In all likelihood, Minnesota and Washington’s lagging passing defenses, which sit solidly in the middle of the conference in passing yards allowed, compared to Iowa in fourth, will give Stein license to attack through the air in those games. However, if Oregon’s running back room continues to produce against some of the best defenses it has faced this season, the Ducks will be well-positioned to win games that could be crucial to securing a College Football Playoff berth.

(BELOW) Oregon Ducks running back Dierre Hill Jr. (23) celebrates after scoring a touchdown. The University of Oregon Ducks defeated the Penn State University Nittany Lions 30-24 at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pa. On Sept. 27, 2025.

(Saj Sundaram/Emerald)

INSIDE ‘DUCK

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2025

THE TAILGATE BUS THAT TO OREGON GAMES FOR Ducks fan Cory Dent and his friends built their tailgate-on-wheels from the floor up. Now, as he prepares to move on from the bus, they understand its impact.

BY OWEN MURRAY Associate Sports Editor

Cory Dent rolls up the door to his garage and gets out of the rain. This is the back way in, he explains, and you have to walk around the corner to see the bus.

“The bus” is a rebuilt Gillig Phantom model that lifetime Oregon fan Dent, who owns an auto repair shop nearby, dubbed “Duck Force One” when he bought it at auction in 2015. It hit the national spotlight a few weeks ago when a creator met Dent at an Oregon game and posted a video that got more than 300,000 views on Instagram. This room, though, is a world of Dent’s own creation, and the bus is his magnum opus.

For 10 seasons, Dent has driven the bus weekly from Salem to Eugene. He’s picked up people along the way, and met others there — he’s guessing that 50 or so will join him for Oregon’s Friday night game against Minnesota. He’s spent time with the bus — slept in it, driven it to two of Oregon’s Rose Bowl appearances and given it a home in his garage. But just more than a decade later, as Dent prepares to let the bus exit his life, he’s not concerned about losing the weekends that he loves. It’s not the bus that kept him going to games, he stressed. It was the people.

“The bus is the least expensive part,” he said, sitting in an armchair in his living room with his dog, Ruby.

He was talking about the physical additions he made, but it could go for the intangibles, too.

The garage is mostly framed, which cools when he rolls up the main door and exposes it to the night air, is mostly framed with plywood from different years of his life. He can take a construction lift up to the loft where he keeps the hydro-dip tank that he used to create his off-road vehicle’s exterior — more work than it was worth, in his opinion. If it was a few feet over, he’d have to duck his head when he goes up, to avoid the red and green Christmas presents that hang (until next month) from the ceiling.

Dent walks around a corner and opens the bus’s double doors. He runs through all the things he added — the beer taps, the televisions, Starlink internet and the three lithium batteries that he says can run it all for more than a dozen hours.

In the backyard, there’s a pool with an Oregon logo painted on the bottom. He walks over and flips on the underwater lights, so it’s visible. They flash Ducks green.

Next to it, there’s a slide, with artificial rocks behind it that he sourced from a company which provides them for zoos.

“I’m a fan of believing if you think you can do something you are probably right,” he wrote in a text message later that night.

The idea for the bus began after his friend’s brother sold their previous tailgate vehicle, an airport limousine. He caught wind of an auction including two backup buses

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T HAS CARRIED FRIENDS MORE THAN A DECADE from the Grays Harbor, Wash. fleet up for sale in Tacoma.

He put in a bid of $500.

Then he got outbid. He was at Reser Stadium — it must have been the Nov. 29, 2014 Civil War game where Marcus Mariota threw four touchdowns and rushed for two more, he figures — when the bidding was going up, and he didn’t know how high to go. They were tailgating (“We were like, ‘We’ll see, we’ll see, we’ll see,’” he said) when his last bid went final.

He had the bus (and a 47-19 Oregon rivalry win), for all of $1,200.

Once it arrived home from Washington, time after work with the bus was mostly down to four men — Dent and friends Mike Brown, Scott Brass and Ken Braun. Braun is an electrician — he helped Dent with the parts of the wiring he couldn’t get. Brass is a mechanic, and Brown is “a good guy that has great hands,” in Dent’s words.

Together, they tore it down to its baseboards and built it up. They finished it on Friday, Sept. 4, 2015 — one day before Oregon kicked off its season against (a Cooper Kuppled) Eastern Washington University at Autzen Stadium.

The logistics began to come together quickly. It helps when you’ve got friends. The seats (which, yes, were originally intended for boats) went in courtesy of friends who custom-built them for the bus. They could only come in so many sizes, and the extra space ended up becoming a row of outlets. There’s compartments underneath to store 20 fans’ things. The metal sheets that coat the inside walls came from a trade — metal-bending services for work at Dent’s shop.

Nearly a decade later, Braun was back inside the bus. It was secure in its usual spot, in the RV parking at Autzen Stadium behind the Eugene Science Center for Oregon’s Grateful Dead-themed matchup with the Wisconsin Badgers.

He was meandering between the co-opted boat benches and the stainless steel-coated kitchen inside the bus that shimmering metal signage still declared to be “Duck Force One.” You could fit 20 people in here, he said, and the group

of friends that road tripped twice to Pasadena in it agreed.

Then he answered the question: Did the bus keep them together, or was it them who kept it in one piece? He sits down.

“We’ve been together for 30 years,” Braun said. “This bus is just the latest iteration of that.”

A week later, hearing his friend’s words, Dent agreed.

“We were having fun without the bus,” he said. “We would go down (to Oregon games) in pickups and trailers and have fun, regardless.”

Dent talked often about belief as he walked around his house, trailed by Ruby, his dog Buster and two cats (Bean and Bootsie) — and on that Saturday against Wisconsin, his friends said over and over that they believed in him.

“Part of the biggest challenge was that Cory had all these visions of what he wanted it to look like in his head,” Braun said. “Everybody was trying to help pluck that out, right?”

They never drew up plans, and Dent said that he really did keep it all in his head. His friends held faith in their ability to get it done: “He’s the ultimate owner,” Braun said, “all we did was provide a lot of grunt labor and enthusiasm.”

The last Friday before the bus was set to enter service was spent installing cup holders, wiring outlets and applying stickers, according to the plans in Dent’s head. He knew it was going to get done, he said.

The next day, the bus was parked for Oregon’s game against Eastern Washington. It wasn’t perfect, and the Bluetooth stereo wasn’t working. They only had one CD for the hourlong drive.

“We know Queen’s greatest hits like nobody’s business,” he said.

But there’s something about having friends who believe in you. Dent wasn’t at the tailgate for the game against Wisconsin when his friends shared their stories, but even their secondhand words had an impact.

“That’s cool,” he said in his armchair.

He paused.

“It’s hard to hear. It’s cool. I do put my mind to things,

and I do get stuff done.”

So yes, he’s beginning to explore selling the bus, he’s estimating its value somewhere around $70,000, but he’s not quite ready to let go.

“It’s a lot of money,” he said. “It’s a lot of time. I had a lot of help and a lot of people that put a lot into it.”

He had a lot of belief, too. The bus runs on it, and that fuel isn’t going anywhere.

(LEFT) Brian Brill and Jason Quackenbush drink a few beers together under an Oregon tent and watch other college football games.

(LEFT) Duck Force One, a purpose-built tailgating bus built by Cory Dent alongside family and friends in his home and shop in Salem, Ore. The bus started its life as a Gillig Phantom, which Dent picked up from Gray's Harbor in Washington, where it was a backup bus for their fleet. The batteries in the bus can run for 14-16 hours, and the bus can carry a total of 20 people. Dent, family and friends have also driven the bus down to the Rose Bowl twice, once last year and the other being against Wisconsin in 2020.

(BELOW, LEFT) Jodi Woiderski, Angel Smith and Stephanie Ingraham sit on the bench seats inside the bus, talking and drinking.

(BELOW, MIDDLE) Duck Force One owner Cory Dent’s cat, Bean.

(BELOW, RIGHT) Duck Force One owner Cory Dent's kitten, Bootsie.

(Saj Sundaram/Emerald)

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2025

DUCKS GOING PRO Which Oregon players will hear their names called in the 2026 NFL Draft?

BY MAX KOEBEL Sports Writer

In the 2025 NFL Draft, Oregon had a program record of ten players drafted. It was the second year in a row the Ducks broke their record.

This coming offseason, Oregon players are expected to once again have their names called in droves.

DANTE MOORE QUARTERBACK

It is unlikely the redshirt sophomore would enter the draft this spring. Moore had an unimpressive freshman season at UCLA, then transferred to Oregon and redshirted so he could sit behind Dillon Gabriel and learn from college football’s most experienced player.

If Moore does declare for the draft, his performance this year gives him a solid chance at going in the first round. His arm accuracy, decision making and poise when under pressure has the potential to catch the attention of NFL scouts. Possible fits for Moore include the New Orleans Saints, Cleveland Browns, New York Jets and Las Vegas Raiders. Those are all teams that have not had a stable quarterback situation in recent years and will likely take one in the first round.

NOAH WHITTINGTON RUNNING BACK

The redshirt senior will have no eligibility at the end of the season.

Whittington is in his fourth season with the Ducks and is the most experienced player in Oregon’s packed running back room. Some scouting reports have expressed concern over his lack of physical attributes and ability to power run, but his speed has led to some big gains on the ground. Whittington will most likely be a late-round pick in the draft.

Possible fits include the Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Rams, who could use some young talent in their backfields.

MATAYO UIAGALELEI DEFENSIVE END

Uiagalelei has played all three seasons of his college career as a Duck.

His success on the field has been driven by his size, efficiency in getting to the quarterback, long-arm moves to collapse the pocket, taking blocks with his hands and his unique ability to read trick plays. There is a high probability that Uiagalelei will declare for the draft after this season and would likely be a mid-late first round pick. Possible fits include the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions and Cincinnati Bengals. These teams all have strong offenses and could use an extra spark on defense.

KENYON SADIQ - TIGHT END

Most NFL Draft analysts view Sadiq as the best tight end in the country and expect him to be the first to come off the board this spring.

Ducks fans have several memories of

Sadiq hurdling or side-stepping his way out of a tackle on his way to the end zone burned into their minds forever. He has also shown great versatility in his ability to line up at any tight end or wide receiver position, or even in the backfield. Sadiq will likely go late in the first round. Possible fits include the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs. These teams both have older tight ends with uncertain futures and could use a younger guy for down the road.

DILLON THIENEMAN - SAFETY

The hero from Oregon’s thrilling double overtime win at Penn State will likely have the opportunity to step up in big moments as a pro next season. The junior defensive back is known for his ability to see the field, locate the football and track down the ball carrier regardless of the distance between them. Thieneman’s play against the run game this season has made him an enticing defensive back prospect this year. Thieneman is projected to be a late first round or early second round pick. Possible fits include the Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles. These are also teams with strong offenses that could use some more talent on the defensive side.

TEITUM TUIOTI - LINEBACKER

The son of Oregon’s linebackers coach would have another year of eligibility if he does not declare for the draft. If he does, he would probably be a mid to late round pick.

Tuioti is a sturdy run defender who uses his hands well while also being one of the Ducks’ most effective pass rushers. Possible fits include the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts. These are two organizations that have taken a major step in the right direction this year and could use some more young talent on the defensive front.

ISAIAH WORLD OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

The fifth year senior has the potential to become an NFL starter very quickly. Behind a 6-foot-8, 312-pound frame, World has shown strong instinct in his pass protection.

He still has some room to grow as a run blocker, but would fit nicely into an offense that relies more on its passing game. World is projected to be a first round pick. Possible fits include the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions.

These teams all have aging offensive lines and quarterbacks that are there to stay. They would all benefit greatly from a young body to protect the passing game.

(RIGHT) Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) runs the ball past Indiana players. On October 11, 2025 the University of Oregon Ducks played the Indiana University Hoosiers at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. The Hoosiers defeated the Ducks 30-20.

(Anna Liv Myklebust/Emerald)

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PUNTER FROM DOWN UNDER, JAMES FERGUSON-REYNOLDS From Australia to Autzen, James Ferguson-Reynolds levels up the Ducks’ punting.

BY HARRY LEADER Sports Writer

It’s fourth-and-4 on the Ducks’ own 33-yard line, and Oregon is set in punt formation against the Oregon State Beavers. The snap rifles back to senior punter James Ferguson-Reynolds at the 20-yard line, and does he punt it? No, he takes off and runs it 21 yards for a first down and more.

Oregon would go on to blow out the Beavers 41-7, with Ferguson-Reynolds punting twice for 87 yards and his longest punt being 51 yards.

Ferguson-Reynolds is not your average punter. Hailing from Geelong, Australia, with a background in Australian rules football, he started playing football through the Prokick Australia program in 2020.

Australian rules football is very similar to rugby, but with more emphasis on kicking, making it the perfect sport to play before playing American football. This is why Prokick Australia was founded in 2007 by former AFL player Nathan Chapman and has since sent over 200 athletes to compete in college football, according to Chapman.

Ferguson-Reynolds was rated as a two-star prospect and the sixth-best player in Australia by 247Sports. He would later commit to Boise State University following his time with Prokick Australia and play there from 2022 to 2024. While with the Broncos, he was selected to the AP third team All-America, Sports Illustrated second team All-America, Ray Guy Award semifinalist and All-Mountain West first team.

Moving 8,078 miles away from home would be a hard adjustment for most, but for Ferguson-Reynolds, he found it to be almost cinematic.

“Me and the family joked about it a lot. It’s like living in a movie. You know, back home, we’ll see all the college movies,” Ferguson-Reynolds said to Bronco Nation News.

“I laugh about it every day with the family and (it’s) still pretty crazy thinking I’m living in America. It’s been a journey for a while, so it’s been awesome.”

In 2025, he entered the transfer portal, and two weeks later, committed to Oregon. Since he arrived in Eugene, Ferguson-Reynolds has been one of the country’s top punters, being named to the Ray Guy Award watchlist and was named the Ray Guy Award punter of the week following his four punts for 201 yards in the loss to Indiana in Week 7.

Ferguson-Reynolds had some competition with last season’s starting punter Ross James during the offseason, but quickly earned his starting role in the fall.

“He’s done a good job and had an unbelievable fall camp – like did a really good job. We had good competition,” head coach Dan Lanning said following the win against Oklahoma State. “Ultimately, for both those guys, I think they made each other better, but (Ferguson-Reynolds) has done a good job. He’s earned that spot and I think he went and executed there to pin it inside the 10 and have good kicks to help us out.”

“You know, it’s a part of my game where I’ve grown a lot.

You know, the one stat that I am looking at is the net punt and we’ve been perfect on that all year. We haven’t had one

return all year, no touchbacks and that’s something I take pride on,” Ferguson-Reynolds said at a press conference in October. “Pin the ball on the one and inside the five and the 10, you know, multiple times it’s turned into a three and out and they punt, and we get a touchdown off it, so field position battle is huge.”

In the game against Wisconsin, he threw a touchdown pass on a fake punt, but it was called back. Ferguson-Reynolds was asked about his experience throwing a football at a recent press conference. “Very slim, obviously got a lot of time on the sidelines, so I think I actually throw more than I kick, and it was kind of a dream come true,” Ferguson-Reynolds said. “That was probably the coolest moment of my life and then the most depressing moment of my life.

But no, it was really good.”

Ferguson-Reynolds and the Ducks will take on Minnesota on Friday. The Golden Gophers punt returner and two-way player, Koi Perich, is one of the conference’s best returners, but will be tested against Ferguson-Reynolds, whose line drive punts should limit Perich’s ability to break out in open space.

(ABOVE) Oregon Ducks long snapper Luke Basso (43) warms up with Oregon Ducks punter James Ferguson-Reynolds (46) during a timeout. The University of Oregon Ducks played the Penn State University Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pa. On Sept. 27, 2025.

(Saj Sundaram/Emerald)

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KRASNOWSKI: OREGON FOOTBALL DOESN’T HAVE AN IDENTITY, AND THAT’S OK, FOR NOW

It really doesn’t matter how they do it – so long as the Ducks keep winning.

BY JOE KRASNOWSKI Sports Writer

Identities in college football – the foundational qualities that define how a team will play most weeks – are almost always forged over the course of a season.

The Ducks began the season convinced they would run over most traditionally lesser opponents because of their talent and scheme.

Then, in a 180-degree turn, a stable of running backs helped fuel their recent run of wins in ugly, skin-of-their-teeth Big Ten fashion.

But what about the parts of identity that can’t be learned? What about the things that just are?

At times, Dante Moore has played like a Heisman-caliber quarterback in one of the best conferences in the nation. At times, Oregon has been able to rumble in the run game and lock down other teams’ best weapons.

But there’s a fine line between a team that can win in any fashion and one that lets the style of game be dictated to them by their opponent. The nation saw what happened against Indiana when a team outschemed Oregon and made the Ducks play left-handed.

The thing is, it really doesn’t matter, at least not right now.

There are reasons galore for pessimistic fans to be wary of the Ducks. Moore hasn’t been consistently terrific since the first weeks of the season. Injuries have crept up on the Ducks in a massive way, with three key weapons (including wide receiver Evan Stewart) out after the second bye week.

But Oregon just keeps chugging, with each win emblematic of head coach Dan Lanning’s culture and the Ducks’ ability to still bring their fastball when it matters most.

“As much as the world tries to look ahead, we try to keep our eyes (on) what’s right in front of us,” Lanning said to GoDucks after the Iowa game.

Granted, Ohio State and Indiana look to be in a league of their own right now, and the Ducks absolutely will need to play better to have any type of chance of beating some of the nation’s top teams.

Another loss before the end of the regular season will almost certainly knock them out of the top 12, and for any program with as much money invested in it as Oregon, missing the College Football Playoff is a bust of a season.

But it is fair to suggest that Oregon football fans have been spoiled over the past 18 months. Teams don’t usually start the season 8-1 after an undefeated regular season. Teams don’t usually have two (and likely soon to be three) Heisman Trophy Finalists take the stage in New York City.

Indiana and Ohio State aren’t on the regular season slate for the Ducks, and while it is logical to point out some of this team’s serious shortcomings, it is also worth lauding Lanning’s ability to take a team with few impact starters returning and have them winning games on the road in November.

And while playing wire-to-wire games in awful conditions against teams they should beat talent-wise isn’t the most sustainable winning solution, it’ll more than do for now.

“We’re not rookies anymore,” Lanning said postgame. “We have some young players who have been playing a lot of football this season. The time of being a freshman and young guys, that’s over with now. We’ve played several games, and that experience pays off, and I think that showed up tonight.”

(LEFT) The University of Oregon Ducks defeated the University of Wisconsin Badgers 21-7 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. on Oct. 25, 2025.

(Saj Sundaram/Emerald)

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OREGON’S WIN AGAINST IOWA WAS “BIG TEN FOOTBALL”

BY JACK LAZARUS Sports Editor

“I guess that’s what they call Big Ten football,” Oregon football head coach Dan Lanning said to GoDucks postgame at Kinnick Stadium last Saturday.

In the week leading up to Oregon’s 18-16 wet and sloppy win at Iowa, Lanning, as well as players, had been asked about the “Big Ten” feeling of this game.

For some context, the Big Ten, the oldest Division I conference, has always been known as a group of Midwest teams that pride themselves on defense and bruising running offenses. When Oregon joined ahead of the 2024 season, the narrative surrounding the move frequently followed the thought process that the Ducks, usually a passing-heavy team, would not translate effectively to that style.

“This league’s got more variety than people realize, so every week’s a little bit different. But this is certainly one.

When you talk about Iowa, you talk about a team that has an identity, and they’ve had an identity,” Lanning said Wednesday ahead of the game.

That identity has proven to be one of the strongest and most solidified in the country, especially during the tenure of the Big Ten’s longest serving current coach (27th season) and the winningest one in the conference’s history (216 wins): Kirk Ferentz.

“Ever since Coach Ferentz has been there, it’s been really clear. They’re going to play great defense, be really good on

special teams, be physical in the run game and be able to take advantage of shots and opportunities,” Lanning said.

That identity wasn’t lost on Oregon’s players either. “(Iowa is) very physical and very aggressive at the point of attack. All around, they remind me of high effort players, and I give them their props from watching the tape,” senior offensive guard Emmanuel Pregnon said. “The stats also speak for themselves. Coming into this game, that’s why I believe it’s pivotal to match them in those traits.”

Pregnon, as well as the rest of the offensive and defensive lines, should feel incredibly accomplished.

Offensively, the Ducks’ linemen imposed their will on the Hawkeyes to the tune of 261 rushing yards, which amounted to 7.3 yards per rush. That also included keeping Dante Moore clean from pass rushers all game and only allowing one tackle for loss.

“We heard the noise all week that ‘they don’t give up runs’ and we just made note of that, and we wanted to run the ball effectively this game and we did,” Lanning said to GoDucks. “There’s a bunch of guys out there whose numbers got called: Jamari (Johnson), Roger (Saleapaga) and those guys. To show up and block the way they did… we felt like that was an important key to the game: to win the rushing battle.”

Defensively, Oregon held Iowa to just 140 yards on the ground, which is the Hawkeyes’ sixth best mark in their nine games so far this season. Iowa’s offense only moved the ball substantially through the air, and even that came

with Oregon dominating the trenches. The Ducks were just surprised at times by Iowa, one of the most rushing-heavy offenses in the country, airing it out down the field.

Oregon’s victory in Iowa City displayed its ability to dominate on the line of scrimmage, but the Ducks will have to contend with a completely different mentality in the Minnesota Golden Gophers, who average over 200 yards through the air and 100 on the ground through their nine games this season.

(BELOW) The Oregon offensive line blocks the Wisconsin defense as Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) hands the ball off to Oregon Ducks running back Jordon Davison (0). The University of Oregon Ducks beat the University of Wisconsin-Madison Badgers 21-7 at Autzen Stadium on Oct. 25, 2025.

(Saj Sundaram/Emerald)