The No. 2 Oregon Ducks beat the unranked Purdue Boilermakers 35-0 on Friday night in a game that never seemed too stressful for Oregon coach Dan Lanning and his team. Before the game, the Ducks listed starting tight end Terrance Ferguson as "out" on the availability reports mandated by the Big Ten Conference and released two hours before kickoff.

Ferguson did not appear to suffer an injury against Ohio State in the previous week, so his absence was certainly alarming for Oregon fans. After the win at Purdue, Lanning revealed that Ferguson underwent surgery to remove his appendix.

Ferguson's Appendix Surgery and Return Timeline

"In the middle week, (Terrance) started to feel his appendix, he actually had to have his appendix removed," said Lanning. "We're expecting a quick recovery based on what that looks like for him and being smart with him. But if it was up to him, I promise you, he would have been out on that field today, even with some stitches in his side. So I think he'll be back, you know, relatively quick. But we want to do what's best for Terrance. And he's a tough kid, you know, this guy's played with a lot of injuries. This is not one that you can really go play with when you have your appendix removed."

Ferguson has hardly missed any games during his Oregon career. The tight end played in 14 games as a freshman, 13 as a sophomore and 14 as a junior. In 47 career games, Ferguson has 111 catches and 13 touches. He ranks No. 2 at Oregon for all-time receptions by a tight end, only behind Ed Dickson. His 13 touchdowns ranks him No. 3 for tight ends.

Ferguson's Impact on the Ducks' Offense

Before his appendix surgery this season, Ferguson was a near constant presence on the field for the offense. Through his six games in 2024, Ferguson has totaled 321 receiving yards on 20 receptions, averaging an impressive 16 yards per reception. Ferguson's absence was noticeable against Purdue, as the Ducks relied heavily on other tight ends and wide receivers to fill the void.

Ducks' Depth Shines in Ferguson's Absence

Tight ends Kenyon Sadiq and Patrick Herbert carried the load at the position for the Ducks with Ferguson sidelined. Sadiq showed off his athleticism and big-play ability, finishing with two catches for 58 yards. The Ducks' depth at the tight end position allowed the offense to maintain its rhythm despite Ferguson's absence.

Other Ducks Injuries and Disciplinary Measures

In addition to Ferguson, the Ducks offense did not feature wide receiver Traeshon Holden on Friday night. Holden was not listed on Oregon's official availability report, but it appears he was held out of the game as punishment for his ejection from the Ohio State game after spitting on a Buckeyes defender. The Ducks' coaching staff made a clear decision to hold Holden out of the Purdue game as a disciplinary measure.

Defensive lineman Jordan Burch missed his second straight game with a reported lower-leg injury suffered in practice. Reporters asked Lanning about the depth that his team showed against Purdue.

Oregon's Depth: A Positive Sign for the Future

Lanning said, "There's a lot of guys on our team that are ready for their moments when their moments call. Kam coming up with that pick was huge. You saw some, you know, some TFLs from some of our young defensive linemen there at the end. Some guys coming in on offense, being able to run the ball that maybe haven't gotten the same opportunities as others." The Ducks' ability to perform well despite missing key players is a positive sign for the team's depth and overall talent.

Looking Ahead: Will Ferguson Be Ready for Illinois?

The Ducks have a long week after the Friday-night victory over Purdue, but Ferguson's status for Week 8 against Illinois remains in question. Oregon hosts Illinois in Autzen Stadium on Saturday, October 26 at 12:30 p.m. PT. Ferguson's recovery timeline will be closely monitored by Ducks fans as they hope to see him back on the field soon.

The Ducks' success this season will depend on their ability to overcome injuries and maintain their winning momentum. As the team prepares for the upcoming matchup against Illinois, the health of Ferguson and other injured players will be a key factor in determining the outcome of the game.