Oregon Loses Edge Rusher Teitum Tuioti for the Season With Knee Injury After Ohio State Win

The fake punt that flipped Columbus was thrown by an edge rusher. Three days later, Oregon learned that edge rusher is done for 2026.

Oregon coach Dan Lanning said Monday that senior outside linebacker Teitum Tuioti will miss the rest of the season with a left knee injury and will need surgery, ESPN reported (opens in a new tab). Tuioti was carted off in the fourth quarter of the Ducks' 41-28 win at Ohio State on Saturday, with Oregon already well in control.

"Unfortunately, Teitum is done for the year," Lanning said, per Athlon Sports. "I hate it for him."

The play that started it all

Tuioti's final snaps of the season came on the same night as perhaps his most memorable one. With Oregon trailing 14-3 late in the first half and facing fourth-and-9 at its own 31, Tuioti took the direct snap as the upback and lofted a 30-yard pass to fellow outside linebacker Matayo Uiagalelei. Dierre Hill Jr. finished the drive with a 9-yard touchdown run with 1:25 left in the half, and the Ducks went on to score 38 straight points. Undrafted's full recap of the comeback has the rest.

Oregon's official game story (opens in a new tab) noted the Buckeyes had not lost at home after leading by 14 points in 25 years.

What Oregon loses

Tuioti started all nine games this season and leaves with 44 tackles, a team-high 9 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and a forced fumble. Those 5.5 sacks had him tied for seventh in the Big Ten, according to Oregon's game week release (opens in a new tab), and second on the team behind Uiagalelei's 7.5.

The bigger picture is a four-year run. Tuioti has 22.5 career sacks, eighth in program history, and Oregon's release framed him and Uiagalelei (26.0, fourth all-time) as chasing Nick Reed's school record of 29.5. Tuioti also had 9.5 sacks in 2025, which led the Ducks, per KPTV. ESPN described Tuioti as the consensus No. 3 edge rusher in its early rankings for the 2027 NFL draft.

Lanning on a possible farewell

Tuioti has one season of eligibility left, according to KPTV, which means Saturday may have been a final game in an Oregon uniform if the NFL comes calling. Lanning acknowledged as much. He said he did not know whether Tuioti would get another chance to play for the Ducks, and added that whichever team lands Tuioti down the road will be very lucky.

"Teitum has been unbelievable for us this year, and every year he's been here," Lanning said, per KPTV (opens in a new tab). "Watching him grow as a player and a person has been a lot of fun for us."

He also offered the simplest summary of the senior's night in Columbus: "He left it on the line there on the field, man."

A season of injuries in Eugene

The news adds to a rough year for Oregon. Starting quarterback Dante Moore suffered a season-ending concussion in late September, a hit that came against USC on Sept. 26, according to ClutchPoints, and former Ohio State commit Dylan Raiola has started since. Raiola threw for 257 yards and two touchdowns against the Buckeyes.

None of the reports from Monday's availability included any other new Oregon injury news. For the pass rush, Ducks Wire pointed to Uiagalelei carrying more of the load, with Nasir Wyatt (2.5 sacks) and Elijah Rushing among the options to absorb Tuioti's snaps. Wyatt had a sack at Ohio State.

What's next for the Ducks

Oregon (6-3, 4-2 Big Ten) climbed seven spots to No. 16 in Tuesday's College Football Playoff rankings and is No. 18 in the AP poll. The Ducks have won two straight ranked games after a 4-3 start.

First up without Tuioti is Michigan (5-4, 2-4 Big Ten), which visits Autzen Stadium on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. PT on FS1. The Wolverines are coming off a 15-6 loss to Michigan State and fired offensive coordinator Jason Beck after it. Oregon then plays at Michigan State on Nov. 20 and closes the regular season against Washington on Nov. 28.

Oregon's defense has carried this team through a lot in 2026. Now it has to keep doing it without the player who has made more plays behind the line than anyone else on the roster.

Sources: ESPN, Oregon Athletics (GoDucks.com), KPTV, Athlon Sports, KMTR/KVAL, Ducks Wire, ClutchPoints.

Photo: Rob Moseley/GoDucks.com (file photo from Nov. 7, 2026, at Ohio State).