After ten minutes, it was clearly the sort of game where Oregon’s goals were fairly simple: avoid a remarkable collapse and avoid injuries while improving as much as possible against a severely overmatched opponent. 

After the first quarter, UC Irvine had four points. That told everyone all they needed to know about the talent discrepancy on the court. 

Oregon women’s basketball (9-3, 0-1 Big Ten ) succeeded on almost all fronts Tuesday night, in a 71-43 win over the UC Irvine Anteaters (7-4, 1-0 Big West).

There wasn’t much to complain about except maybe some defensive slippage and a few sloppy, substitution-filled stretches in a game with little intrigue. The Ducks’ 14-point first-quarter lead soon swelled to 18 just a few minutes into the second frame forcing Anteaters head coach, Tamara Inoue to call several timeouts in search of answers on both sides of the ball. 

None would come. Oregon soon led by 20 and rolled up a 26-point advantage with a quarter to go in the type of beatdown that would have seemed laughable a year ago. 

Freshman Katie Fiso led all scorers with 11 points while Alex Whitfield tallied 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and four steals off the bench. Things looked less prosperous early in the game as the Ducks started the contest 0-9 from the floor, but the offense kicked into gear and the defense stifled. Head coach Kelly Graves’ team was largely unchallenged the rest of the way. 

Fiso returned after a hiatus away from the team for personal reasons, and she put in a complete performance, adding a career-high in points in just 14 minutes. 

10 different Ducks added baskets with nine adding five or more points. 

Oregon was crisp on the defensive end as well, holding UC Davis to shoot just 25% from the floor with no scorers in double digits. The Anteaters were 6-20 from 3-point range, but turned the ball over a whopping 19 times. 

UC Irvine entered on the heels of an impressive win over Oregon State, but the Ducks were just too big, too physical and too tough. The Anteaters often had no choice but to foul, repeatedly sending Oregon to the free-throw line where the Ducks cashed in. 

Oregon made 12 of 17 tries on its way to scoring 70 points for the ninth time this year. 

There was a moment to celebrate in the first-half when Peyton Scott made a free throw to hit 2,000 points for her remarkable career. The milestone was acknowledged with a graphic on the video board per the broadcast.

Next up is a more notable challenge. Oregon will take on Illinois (9-2, 0-1 Big Ten) in Champaign on Dec 28. 

In just a few days, against a more formidable foe, the Ducks can get back to chasing bigger goals.

Much has changed since Oregon opened its season 104 days ago with  a 3-0 loss against Pitt. Practices have been had, games have been won, and a team that welcomed eight newcomers and returned just two starters has gelled together through a trying Big Ten season. 

This Oregon team has improved significantly since the start of the season, pushing the now-top-ranked Panthers to five sets months later. But ultimately, the result, a 3-2 Panthers (31-1, 19-1 ACC) win over No. 4-seeded Oregon (24-8, 14-6 Big Ten) was the same. Despite a remarkable effort from the Ducks, Oregon fell in a five-set loss to the top-ranked Panthers Thursday evening at Pitt’s Petersen Events Center. 

The loss ends the Ducks’ season, and the careers of five Oregon seniors. This Oregon campaign will no doubt be viewed as a success, however, for a program that suffered another second-weekend defeat, this time with the Ducks a set away from a massive upset, the loss will leave the Ducks returning to Eugene wanting more. 

Pitt’s 17th-straight win of the season began in predictable fashion, with the Panthers firing on all cylinders in a set one win. 

Pitt boasts three players on the AVCA Player of the Year list and looked as dominant as itsone-loss record would suggest. However, for the majority of the match, Oregon hung with the top team in the nation. For the fourth-seeded Ducks’ upset chances to take flight, they needed a near-perfect performance — something they were unable to accomplish with occasional struggles in the loss. 

After falling in that first set, Oregon opened the second with leads of  5-1, 7-4, 12-8 and 20-15, before Pitt rattled off four straight points to tie the frame at 24 apiece. With the set on the line, the Ducks relied on senior Daley McClellan, who gave them the lead with an ace before a Pitt error ended the set and knotted the match at one. It was just the Panthers’ eleventh set lost all season — a stark example of just how lofty the Ducks’ upset bid was with three sets to play.

Mimi Colyer led the Ducks with 15 kills. Michele Ohwobete and Onye Ofoegbu added 14 and 13 apiece. Olivia Babcock led the Panthers with a game-high 31 kills. 

Oregon was almost the first team to upset the No.1 seed in the regional semifinal since 2010.

“For us belief is a huge thing,” head coach Matt Ulmer said on the ESPN+ broadcast after the second set. “Believing we are a top team, and believing we can beat a top team is huge.” head coach Matt Ulmer said on the ESPN+ broadcast after the second set. 

But belief was only able to get the Ducks so far. Execution — a caveat that plagued the Ducks in the third set with a service error and rotational miscues — was necessary for the Ducks’ to best the top-ranked Panthers.

Pitt took a 2-1 lead after a 25-16 Set 3 win, and was on the doorstep of moving on, but Oregon had more to say. 

The Ducks fought remarkably well and, after the Set 3 loss, pushing the Panthers to the brink on their home court by jumping out to a 10-point lead in a fourth set they won convincingly. Pitt was able to trim the deficit to three late, but a set-point challenge was unsuccessful, moving the Ducks even closer to history. 

Ultimately, the Panthers’ skill took over when it mattered most, and the Ducks made too many mental and execution mistakes. Oregon finished with six service errors in the loss. Pitt jumped out to an early five-point lead before Oregon was on the board, putting the Ducks into an uphill climb from the start of the set — a climb they were unable to make. Babcock was the primary antagonist on the night (she finished with nearly 70 total attempts), and was the Panthers’ main source of offense down the stretch.  

Moral victories will have to suffice for an Oregon team that deserves ample credit for the near-upset of the superpower Panthers. Pitt has advanced to the regional final for the fifth straight season. Oregon, meanwhile, will miss out on the Elite Eight Round for the first time in three seasons. 

As currently constructed, the Ducks will return 12 rostered players to next season, with more additions expected via the transfer portal and high school recruiting.

After finishing the regular season 22-7 and 14-6 in its first Big Ten campaign, Oregon volleyball will head into the postseason as the No. 4 seed in the Upper Left Regional, facing TCU (21-7, 13-5 Big 12) at home as the Ducks host the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament.

The Ducks finished fifth in the conference behind Penn State, Wisconsin, Purdue and Nebraska. With their 22 wins, 2024 marks the fourth-consecutive year they’ve reached the 20-win margin. 

This is the Ducks’ 29th all-time NCAA Tournament appearance and the sixth time under head coach Matt Ulmer. In 2024, the Ducks went a remarkable 10-3 on home court, but were just 4-6 in matches against ranked opponents. 

Last year, Oregon was knocked out of the tournament by then-ranked No. 3 Wisconsin in three sets in the Elite Eight.

Alongside the Ducks and TCU, High Point University and the University of Hawaii will travel to Eugene. All matches will be available on ESPN+ with the Ducks contest against the Horned Frogs taking place on December, 5th at 6:30 p.m.

Dance music blared as the crowd took turns roaring its way through a second-half timeout. Ducks coach Dana Altman looked visibly frustrated after another clean look from the San Diego State Aztecs (3-2) allowed them to pull back closer from what was a 13-point deficit. 

To that point, Wednesday’s game — a 78-68 Oregon (7-0) win over the Aztecs, and the inaugural Players Era Festival, a six-day tournament doling out $9 million in NIL — had delivered.

With the tournament raising the stakes, Oregon and SDSU dueled throughout. The teams traded (and blew) early leads. And with that 13-point lead trimmed to just four with seven minutes remaining, college basketball had what it desired — a November game at an obscure time between two teams that haven’t played this decade that felt like it really mattered.

Each position seemed to matter more as both teams traded and-one fouls and clutch 3-pointers amid eight total lead changes. It went that way deep into the second half, with the Ducks making the biggest plays in the final minutes of the win. 

TJ Bamba was terrific throughout, showing out on national television with a flurry of jump shots and savvy plays. He finished with 22 points, including a pair of second-half 3-pointers that helped close out the win. 

The Ducks were able to earn another significant victory on Wednesday despite wobbling significantly at times and San Diego State fighting back to pull within four after looking disengaged over the first 20 minutes of action. 

Oregon had five different players in double-figures and went 10-22 from 3-point range. 

The win continues the Ducks’ remarkable start to the season, a trend made even more significant by Altman’s teams historically starting somewhat slow and getting better as the season goes on.

There were other little ways the Ducks won on Wednesday in their second victory in as many days.

Oregon dominated the boards, using a 24-12 first-half rebounding differential and 18 second-chance points to grow their lead to ten after 20 minutes. The early effort and execution problems were severe enough to force the Aztecs into an uphill climb for the remainder of the game. 

The Ducks were more persistent, getting to the line a whopping 26 times (18/26 made) compared to just eight from the Aztecs (4/8).

Defensively, Oregon excelled, changing defensive sets after each SDSU run and strategically using timeouts to help deter the Aztecs from gaining any real momentum. 

BJ Davis and Nick Boyd led SDSU in scoring with 18 and 15 points, respectively, but neither had any significant impact down the stretch. 

Oregon has won seven straight games to begin the season, with the last two coming against NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago. The Ducks will return to action on Saturday against the winner of the matchup between Rutgers and No. 9 Alabama. 

Matt Hogan is all Eugene. He grew up here and is now wound in the fabric of what makes the city so special. He sells commercial real estate full-time, but it’s his Saturday shift that stands out. 

Hogan is now the lone driver of the Oregon Duck mascot out onto the field before every home game. He’s just one of four people to have ever done the gig, having taken the full-time responsibility at the start of the season. 

Hogan had been an Oregon fan his whole life, but when he received a call asking him to be a part-time motorcycle driver for the school, his gameday experience changed forever. 

Hogan lacks calm days. His two kids (eight-and nine-year-olds), a part-time cowboying gig and the occasional auctioneering job keep him busy.

Along with his unique lifestyle, Hogan’s Saturday job with the Ducks has become a fan-favorite event. 

He got the gig by simply knowing people, creating connections with head coaches and Oregon boosters. At the start of every gameday, Hogan has the same routine. First, he takes the bike to the same spots to see friends and pose with fans for pictures. Then he heads inside to a scene that is never, ever the same. 

There’s always something new. That’s not just Hogan’s work day, it’s Oregon’s identity as a whole. 

“There’s always something different happening from game to game,” Hogan said. “The university does a great job of changing things up and keeping it fresh.”

As Hogan said, the Ducks have an inalienable sentiment of innovation.

The 2024 season has been special. The Ducks, in all likelihood, will complete an undefeated regular season with a win over Washington, and will be playing on Dec. 7 for the Big Ten Championship. 

Hogan taking the field sets the stage for Dillon Gabriel’s Heisman-caliber heroics, Dan Lanning’s unique nature of leading a team, and of course, memories that will last Eugene natives a lifetime. 

“I don’t go around boasting about it, but it’s not a secret,” Hogan said of his game-day occupation. “It’s a fun time for sure.” 

Like the Ducks this season, he’s never fallen. But like any team (or rider) he’s definitely “slipped around a few times.” 

The last time Hogan drove The Duck out, Oregon played poorly and still won by three scores in a conference game. This season is different for everyone. 

It’s been unique, not unlike Hogan himself.

The cowboying isn’t as much of a factor in his motorcycle-riding prowess, but he did grow up on a dirt bike which he says helps with the “flow” of the bike. The back wheel of the bike never stops spinning when he’s on the field, which makes it difficult to navigate at times when he’s going up to 40 MPH. 

The motorcycle — which is a ‘96 Harley Davidson Fat Boy —  was bought by Nike, painted, and given to the University of Oregon in 1999 with one intention — “here’s some marketing tools, go do something with them,” Hogan said. 

And now Hogan does. Riding The Duck out before every game has become iconic both in the state and nationally, with the routine appearing in the College Football 25 video game. 

Before the season, Hogan goes through a few test runs with the new mascots and cheer team, although he admits it’s a little different doing it in an empty stadium than a packed gameday. 

The day of the Maryland game, he had to wade through a 100-person human tunnel — made mostly of in-game honorees — to get onto the field. On other days, the weather is a factor.

“Driving a heavy-duty Harley Fat Boy at 40 mph can definitely be spooky at times,” Hogan said. 

But he’s never taken it for granted. An hour before the game, he’s in the west tunnel of the field, checking his surroundings and getting ready for the game. Then, when the team goes into the locker room before the game, he heads there with it. 

As a man of faith, he says a prayer in the locker room before every game. Fifteen minutes or so later, he’s doing what he loves — leading the team out with a stadium full of fans cheering with glee. 

“If people ask what it’s like to ride in front of 60,000 people, I say, ‘honestly I don’t know’ because when I get down there, I’m focused on one person that starts me and looking ahead to see what my field looks like,” Hogan said.  “That’s all I ever look for. It sounds pretty good though.” 

And for a kid that grew up coming to games and has now become an integral part of the gameday experience, just hearing the fans will have to do. 

The message was delivered loud and clear on Sunday night, after so much waiting, so many doubts.

The proof was finally in the pudding Sunday night in the Ducks (3-0) 76-74 upset win over Baylor (1-1). Proof that yes, Head Coach Kelly Graves can win in this current college basketball climate. 

It could be seen in the playmaking of star transfer Deja Kelly, whose fancy footwork and veteran savvy helped her rebound from a dreadful scoring first half to help close out the game. Kelly found a streaking Elisa Mevius for what was the game-deciding basket with 22 seconds remaining. 

“We were trying to get the ball in Deja’s hand,” Graves said. “She’s kinda made for these moments, and there was so much attention on Deja that there was an open driving lane.” 

It could be seen in a stifling defense that held the Bears scoreless on their final possession as Sarah Andrews’ long 3-pointer from the left wing drew rim. Baylor continued to punch back every time the Ducks would take a lead, but ultimately went cold down when it mattered most — this time for good. 

And It could be seen in the coach who stuck with his always positive, one-day-at-a-time vision, amid a mountain of losses and criticism. Graves’ team had a really good Sunday after so many recent flops.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the team,” Graves said. “We played so so well for a good portion of that game, but to come back and make the plays we did, it actually shows a lot of character.”  

Nothing about the end of the game was easy. 

To control the game for as long as they did, the Ducks rode Kelly — she connected with a team-high of 20 points. Nani Falatea and Sofia Bell torched the nets from deep. And defensively, they hounded the Baylor guards and fought to keep the Bears off the offensive glass with the Ducks flying back in transition.

Kelly shook off some early erraticness to hit key shots down the stretch. She, Nani Falatea and Alexis Whitfield led a third-quarter surge to grow the lead to 14. 

“Lexi’s a heckuva player,”Graves said of Whitfield. “Sehe produces and gets to the rim, for a while there she carried us.” 

Baylor surged midway through the fourth quarter with a little help from the Ducks. Repeated miscues and mistakes from the Ducks as well as a newfound grit from the Bears saw that 14-point deficit knotted at 72 with two minutes left.

“We’re a new team, we have some growing pains and turned the ball over too much,” Graves said. “But we just gutted it out.” 

The comeback — in which the Bears took a two-point lead — was sudden, more a tsunami than repeated waves crashing against the Ducks. 

Baylor made one 3-pointer. Then another. And another.

The Ducks committed one turnover. Then another. And another.

“We got casual with the ball,” Graves said. “We kinda forgot that these guys are aggressive.” 

“Basketball is a game of runs,” Whitfield said. “Our biggest thing is just stopping their run and saying ‘ok it’s time to lock in on defense’. This game showed you can either lay-down or you can fight… winning a basketball game is hard and today showed us that winning a basketball game is hard.” 

But the Ducks ultimately locked up when it mattered most. Kelly found a streaking Mevius in the lane for a layup with 22 seconds remaining. 

“She’s just a really good player, I’m not sure she’s played in a moment like this.” Graves said of Mevius. “Maybe at the gold medal game.”

Any chance of the Bears completing their comeback died when their possession following Mevius’ basket came up empty with Baylor’s Sarah Andrews missing a long 3-pointer from the left wing. 

“I thought we played a really nice defensive game.” Graves said. 

The final Ducks’ possession came as they evaded Bears’ defenders who were looking to foul. 

“We got the ball in fairly easily,” Graves said. “And we were expecting them to kinda swarm us.” 

“I was surprised,” D. Kelly said of not being fouled. “But it’s game two for them so you can expect some of those errors.” 

No foul was to be had, Mevius and Bell chest-pumped and threw the ball in the air in celebration. 

There was reason to rejoice. 

Throughout the game, the Ducks were more forceful to the glass. They were quicker in transition. They were more aggressive to the basket. And even though they went ice cold at various points in the game, they were more willing to shoot from range. 

Six Ducks remain from last year’s team that competed (and lost) against 11 top-25 ranked teams. This year’s Oregon team entered with a new perspective, the result, a euphoric win in front of 6,372 fans at Matthew Knight Arena left them with an incredibly different prevailing sentiment. The win is the Ducks’ first against a top-25 opponent since 2022, breaking a 14-game losing streak. 

But is Oregon back?

“It’s one game,” Graves said. “We won tonight.” 

The Ducks provided their coach with a signature victory that could catapult them into the national rankings for the first time since 2022 while likely sending the Bears back to the lower end of the top 25.

“We can be a really really great team,” Graves said. “But until you see it, you may not believe it.” 

And if Sunday is any indication, that belief won’t be limited to just Oregon’s locker room long.

The post Oregon gives young season signature win with 76-74 upset of No. 12 Baylor appeared first on Daily Emerald.

Start the presses!

Spotting Ra’Heim Moss trying to pick him up just inside half-court, the guard made his move.

Dribbling past the Oregon guard, Montana’s Kai Johnson appeared to have Moss beat by half a step on his way to the basket.

Nope.

Sprinting from the right side, Moss closed with superhero speed. He leaped to his right to contest the dribble, his right arm swatting the ball into Jadrian Tracey’s arms as Johnson went flying to the floor. 

Moss didn’t have a moment to celebrate or give a stare-down after getting the steal – one of the Grizzlies 14 turnovers on the night. Not with Tracey and the rest of the offense gliding down the court for a shot attempt. The next possession didn’t result in points, but the message was sent.  

Perhaps no string of possessions better represents how the Ducks played in their win over Montana Friday night than the full-court effort of Moss forcing Johnson, and the entirety of the Montana team out of its comfort zone. 

Oregon beat Montana 79-48 Friday night at Matthew Knight Arena. The Ducks shot 45% from the field, 36% from range and won or dominated in every meaningful statistic, and it was like just the tip of the iceberg of what this notably deeper and more balanced team can accomplish. 

Oregon won easily on a night when Evans Jr., expected to be one of their leading scorers, struggled to get into an offensive rhythm and scored just six points on 2-5 shooting.

“Again, we’ve gotta have some guys that are looking over their shoulder,” Altman said. “Everyone wants to play 40 minutes but they are going to have to play a lot harder to get the minutes.” 

Altman, a defensive junkie who has always had the desire to press, once again has the roster to realize his ambitions. Nine different Ducks tallied 16 or more minutes, every player who saw action added a positive plus-minus. 

At some point, maybe later this season in highly-contested games, Altman will likely have to cut his rotation down to a smaller number, but for now, a  complete assortment of players showed they can compete at a high level.  

“This year we have a deeper bench,” Evans Jr. said. “We don’t have to conserve our energy anymore, we have guys that can come in and do the same thing and we just flip-flop and play hard.” 

“We had two guys carrying the ball last year, and you know this is a different team,” Altman said. “Jackson’s gotta play differently, Bam’s [Tracey] has gotta play differently… we’ve got some guys that can break out each night.”

The Ducks’ rotated offense was plenty prolific. TJ Bamba showed impressive physicality, finishing with a team-high 14 points and getting to the line five times. Jackson Shelstad blew past defenders and created good looks. Nate Bittle tied a career-high hitting three times from range. 

But the Ducks’ defense impressed the most on the night. Six different Oregon added steals, TJ Bamba grabbed one for himself, hit two 3-pointers and made some highlight reel plays.

“To be honest, I’m a competitor, I’m a dawg,” Bamba said. “If you put me on the guy’s best player… I’m just trying to have the mentality that he’s going to have a long night.” 

“He’s got the potential to be a really good defender,” Altman, ever the stickler, said of Bamba. “Right now he’s taking too many plays off.” 

The Ducks will have two easier home non-conference tuneups against the University of Portland and Troy before games against Oregon State, San Diego State and Texas A&M set the slate for better Big Ten opponents. If all goes well, the Ducks’ speed and attacking style will make them ungracious guests. 

The defensive acumen of a team with new players this early on in the season has been remarkable. The Ducks had a goal to hold Montana under 20 points for the second half of action, with six newcomers — not including transfer center Supreme Cook who Altman said could play on Tuesday — tallying minutes. 

“The ball is moving and everyone is unselfish,” Evans Jr. said. “I feel like anyone can end the possession off with a good shot, and we can all pass to each other and the chemistry is a lot better.” 

“We all really like each other, Bamba added. “It’s an important ingredient to have.” 

The post Oregon men’s basketball shows off full-court press, outworks Montana in win appeared first on Daily Emerald.

Nearly seven minutes had elapsed in the third quarter when Sofia Bell took a pass at the top of the key, drove onto the right wing, and elevated for a layup that would have extended Oregon’s large lead in its 76-58 win over Nevada.

Having barely played to that point, it was Bell’s second shot of the game.

Perhaps nothing better illustrated the Ducks’ offseason makeover than Bell, a key mainstay and top scorer from a year ago being relegated to the role of a player who simply can have an off game.

“Sofia, you know she’s steady,” head coach Kelly Graves said. “I appreciate what she does on both ends of the court, you know what you’re gonna get night in and night out with Sofia Bell.” 

Bell didn’t need to play a starring role given the abundance of talent around her. Deja Kelly, who took her spot as a primary ball-handler, was a two-way force with her scoring, touch and active defense. Amina Muhammad showed her impressive two-way skillset with 11 points and four steals. Phillipinna Kyei got the crowd going with two blocks.

It was another effective introduction for a new and vastly improved team Wednesday night at Matthew Knight Arena, Oregon rolling to a 76-58 victory over Nevada.

A year removed from a season where head coach Kelly Graves often saw his team struggle to put the ball in the basket — or was forced to play whatever scorers he did have 40 minutes — he watched several Ducks have little trouble adding all sorts of contributions. 

Kelly was a force all game long, hitting yo-yo jumpers with feathery touch. Peyton Scott added an impressive and-one reverse layup in the first half as well as 12 points. Katie Fiso added an off-hand layup after blowing by the Wolfpack defense. 

“Deja, she comes in with so many accolades, but I’m telling you, she does a lot of the dirty work, she drew a charge last game and is just really coachable,” Graves said. “I can see why she’s so highly regarded by everyone in the country.”  

Oregon struggled during the opening and closing quarters, trailing by a basket after ten minutes and being outscored 18 to 12 in the fourth quarter. But the Ducks brushed off the slow start to pull away in a 28-point second quarter, allowing Graves to give just about everybody on the roster a chance to shine.

“I’m pleased we won the game, unfortunately, I feel that in the second half, we kinda went through the motions, traded baskets most of the third quarter, and then in the fourth quarter we kinda just went dead,” Graves said. “We played a lot of the kids, and maybe that was a factor.”

Even just two games in, it’s clear that Graves has quite the assortment of players who can contribute on any given night. Ari Long, who had nine points on 3-5 shooting on opening night, was held scoreless. Sarah Rambus, who had an efficient 10 points two nights ago, finished with just two baskets in 14 minutes.

Wednesday was Kelly’s time to shine, she finished with 21 points and was 9-13 from the field. The Ducks went 6-20 from 3-point range but were tenacious all game long adding 12 total steals. 

At some point, maybe this Sunday against No. 12 Baylor, Graves will likely have to cut his rotation down to a smaller number. But as of Wednesday, he’ll have to settle for being less than satisfied with an 18-point win.

“Nevada is a good team, they returned most of their players, they are a bit ahead of us in terms of what they have in them,” Graves said. 

“It’s super exciting for us, and for the community,” Scott said about the Sunday matchup with the Bears. “But I think we aren’t going to make it bigger than it is, we are going to focus on Oregon and take it one game at a time.” 

“Lets, Go, Ducks” their fans pleaded, and so they went, fire beneath their tails, hearts on their padded sleeves, through turnovers and punches thrown back — all resulting in one final stop capping off an Autzen Stadium screamer.  

As Will Howard slid down as time expired, his opponents poured out from the sideline and swallowed the scene near the 25-yard line.

Around them, the collective force of 60,129 fans — an Autzen Stadium record —, all too accustomed to big-game frustration and heartbreak roared, then rushed the field in delirious unison.

With a 32-31 defeat of the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten) in Saturday’s marquee matchup, the No. 3 Ducks (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten) did more than just best their now-conference rivals, adding another win to their perfect 6-0 record. 

They marked a new peak in the Dan Lanning era with players and fans celebrating euphorically on Rich Brooks Field.

“We talked about how this was a heavyweight fight,” Lanning said. “It certainly went back-and-forth, but we played aggressive tonight.”

One of the biggest early moments of aggression came in the form of Lanning calling for an onside kick with a shorter kick-off due to an OSU penalty. Andrew Boyle drilled the ball off an OSU defender, and fell on the ball. The play-call took a possession away from the Buckeyes, the game came down to a single point. Lanning later called a deep pass to Tez Johnson on 3rd-and-9, the connection propelling Oregon’s offense out of what looked to be a dying drive. 

But the moment that will go down in history was when Howard slid down as the clock struck zero — the Buckeyes had a timeout and never got to use it. Kicking woes that have seemingly always plagued the Ducks didn’t matter, Atticus Sappington’s 19-yarder with 1:47 remaining was all they would need. 

“We kicked the field goal and said ‘Let’s go play defense’,” Lanning said. 

In what was Lanning’s first win against a College Football blue-blood, his squad gave a field-storming group of fans plenty of reasons to cheer during a back-and-forth thriller.

There was Evan Stewart, who was seemingly always open, tallying seven catches for 149 yards and a touchdown.

“We took advantage of matchups,” Dillon Gabriel said of getting Stewart open. “We have a lot of talent, but there’s only one ball, today was his day and he took full advantage of it.”

And Gabriel, who made almost all of the passes he needed to. Expertly dialing up the deep ball to Stewart on a 69-yard gain that led to Oregon’s second touchdown drive. 

Coming off a two-turnover game, Gabriel quieted any doubts, playing his best game as a Duck under the brightest of lights. 

“I can’t say enough good things about Dillon,” Lanning said. “And even though that stadium is packed, you feel like Dillon is out operating like it’s an empty practice on a Tuesday.”

With the game coming down to the wire, and every point proving pivotal, both the Buckeyes and Ducks traded field goals on consecutive drives, leading to the series of plays that made the difference.

The craziness that happened at the start of the game proved to be a harbinger for the postgame scene — with thousands of fans on the field celebrating with the players who had just won one of the biggest games of their lives.

The bedlam began, rather early on Saturday night, with confusion on quarterback Will Howard’s (326 yards, two touchdowns) 32-yard competition to Will Kacmarek. Oregon linebacker Jeffrey Bassa came up with the ball on the ground, but no review was had. The Buckeyes scored three plays later. 

“We got too excited for that play and almost didn’t get back for the next one,” Lanning said. 

Oregon punted, but on the next Buckeye drive, running back Quinshon Judkins had the ball ripped out by Derrick Harmon in the backfield. The fumble gave Oregon the ball on the 28-yard-line, and Jordan James ran in his sixth touchdown of the season just two plays later. For good measure, the Ducks almost had their botched extra-point attempt returned for a touchdown. 

On any normal night, maybe that would’ve been a turning point. On this particularly-dizzying Saturday night, it was just the first of several.

There was when Oregon went for it on 4th-and-goal from the OSU 2-yard line and failed — Gabriel missing a wide-open Johnson on his blindside. Or when Howard had trouble with the snap on his team’s next possession, giving the Ducks another chance on a night full of them. They cashed in as Gabriel scampered 27 yards into the endzone with 13:24 left in the contest. 

Oregon’s offense did its part throughout, with Gabriel finishing completing 23 of 34 passes for 341 yards and a pair of touchdowns. His partner in the backfield, James, ran through a talented OSU front for most of the contest, finishing with 115 yards on 23 carries. The Ducks tallied three passing plays of 30 or more yards, a stat OSU was yet to allow thus far in 2024.

“They told us before the game they haven’t seen anyone like us,” Stewart said. “And yeah, we are who we are.”

Oregon has struggled in big games before, often with similar hallmarks such as failed 4th downs and special teams woes.

But this was different. This was catharsis. 

“Does anyone have a heart monitor,” Lanning said to open his press conference. “What an unbelievable atmosphere tonight,” Lanning said.

Lanning stayed true to his game, pulling the same levers he’s been committed to in his tenure at Oregon. 

Making sure Gabriel didn’t play with too much abandon, pump-faking a long pass before finding Stewart on a Ducks second-quarter field-goal drive? Check. Ensuring the 4th-down decisions didn’t come back to bite the Ducks even when they came up empty on 4th-and-2? Check. Managing around Traeshon Holden’s unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and other injuries? Check. Dialing up a second-quarter onside kick where Boyle expertly angled the ball off an OSU player? Check. 

“Oregon’s a winner,” Lanning said. 

Indeed it is. The Ducks outgained the Buckeyes by just 29 yards but committed five less penalties for 45 less yards. 

“How awesome is Oregon, how awesome is this place… it’s special for the people around this University to have days like this,” Lanning said. “I asked them before the game, ‘Give me everything you got’ and they did that tonight.

And now Oregon gets to revel in it, owning one of the biggest statement wins of this college football season and offering proof of Lanning’s growth in the process. What the Ducks accomplished on Saturday was not just winning a game, it was showing the evolution in what Lanning has built in Oregon football as a whole. 

“That was a great team we just played,” Lanning said. 

Oregon just has a better one.

Differing from his typically tight-lipped postgame remarks, Oregon head coach Dan Lanning was overflowing with positives after the No. 8 Ducks’ (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) 34-13 win over UCLA. 

Positives about his quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who “played a really positive game. It’s all him, he’s been extremely efficient all year.” 

About the growth of senior edge rusher Jordan Burch, who Lanning thinks is “playing like a big-time player.” 

About his defense that “played its best game yet this year.”

And, most notably, about his team’s perseverance after a mid-game lull — “We did a good job bouncing back.”

The first two games of Oregon’s season led to skepticism about 4th-down playcalling, quarterback protection and the team’s ability to play to its star-studded roster’s full capabilities. The team took a significant turn toward the better against Oregon State, and showed more glimpses of progress in Saturday’s Big Ten opener at the Rose Bowl, prompting Lanning to laud his team for seven minutes about his team afterward.

“It was a complete game in a lot of ways,” Lanning said.

Staked to an early lead by a pair of early touchdowns from Traeshon Holden and Jordan James respectively, quarterback Dillon Gabriel’s job was made fairly easy — keep moving the clock and hit his batch of (mostly wide-open) targets.  He went on to add another solid night to his resume, tallying 280 yards and three touchdown passes for a quarterback rating of 152.2.

His two favorite peers in success, James and Tez Johnson enjoyed their fair share of action too. James rushed 20 times for 103 yards and a two-yard long touchdown while Johnson racked up 11 catches for 121 yards and two touchdowns of his own that put the game away for good. 

“I just outran him,” Johnson said of his first touchdown, a 12-yard haul to break the ice.

The Ducks enjoyed several other developments beyond the early lead. Led by Jordan Burch (a tackle-for-loss and sack on back-to-back plays in the second quarter), the Ducks’ rotation of rushers pressured UCLA quarterback Ethan Garbers all night long, leading to just 118 passing yards allowed and forcing a pair of interceptions. 

One such moment came as Bryce Boettcher snagged an errant throw from Garbers early in the second quarter, immediately leading to a James touchdown, bringing Oregon’s lead to 17-3.

“The defense helped us flourish,” Gabriel said. 

Traeshon Holden had another big game, settling in with Gabriel and adding five catches for 59 yards and a touchdown to his season’s resume.

“He’s a physical body,” Gabriel said of Holden. “ And a guy that’s not afraid of contact… he’s elite.”

And the defense — as it has all year — shined yet again, vexing Garbers with a variety of different looks and pressures, all while the defensive backs were as good as ever. 

The only real major hiccup on the day came in the form of Gabriel’s final pass before halftime, a short throw that was jumped by UCLA cornerback Bryan Addison for a 96-yard interception touchdown.  The senior defensive back — and former Duck — anticipated the pass, stepped in front of a stumbling Johnson, and saw nothing but open grass on his way to the endzone in what looked to be a potential turning point for his team. 

Addison landed another blow to the Ducks as he laid a hit on tight end Terrance Ferguson, who wouldn’t return to the game but should be “okay” per Lanning. 

No matter. 

Saturday’s contest was all Ducks.

“It shows belief in one another. Adversity is gonna happen, things are going to happen, that’s not going to stop me from going back to my guy,” Gabriel said of the turnover. 

When UCLA appeared primed to push its way back in the game, a series of big-time stands from Oregon’s defense thwarted any hope the Bruins had of climbing back.

The first of those inflection points came from defensive back Tysheem Johnson, who intercepted a tipped pass on 4th-and-3 at the Ducks’ 45-yard line. 

11 meticulous plays later, the Ducks scored on a 12-yard pass to Johnson, his second of the day, pushing their lead to 21.

Oregon outgained the Bruins a whopping 433 yards to a measly 172, cashing in on nine of 14 3rd-down tries. The Bruins only made life harder on themselves, being penalized nine times for 86 yards. The Ducks needed little help on a mostly stress-free night in Pasadena, earning a dominating win that gave Lanning plenty to feel content about as he reflected postgame from the 100-year-old Rose Bowl Stadium.

“We won in a lot of categories tonight, and I know what we are capable of,” Lanning said. 

“The defense put us in a great position and only allowed six points,” Gabriel said. 

The defense certainly benefited from another blazing start from the Ducks’ offense, as Oregon scored on all five of its first possessions. 

The Ducks return to Autzen Stadium next Friday night as a more unfamiliar Big Ten opponent comes to town. Perhaps Michigan State will provide more of a test than the Bruins gave Lanning’s revived program.