Oregon threatens deep College Football Playoff run as Dakorien Moore, Gary Bryant Jr. return from injuries

A full complement of wide receivers could give Oregon the ammunition it needs to make a national championship push

EUGENE, Ore. -- Oregon didn't need to be at full strength to defeat James Madison. That was clear from the start of Saturday's 51-34 rout in the first round of the College Football Playoff as it took less than 2 minutes for the Ducks to reach the end zone.

None of the Ducks' top three wide receivers played in a full capacity, but the offense still racked up 313 yards through the air and rattled off an inordinate number of explosive plays. With Malik Benson (119 yards, two touchdowns) and Jeremiah McClellan (83 yards, one touchdown) rising to the occasion, the Oregon passing game excelled against a clearly overmatched Dukes defense.

The Ducks' wide receiver group is getting closer to full strength, though. This high-octane offense will soon boast its complete arsenal, and that should terrify the rest of the CFP field.

Standout freshman Dakorien Moore missed the final four games of the regular season after hurting his knee in practice. He was back in the lineup against the Dukes, made a 5-yard catch early in the second quarter and shook some rust off for what Oregon hopes is a lengthy playoff run.

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Veteran wideout Gary Bryant Jr. sat the previous three games with an injury. He, too, was back in action, albeit with only a limited number of snaps.

Evan Stewart, who projected as the team's top target entering the year, still has yet to suit up in 2025 because of a knee injury he sustained in the offseason. But he warmed up in full pads and was listed on the pregame availability report as a game-time decision. That is a notable step forward in his journey back onto the field.

"I love how the fans were cheering on Evan when he caught his first warmup pass in a long time," quarterback Dante Moore said after his four-touchdown effort. "I was glad to see him back. We had Dakorien, Gary, everybody getting back. It's great to have all your weapons."

Stripped of three stellar wide receivers for much of the season due to a variety of injuries, the Ducks did not show any ill effects offensively in constructing their seven-game winning streak. Getting Moore and Bryant back for the win over James Madison could take an already prolific attack to the next level.

"It was just great to see them out there again," offensive coordinator Will Stein said. "I think they pose a lot of threats to the defense: their speed, their willingness to block on the perimeter, their ball-in-hand attributes that they have. They're just exceptional players."

It will take Oregon's absolute best to advance deeper in the bracket. There could not possibly be a more opportune time for Stein to have a full complement of tools at his disposal. Up next for the Ducks is a date with No. 4 seed Texas Tech, which ranks third in scoring defense and features a top-25 unit against the pass. And if Oregon advances beyond the Orange Bowl, it could see the other two of college football's three best defenses.

The last time Dan Lanning's team saw an opponent of that caliber, it dropped a home game to No. 1 Indiana by 10 points. That was with a healthy Moore and Bryant. Could Stewart's potential return give the Ducks the additional boost they need to produce a different result? The second-year transfer and former five-star recruit was an afterthought as he watched the regular season from the bench, but with the campaign carrying deep into the winter and affording him extended recovery time, he may suddenly be an X-factor -- or, better yet, a leader in Oregon's championship push.

Moore passed for 313 yards and four touchdowns in a playoff game. The idea of him unleashing his arm towards a plethora of fresh, uber-talented receivers in the contests ahead is tantalizing.

That's what makes Oregon such a legitimate threat to hoist a trophy at the end of the season -- the fact that its best offensive football of the year may still lie ahead.