One player to keep an eye on from each of Oregon’s opponents in 2026

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The 2026 season is quickly approaching for the Oregon Ducks, and while many rankings and previews have the Ducks contending for the Big Ten and national title, every season is full of twists and turns that are impossible to predict. But that doesn't mean we won't try anyway.

Oregon is facing a much tougher schedule this season, with trips to USC and Ohio State on the docket, as well as home dates with College Football Playoff contenders Boise State and Michigan. The star players are known for just about every team on the schedule, but sometimes it's the under-the-radar players who make the biggest impact in big games when teams devote too much attention to a particular star.

Going through Oregon's schedule, I attempted to pick out one player who might be flying under the radar, for one reason or another, that the Ducks will need to be aware of and attempt to limit when they share the field this fall.

Boise State — WR Rasean Jones

The only true freshman on the list, Rasean Jones has put together an excellent spring and fall camp with the Broncos. Jones ran track in high school, originally at Baker High School in Oregon before transferring to Rocky Mountain High School in Idaho. The speedster fills a big need out wide for Boise State and could start right away when the Broncos travel to Eugene to begin the season. He can separate and make plays after the catch, so he will be a solid first test for Oregon’s secondary.

Oklahoma State — DT Braylon Rigsby

Oklahoma State is an entirely different team than the one that got whalloped in Eugene last season. The Cowboys have improved, thanks in part to an influx of talent from North Texas, but an under-the-radar transfer addition is Braylon Rigsby, who came over from Texas Tech. He was a reserve along the interior defensive line for the Raiders, managing 24 tackles and three tackles for loss in two seasons, but many of the Cowboys have raved about Rigsby’s performance since arriving in Stillwater. The defensive line is brand new for Oklahoma State this season, so he could mix in alongside fellow transfers Saadiq Clements and Jerry Lawson, who shouldn’t be overlooked either.

Portland State — QB Tyrese Smith

The Ducks should have much trouble with their in-state FCS neighbors, but running quarterbacks have given Oregon some trouble in the past. Portland State is under new leadership this season, so the Vikings might not use multiple quarterbacks again, but Tyrese Smith is still an option. He didn’t have many opportunities as a passer last season, but he finished second on the team in rushing, gaining 405 yards and punching in six touchdowns.

USC — DE Kameryn Crawford

USC has plenty of talent offensively, but the defense is worth looking out for now. Gary Patterson’s defenses play with four aggressive down linemen that aim to control the gaps. Kameryn Crawford does a great job of that against the run, and led the Trojans with 5.5 sacks last season. He’s a big end who took a huge step forward last year, and facing an Oregon offensive line that could still be sorting through some issues, he’s one that Dante Moore will need to be wary of.

UCLA — RB Wayne Knight

Oregon knows Wayne Knight well by now. The former James Madison running back followed head coach Bob Chesney to UCLA and should resume his duties there. In the first round of the College Football Playoff last December, the Ducks rolled through the Dukes, but Knight ran for 110 yards and averaged 6.5 yards per carry. He ran for nearly 1,400 yards last season and is a threat as a pass-catcher out of the backfield as well. With Nico Iamaleava being a threat to run as well, containing the Bruins’ backfield could be a tall task.

Nebraska — WR Nyziah Hunter

Nyziah Hunter was Nebraska’s big-play threat at wide receiver last year, making 43 catches and leading the Cornhuskers with 617 yards and five touchdowns. This year, UCLA transfer Kwazi Gilmer could command some attention on the opposite side of the field. The Ducks have Brandon Finney Jr. locking down one side, while the competition between Ify Obidegwu and Na’eem Offord appears to be tight on the other side. Hunter gives the Cornhuskers two vertical threats, while Anthony Colandrea is great at making plays off-schedule, and the combination of the two can put the Oregon defense into a bind if pressure can’t go home fast enough.

Illinois — RB Ca’Lil Valentine

Illinois is working in a new quarterback, and Ca’Lil Valentine took a step forward last year, so the Fighting Illini could lean on him more down the stretch of the season. Valentine is on the Doak Walker Award watch list after rushing for 614 yards and four touchdowns a year ago. He will handle more touches this season, and his 5-foot-11, 200-pound frame can be deceiving. Valentine can run through defenders for extra yardage. He will be a big test for Oregon’s reworked linebacker room.

Northwestern — S Robert Fitzergerald

Robert Fitzgerald had a breakout season in 2025 and is quietly one of the Big Ten’s best safeties. He earned second-team All-Big Ten honors after making 70 tackles, four deflections and an interception last season. Fitzgerald is a center fielder on Northwestern’s defense and, since the Wildcats lost several defenders in the offseason, is one of the leaders of the unit now. Northwestern is facing an uphill battle for a Halloween trip to Autzen Stadium, but Fitzgerald is a star in the secondary to keep on your radar.

Ohio State — LB Payton Pierce

The Buckeyes have to replace plenty of standout defenders this season, so the defense as a whole may take more time to gel this season. An important returner, however, is Payton Pierce, who was able to learn behind Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles last season, while being a reliable tackler in the rotation. He had 43 tackles, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in less than 300 snaps. He was a finalist for the High School Butkus Award as a senior after racking up 181 tackles and 40 tackles for loss. Pierce is truly the quarterback of the defense and one of the smartest defenders in the country. He could help slow down the Oregon run game and won’t be fooled by many creative looks.

Michigan — WR JJ Buchanan

Michigan is typically a ground-and-pound style program, and that should continue under Kyle Whittingham, who occasionally ran a similar program at Utah built in the trenches. However, Bryce Underwood’s development as a second-year starter is paramount, and JJ Buchanan is coming in to help him leap. As a freshman with the Utes, Buchanan had 427 yards and five touchdowns as a tight end before following Whittingham to Ann Arbor. Buchanan has enough speed to make the transition out wide and is strong enough from his time as a tight end to make life difficult on corners who don’t match his physicality

Michigan State — CB Charles Brantley

A sixth-year corner is rare these days, but Charles Brantley should be an impact player in the secondary after returning to East Lansing. He never picked up much in his lone season at Miami, transferring back to Michigan State to finish what he started. Brantley has logged five interceptions in his career, all with the Spartans, and is fast enough to keep up with any of Oregon’s wideouts. Many have labeled this as a trap game for the Ducks, and Brantley could take away one of Oregon’s speedsters on the perimeter.

Washington — WR Christian Moss

The biggest task in the offseason for Washington was to replace Denzel Boston, who became a second-round pick in the NFL draft. Dezmen Roebuck returns and should be Demond Williams’ top receiving target, but Kennesaw State transfer Christian Moss is the perfect replacement for Boston, bringing similar size (6-foot-3, 205 pounds) and great hands. He’s another sixth-year player, having begun his career at Virginia Tech. Moss has quickly worked his way up the depth chart in camp with the Huskies and looks to be the playmaker they hoped he would be out of the transfer portal. Washington wants to make a run to the College Football Playoff in year three with Williams, and the rivalry matchup at the end of the season could be a big game for the Ducks to contain the dynamic passing attack.

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: One player to keep an eye on from each of Oregon’s opponents in 2026

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