Injuries are a factor for every team in college football, but it seems like injuries have hit the Oregon Ducks program especially hard in recent seasons. There's a case to be made that 2026 — especially if you add in off-the-field issues that have sidelined a pair of wide receivers — is the worst, as the Ducks have been decimated with injuries namely with the absence of quarterback Dante Moore for the entirety of the year.

The offense, in particular, has seen a number of key players outside of Moore miss games. Running backs Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr. had been healthy all year, but both missed the second half against Northwestern in Week 9. In the receiver room, Jeremiah McClellan, Evan Stewart, Messiah Hampton, Iverson Hooks and Jalen Lott have missed time. The offensive line is the same story, headlined by guard Dave Iuli and talented true freshman Immanuel Iheancho being sidelined.

The defense hasn't nearly been dealt the same injury woes, though the transfer portal decimated some of the depth and left some position groups not nearly as deep as they have been.

Those same transfers have been performing extremely well across college football, with five in particular sticking out for their performances in Week 9.

LB Kamar Mothudi — California Golden Bears

Kamar Mothudi had the best game of his career against NC State, racking up a career-high eight tackles in the 31-10 loss. After totaling just four tackles in his lone season at Oregon, Mothudi is now up to 38 tackles in his first season as a Golden Bear.

WR Kyler Kasper — BYU Cougars

The breakout season continued for Kyler Kasper, as he caught four passes for 57 yards and a touchdown in BYU's 27-20 win over Arizona State. Kasper is second on the Cougars in catches (30), yards (430) and first in touchdown receptions (five).

LB Keith Brown — Washington State Cougars

The leader of Washington State's defense, Keith Brown amassed a team-high 11 tackles and a pass deflection in the Cougars' narrow 26-20 loss to San Diego State. The former Oregon linebacker is now up to 71 tackles on the year.

TE Roger Saleapaga — BYU Cougars

Roger Saleapaga had the most involvement in BYU's game plan all season in Week 9, catching three passes for 26 yards and nearly scoring a touchdown before stepping out of bounds.. He's now up to 12 receptions for 146 yards in his junior campaign.

DL Blake Purchase — Ole Miss Rebels

Blake Purchase continues to be a key cog of the Ole Miss defense, totaling three tackles in the Rebels' 45-15 win over Auburn. Though the Rebels have two losses, they're in the thick of the College Football Playoff race.