QUICKIE RECAP
While this one began as slow as molasses in the winter, it certainly ended how most expected it to end.
The No. 6 Ducks (8-1 / 5-1) overpowering Cal in every aspect of the game to win going away 63-19 in front of an Autzen Stadium crowd of 54,046.
Oregon used its high-octane offense to score a total of nine touchdowns in its blowout win over the Cal Bears. Bo Nix threw four touchdowns and ran for two others. In addition to Nix, both Jordan James and Bucky Irving notched a rushing touchdown in the win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
On the very first play of the game after Cal deferred, Duck QB Bo Nix fell victim to his second interception of the season when his pass to Gary Bryant Jr ricocheted off of Bryant’s body and fell into the hands of Cal DB Patrick McMorris at the Oregon 38 yard line.
Certainly, not how the Ducks wanted to begin this one.
But the defense held up and immediately got the ball back when safety Steve Stephens IV intercepted Cal QB Fernando Mendoza at the 6-yard line and returned the ball to the 14.
After a couple of costly penalties, Nix tossed the first of his four touchdowns on a 2nd and 27 when he found Tez Johnson on an inside slant route that went 48 yards for the score.
Ducks led 7-0 at the 7:00 minute mark.
Several minutes later at the 4:50 mark, after an Oregon punt, DT Casey Rogers strip-sacked Mendoza at the 15-yard line that Taki Taimani recovered at the Bear 1. On the very next play, Nix found the endzone on a 1 yard push up the middle to give the Ducks a 14-0 lead.
After Cal kicked a 43-yard field goal at the 90-second mark of the 1st quarter, Nix fumbled the first snap on the Ducks next possession which was then recovered by Cal CB Nohl Williams and run into the endzone for an 18-yard score to bring the Bears within four points at 14-10.
Uncharacteristic of the Ducks offense, they turned the ball over twice in the opening quarter leading to seven points.
In the second quarter, Cal would pull within one point at 14-13 with another field goal.
After that field goal is when the Ducks offense began to find their rhythm.
On their next possession, Nix led the Ducks offense on a six-minute drive covering 12 plays and 74 yards that ended with Nix’s second rushing TD of the game to give Oregon a 21-13 lead at the 5:21 mark of the second.
Just a minute later Cal would go three and out and punt the football back to the Ducks.
And they took advantage.
Nix drove the Oregon offense 63 yards on 6 plays and ended with a 14-yard TD pass to Johnson, his second of the game, to give Oregon a 28-13 lead with 1:39 to play before the break.
Cal would once again give the ball back to the Ducks when they failed on a 3rd and 6 from their own 29-yard line forcing another punt. The Ducks would get the ball back in great field position when Johnson fielded the punt and returned it 47 yards to the Cal 21-yard line.
It only took Nix 5 plays to find the endzone when he tossed a 7 yard TD to Troy Franklin giving Oregon a 35-13 lead going into the break.
Cal would only score six points after the break while the Ducks would go on to score four touchdowns in the final two quarters ( two by air and two on the ground ) to give the Ducks the 63-19 win.
Nix would throw another touchdown, a four-yarder to TE Terrance Ferguson. Backup QB Ty Thompson also got into the action with a 6-yard score to Traeshon Holden.
On the ground, both Bucky Irving and Jordan James notched touchdowns with a 6-yard score and 16-yard touchdown respectively.
FINAL SCORE; Oregon 63, California 19
MOST VALUABLE PLAY/PLAYER
Bo Nix had quite the day to keep his Heisman dreams alive and was certainly this game’s Most Valuable Player.
Nix completed 29 of 38 passes for 386 yards and 4 touchdowns. Nix also rushed for two additional scores.
Nix now ranks 19th in NCAA history with 128 career total touchdowns. His 37 career-rushing TDs lead all active FBS QBs. His 19 rushing TDs as a Duck are third-most ever by an Oregon QB.