QUICKIE RECAP
In the 127 years of playing this Civil War between Oregon and Oregon State, it could be argued this one had the most on the line for the Ducks and will certainly be the most memorable.
Yes, a conference championship was on the line, but it was also the last Civil War as we know it in this current Pac-12 alignment.
It was also memorable for how this Oregon team played. The Ducks and QB Bo Nix rang up 480 yards of total offense using two passing scores and two rushing scores to dominate the Beavers 31-7 in front of 59,987 at Autzen Stadium.
With the win, Oregon also punched its ticket to next Friday’s Pac-12 Championship in Las Vegas against No. 4 Washington.
HOW IT HAPPENED
For the third straight week, the Oregon offense started fast and immediately put the Beavers on notice that this one wasn’t going to be easy, or the same as last season.
OSU won the coin toss and deferred to the second half giving the Ducks and Bo Nix the ball first to begin the game. Nix immediately drove the Oregon offense the length of the field going 88 yards in 15 plays and scored on a 14-yard wheel route to RB Bucky Irving.
This single drive by the Ducks took just more than eight and a half minutes and was led mostly through the Oregon ground attack.
Three and a half minutes later on the Beavers first offensive possession of the game, their offense failed on a 4th and 6 from their own 41-yard line giving the ball back to the Ducks on the turnover on downs.
And the Ducks offense took advantage.
At the 14:20 mark of the second quarter Oregon scored again when Nix kept the ball on a 14-yard keeper around the left corner finding the endzone giving the Ducks a 14-0 lead over the Beavers.
Oregon would once again get the ball right back and drive the length of the field, however, the drive stalled forcing the Ducks to go for a 34-yard field goal which Camden Lewis pushed to the right.
The Beavers took over at their own 16-yard line.
This time Oregon State put together a solid drive, but with a little help from the Ducks defense.
After an unnecessary roughness penalty on the Oregon defense, the Beavers moved across midfield and into the red zone. The Beavers converted a 4th and 1 from the Oregon 13-yard line. On the next play DJ U found the end zone on a 9-yard run to give Oregon State its only score of the night.
Oregon led 14-7 at the :47 mark of the second quarter.
But even that was too much time for this Oregon offense and Bo Nix.
On the third play of Oregon’s next possession, Nix scrambled to his right and threw across his body to the opposite side of the field finding receiver Troy Franklin for a 41-yard touchdown and was certainly the play of the game.
The Ducks would go into the break leading the Beav’s 21-7.
At the break, Nix was already 18 of 22 for 190 yards with two scores.
In the third OSU came out with the ball and appeared to be moving well, however, the Beavers drive stalled when their offense failed on a 4th and 2 from the Oregon 29.
The Ducks would once again get the ball back on a turnover on downs.
Again, Nix took advantage.
After a couple of plays to begin the drive, Nix then found receiver Tez Johnson on a 32-yard slant ( and run ) moving the ball down to the Beaver 10-yard line.
For the first time in the game the Oregon drive stalled forcing the Ducks and kicker Camden Lewis to attempt a 25 yard field goal which he hit giving Oregon a 24-7 lead at the 6:01 mark of the third.
From that point, the Ducks defense tightened and took over. The Oregon defense only allowed the Beavers to rush for just 53 yards and held their lead tailback Damien Martinez to just 38 yards.
In addition to that, Beaver QB D.J Uiagalelei completed 19 of 35 attempts for 220 yards and the single touchdown
In the fourth, the Ducks would go on to score one additional touchdown after Nix navigated a 12-play 82-yard drive that ended with a 1-yard touchdown run by Jordan James which gave the Ducks their winning margin of 31-7.
Oregon tallied a total of 480 yards while the Beavers generated 273 total yards.
STAT’S / PLAY OF THE GAME
Bo Nix ended his final game at Autzen Stadium with a passing percentage of 83% completing 33 of 40 passes for 367 yards. Nix also tossed two touchdown passes and rushed for a third. Nix will end the regular season as the country’s most prolific passer who began the game completing just over 78% of his passes.
Nix also ended the regular season with 37 touchdown passes and 6 rushing scores. Nix also ended the regular season with a total of 46 touchdowns but just two turnovers.
Oregon WR Troy Franklin caught 9 balls for 128 yards and extended his streak of 100 or more receiving yards to eight games. Franklin also ended the regular season with 14 touchdowns and a total of 1,349 receiving yards. Franklin has also caught 25 total touchdowns to give him the all-time Oregon record in touchdowns for receivers.
The Oregon defense entered the Civil War 10th in the country in points allowed at 16.7 ppg. Holding the Beavers to just 7 points will most certainly lower the Ducks defense into the 8th or 9th spot depending on team scores this weekend.
The attendance for the 127th playing of the Civil War was 59,987 and is the fourth-highest attendance in Autzen Stadium history.
NEXT UP;
With the 31-7 win over No. 15 Oregon State, the Ducks punched their ticket to the Pac-12 Championship game in Las Vegas next Friday, December 1st against No. 4 Washington.
This will be the sixth time Oregon has reached the Pac-12 Football Championship game. The Ducks have won four of five and have appeared in the championship six times in 13 years.
Kickoff is at 5:00 PM and will be nationally televised on ABC.