“Game of the year!!!!” at least that’s what Ohio State’s 5-star defensive lineman, Jahkeem Stewart, called it. Yes, last Saturday in that game, by a score of 32–31, the Oregon Ducks defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes. Following the victory in what was Autzen Stadium’s first-ever top-three game, the crowd flooded the field. This cultivating environment of the field, as well as Oregon Ducks’ on-field performance, can prove blissful for Dan Lanning to get a recruit who is still indecisive like Stewart.

Following his visit to Eugene, Stewart shared some of his ideas with Steve Wiltfong of On3. He stated, “The Oregon fans are absolutely nuts about the team. I can definitely see myself playing in that type of environment. The Oregon fans showed me a ton of love. I love how the players play for each other.” Moreover, he mentioned, “Oregon’s coaches worked with the players throughout the game. It was an environment, a culture that he could see himself.” It seems like Oregon has a great chance to land Stewart.

Wait, it is not confirmed because Stewart still has upcoming trips to USC for the Nebraska game and Ohio State for the Michigan game. On November 30, Ohio State plays rival Michigan. If Sherrone Moore’s Michigan wins, and by a wide margin, Stewart might be interested in switching his allegiance from Ohio State to Oregon, as he was very happy with his visit there during Oregon’s game against Ohio State last week.

In essence, Sherrone Moore can make or break it for the Buckeyes in landing a five-star player, and knowing the history between the two teams, the Wolverines’ head coach would want Stewart to go anywhere except Ohio State. Well, we’ll have to wait for November 30 for “The Game”. 

However, there is more amazing news to share; following Oregon’s victory over Ohio State, Dan Lanning’s team was able to capture the commitment of a four-star player.

Dan Lanning’s Oregan earns a star commitment

Tomuhini Topui, a defensive lineman for Mater Dei, received over 30 offers this season. At first, he expressed interest in both UCLA and the USC Trojans, but in the end, he decided to attend Oregon to demonstrate his ability. Again, Oregon’s environment became the X factor.

Topui said to On3, “The main reasons I committed to Oregon were the culture, the coaches, and the overall atmosphere. The culture there is unbelievable and being up there so many times and seeing it improve with new faces and new things is huge … The whole city of Eugene came out and showed love.”

However, Oregon’s recruiting momentum has been on a steady rise. Meanwhile, Topui’s commitment improved the Ducks’ 2026 class from No.4 to No.1, according to 247Sports. For his commitment, the star athlete mainly credited the head coach, Dan Lanning, saying, “Coach Lanning is doing something special up there in Eugene. It’s really family-oriented at Oregon… It is not too far from home, but at the same time, it is far enough where I can focus on myself.”

Topui was Oregon’s sixth commitment in the 2026 class. Therefore, many have left. Let’s wait and watch what more Dan Lanning has in store and whether he manages to land Stewart or not.