Oregon On Another Level Than Oregon State
Oregon made a statement with the opening drive of the 127th (and last currently scheduled) Civil War, a then kept making them, on their way to a 31-7 win, and a berth in next Friday's Pac-12 Championship game in Las Vegas against Washington.
Last season, Oregon State won 38-34, using a ball and clock control offense. That loss lingered in the memories of the team from Eugene, and the 6th ranked Ducks opened the Civil War with an 88 yard drive that took 8 minutes and 41 seconds, and covered 88 yards by the time Bucky Irving took a swing pass from Bo Nix 14 yards for a touchdown.
When Oregon State then decided to gift Oregon great field position, Oregon put together a shorter, but equally effective drive, which Nix capped with a 16 yard touchdown run 40 seconds into the 2nd quarter, and it was 14-0 Oregon before Oregon State even got a second drive.
Despite the early domination by the Ducks, the Beavers appeared to have gnawed their way back into it when DJ Uiagalelei hit Silas Bolden for a 9 yard touchdown that capped an 80 yard 15 play drive 48 seconds before half time.
But Oregon answered with a 78 yard drive in 40 seconds, ending with a scrambling throw back across his body by Nix across the field to Troy Franklin for a 41 yard touchdown. It was a drive much more in keeping with the normal explosive Duck offense, and it deflated any hopes the Beavers had just built for an upset.
Oregon State didn't score again, and didn't really seriously threaten to until it was too late to matter. Oregon capitalized on another shorter field after another Oregon State failed 4th down attempt for a field goal, and tacked on another long drive in both yards, 82, plays, 12, and minutes, nearly 5, for another touchdown just after the start of the 4th quarter to go up 31-7.
The Beavers missed a score on the ensuing drive when Uiagalelei found Bolden for a 26 yard completion, but Bolden tripped on the logo on what would have been a sure score. Oregon State still drove into scoring position, but Uiagalelei's pass to Anthony Gould in the end zone that needed to be over the outside shoulder was a few feet short, on the inside of Gould, and intercepted by Dontae Manning.
From there on, it was Oregon running clock and Oregon State not converting on 4th downs they had to go for down 24 in the 4th quarter. And the Oregon Band tuning up for a trip to Las Vegas.
Gould was the Beavers best player, with 6 catches for 85 yards. Damien Martinez was held to 38 yards on 13 carries.
Uiagalelei completed only 19 of 35 passes, for 220 yards, and was notably last and off target. At least 5 passes were significantly errant in the decisive first half.
Nix augmented his case for the Heisman Trophy with 33 completions in 40 attempts, for 367 yards, and 31 more rushing.
Tez Johnson had a game high 11 catches for a game high 137 yards for the Ducks, with Franklin close behind, with 9 catches for 128 yards.
As happened in losses at Washington State and against Washington, Oregon State's depleted (Jaden Robinson did not play, and Akilli Arnold suffered an ankle injury) secondary was repeatedly sliced up with long crossing routes, and big plays where a receiver simply outruns Oregon State coverage.
Oregon dominated time of possession by over 8 minutes, and it was even more lopsided in the first half. Oregon State contributed to their own demise with a couple of early inexplicable 4th down decisions by Coach Jonathan Smith that gave away shortened fields that were both converted into scores by Oregon.
A couple of poor decisions to return kickoffs also cost double digit yards in field position.
Oregon State is a top 25 program, and was ranked 16th coming into the Civil War. Last week and this they saw first hand what the jump is to top 5-6. To compete, the Beavers have to have everything break right. Injuries further limited a team that is a couple of difference makers short to begin with, and as it turns out, so to the distractions of this season and next of uncertainty, and rumors of what turned out to be the impending departure of Smith to take the Michigan State head coaching job. As a result, tonight the program came up short in all aspects.
Andy_Wooldridge@yahoo.com
(Photos by Andy Wooldridge)