Trailing the No. 3 Indiana Hoosiers early in the fourth quarter, the Ducks needed an instant spark. Oregon’s offense had been struggling most of the game and Indiana had a chance to extend its lead to two scores.

It was third-and-2, and the Hoosiers had been getting anything they wanted on the ground up until that point. 

Quarterback Fernando Mendoza dropped back inside his own 15 yard line and threw to his left, aiming to be a step ahead of the Ducks’ defensive backs yet again — Brandon Finney Jr. saw it the whole way. 

Finney jumped in front of his man at the last moment, secured the interception and returned it into the end zone to tie the game at 20. The roar in Autzen could likely have been heard all the way in Springfield as Finney ran down the sideline, broke a tackle at the 5 yard line and took an offensive lineman with him into the end zone on the game-tying pick-six.

“We’re in man to man coverage,” head coach Dan Lanning said. “He did a great job. That’s one of the harder routes to defend in man to man. It’s a crossing route from the opposite side. He did a great job breaking on the ball. We had good pressure up front. Great job finishing into the end zone.”

Each year Oregon loses a chunk of its roster to the NFL Draft, and the biggest question going into the next season is how they can replace those players. Going into 2025, the position group that saw some of the most chopping and changing was the defensive backfield. This year, Lanning brought in a loaded class of true freshmen to fill up the roster for the long run — especially Finney, a five-star recruit from Maryland. 

“If you’re good enough, you’re old enough.” Lanning said early in the season.

Finney was ranked the No. 1 prospect in the state of Maryland by 247 Sports. He received offers from 19 Division I universities and committed to Oregon the summer before his senior year of high school.

“He has really gained some confidence as he’s gotten a lot more comfortable with the system,” defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi said at the beginning of the season.

Finney played both sides of the ball in high school, which gave him an elite ability to read passes while on defense. He could stand in the right position before the wide receiver even got there and would only have to move a few steps after the throw to make a play on the ball. He could also use his body to screen the receiver from running his route, forcing the quarterback to overthrow the pass by about five yards. 

Finney’s quickness has allowed him to adjust mid play and still prevent his opponent from gaining yards. If he started the play several yards back and saw that the quarterback was making a sideways pass, he could still move up in time to make a tackle for a loss. His quick thinking also allows him to switch who he is covering after a throw. If he sees the quarterback is going to pass to someone near him that his teammate is covering, he can move over in time to get a hand on the ball, which gives his teammate a chance at an interception.

Along with Finney’s speed is his ability to jump and make plays on the run. Since he has experience as a receiver, he can run routes with the player he is defending and jump in the air first for a pass break-up or an interception. He’s the kind of player who could pretty much play anywhere the coaches need him to.

Despite suffering their first home loss in over two years last week, the Ducks still have an open road in front of them and a roster with championship potential. The coaching staff can be confident that each time their freshman cornerback enters the field in games and during practice, he will not only be at his best, but will lift his teammates up with him every day.

“Brandon is a crazy athlete,” freshman wide receiver Dakorien Moore said. “He fits the eye test. Just like his size and his length for a cornerback. Just going against him, fighting every day, seeing the work that he puts in, not even on the field. In the weight room, he’s about his business. He carries himself like a pro already. Trying to go against him every single day makes myself better.”

Despite only having six games in his college resume, Finney is already on the watchlist for the All-Big Ten team and All-American True Freshmen team. As Oregon’s young team continues to progress towards its championship hopes, Finney will be ready to step up in the biggest moments, just like last week, to propel the Ducks.