Oregon football isn't a fraud. Boise State is just that good
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Welcome back the Conference of Champions.
In what has been a mostly dull start to the first full Saturday of the 2026 college football season, Boise State provided a much needed jolt to the country in putting a scare into No. 2 Oregon with what would have been a monumental upset. The Broncos controlled most of the first half and took a lead into halftime before the Ducks took over in the second half for the 34-27 win.
To many people, the assumptions will be Oregon is extremely overrated, and didn't look anything like a national championship contender. There were plenty of moments that support that theory.
But really, this isn't about Oregon and a fraud label. It's really that Boise State is just that good.
It's not often you see opposing teams walk into Autzen Stadium confidently, especially when the Ducks are ranked. But there's something about those boys from the blue that doesn't faze them.
The Broncos entered the day with a 3-1 all-time record against Oregon, and have won in Eugene before in 2008. It nearly did again in 2024 with Ashton Jeanty pushing the eventual No. 1 seed in the playoff to the edge.
And on Saturday, Sept. 5, the Broncos nearly wrecked Dante Moore and Dan Lanning.
There was nothing fluky about it. Boise State was a well-rounded team doing just about everything right. Quarterback Maddux Madsen, who was on that 2024 playoff team, played smart and allowed the running back duo of Dylan Riley and Sire Gaines to make plays, while the offensive line bullied one of the best defensive fronts in the country. The defense wrapped up tackles and forced mistakes.
You would have thought the No. 2 designation belonged to Boise State. So why didn't it win?
Because Oregon is Oregon. After getting flustered and outplayed, the Ducks regrouped and looked exactly how they should in the second half. Even with a close result that nearly resulted in first unranked team to beat a ranked Oregon team at home since 2014 and set off panic alarms, the Ducks are going to be fine.
However, let this be a warning: Boise State is coming for the playoff.
With 69 teams in the Group of Six plus Connecticut all racing for one spot in the 12-team field, it can be tough to figure out who will get to be the postseason representative, especially in Week 1. This season, not a lot of time was needed; the Broncos are on the way.
Much like that loss to Oregon in 2024, this is as good of a quality defeat you can get. Boise State proved it again can hang against elite teams when the odds are stacked against it. The Pac-12 title is theirs to lose, and there are 69 other teams praying it happens, or they can kiss any hope of making the field goodbye.
As for those in the Big Ten, SEC, Big 12 and ACC, you ought to hope when the bracket is revealed, you don't see that Broncos lined up next your name. Because much like it did when it was the darling of the BCS busters, Boise State is more than capable of taking you down.
And wouldn't that be fitting, for the Pac-12 to make it in the playoff in Year 1 of its revival?
Good luck to everyone is Boise State's path.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Oregon football isn't a fraud. Boise State is just that good
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