It might not have been as pretty as the Ducks might have liked, but a win is a win and Oregon will definitely take it.
In front of 51,449 Duck faithful inside Autzen Stadium, Oregon was able to almost score at will against a struggling Colorado team. The Ducks came out of the contest with a 52-29 victory and moved to 7-1 overall and 4-1 in conference play on the season, while the Buffaloes dropped to 2-6 overall and 1-4 in Pac-12 action.
Surprisingly it was the Oregon defense that struggled against what used to be a weak Colorado offense (until today), but thankfully for the Ducks, quarterback Anthony Brown and the offense played their A-game. When the No. 1 offense was on the field, they scored on each of their eight possessions, including seven touchdowns.
Brown turned in his best performance of the season throwing for 306 yards on 25-of-31 passing and three touchdowns. It was a game of first as freshmen receiver Troy Franklin and tailback Byron Cardwell each score their first collegiate touchdowns for the Ducks. Receiver Devon Williams also scored for the first time in 2021 as he wound up with five catches for 95 yards.
Cardwell had a career day with 117 yards on the ground and that score that came early in the first quarter.
Oregon took a 17-point halftime lead and extended that lead early in the third quarter as Travis Dye completed a six-play, 68-yard drive with a two-yard score to make it 38-14 with 9:46 left. It was Dye’s third score of the day and seventh touchdown in the last two games. It was 45-14 when Brown hit Williams on a post pattern from 25-yards out.
But then Colorado’s offense began to roll as it scored two straight touchdowns in the fourth and suddenly with six minutes remaining, it was a two-possession game. Oregon put Brown back into the game and he led Oregon on an eight-play, 46-yard drive that ended with Seven McGee’s first career score to account for the final score.
Oregon’s offense was nearly perfect in the first half as the Ducks scored on all five possessions, including four touchdowns to take a 31-14 lead.
Photo by Scott Kelley
The Ducks were able to strike first on a 10-yard touchdown run from Dye to complete a seven-play, 67-yard drive for the early 7-0 lead. Oregon kept its foot to the pedal on its next drive as we all saw what kind of talent Byron Cardwell possesses.
The freshman running back went for 34 yards for his first career touchdown to make it 14-0 Ducks with 7:04 remaining in the first quarter. Earlier in that same drive, Cardwell rambled for 28 yards. The Ducks need someone, whether it’s Cardwell, Seven McGee, or Trey Benson, to establish himself as the No. 2 tailback behind Dye. So far, Cardwell seems to have the edge among those three true freshmen.
Oregon had the game under control when another true freshman scored his first collegiate touchdown. This time it was Troy Franklin as the 6-foot-2 receiver leaped in the air to bring down Brown’s pass over two Colorado defenders. The 28-yard reception made it 21-0 early in the second quarter.
But to the Buffaloes credit, they were able to muster up perhaps their best scoring drive in at least four games as they went 77 yards in nine plays to make it 21-7.
Thankfully for the Ducks, they answered that touchdown with a touchdown of their own to make it 28-7. Oregon went 73 yards in 10 plays as Dye went into the end zone from five yards out for the second time of the day.
Colorado was able to keep within shouting distance with its second straight scoring drive. On a fourth-and-goal from the two, head coach Karl Dorrell rolled the dice and it worked as quarterback Brendon Lewis found tailback Alex Fontenot in the flat for a touchdown and the Buffaloes found themselves down just 28-14 with a little over two minutes before halftime.
Two minutes is plenty of time for the Ducks, however. Oregon was able to drive to the Colorado nine-yard line and kicker Camden Lewis hit a 27-yard field goal on the last play of the half for the 31-14 advantage.
Now the Ducks will prepare to head up to Seattle to take on their rival Washington in a key Pac-12 North game. It will also make it two straight times Oregon will play at Washington since the Huskies couldn’t make the trip to Autzen in 2020 due to Covid protocol.
POST GAME WITH OREGON HEAD COACH MARIO CRISTOBAL