Oregon Faces WR Setbacks Ahead of Orange Bowl, But Help Is on the Way

Oregon’s wide receiver group will look very different when the Ducks take the field for the Orange Bowl, and not in the way head coach Dan Lanning hoped. As Oregon prepares for its CFP quarterfinal matchup against Texas Tech, several key pass-catchers have been officially ruled out, while a pair of important contributors are finally trending in the right direction.

ESPN reporter Pete Thamel provided an update on Oregon’s injury situation on Sunday after the team released its final availability report. Wide receiver Evan Stewart is still unavailable, but Dakorien Moore and Gary Bryant Jr. have both been cleared and are no longer included on the injury list.

Stewart’s absence continues to be one of the most frustrating storylines of Oregon’s season. The Ducks’ most dependable receiver suffered a serious knee injury during the preseason and has yet to play a single snap. Despite being labeled a game-time decision for Oregon’s 51–34 College Football Playoff win over James Madison — and even taking part in pregame warmups — Stewart never entered the game. He also did not return to practice this week, making his absence against Texas Tech expected, but still painful.

Adding to Oregon’s concerns, wide receivers Kyler Kasper and Justius Lowe will also miss the Orange Bowl. Kasper recorded two catches for 51 yards before suffering a season-ending injury, while Lowe contributed six receptions for 56 yards across nine games. Losing that much depth at receiver is not ideal for a Ducks offense that relies heavily on balance and timing.

Still, it’s not all bad news for Lanning’s squad. Moore and Bryant Jr. are both back after dealing with injuries during the middle of the season. Moore went down in late October and missed multiple games before returning in the CFP opener against James Madison. Bryant was injured in early November against Iowa but also suited up in that playoff win. Together, Moore and Bryant have combined for 54 catches and 747 yards this season — production Oregon will need against a Texas Tech defense playing in its first-ever Orange Bowl.

Thursday’s game marks the second meeting between Oregon and Texas Tech in the past three seasons, but the stakes are much higher this time. The Ducks are trying to avoid a CFP quarterfinal exit for the second straight year. In total, Oregon has eight players ruled out for the game, compared to just three for Texas Tech. Even so, the Ducks remain slight favorites, holding a 2.5-point edge in most betting lines.

That margin may not mean much if Oregon repeats the mistakes it made after halftime against James Madison. While the Ducks cruised early and built a comfortable lead, they were outscored 28–17 in the second half. Late touchdowns made the final score look closer than the game truly was, but the defensive drop-off didn’t sit well with Lanning.

Lanning pointed out that the team has a clear standard to follow. According to him, the players are aware of what it takes to play championship football, and the second half fell short of those expectations.

Against Texas Tech, Oregon won’t have the luxury of easing off the gas. With injuries testing their depth and a motivated opponent on the other sideline, the Ducks will need sharp execution, fast starts, and a full four quarters of focus to keep their title hopes alive.

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