After a series of bizarro non-conference games, the No. 6 Oregon Ducks opened their Big Ten schedule with a 34-13 road victory over the UCLA Bruins in a midnight clash at the Rose Bowl. The Ducks improved to 4-0 for the second-straight season, gaining some traction in the AP rankings after backsliding due to underwhelming victories.
Since sleepwalking past Idaho in Week 1, the Oregon Ducks’ talent-rich roster seems to be awakening from its offseason slumber, showing more and more flashes of championship-worthy play. This resilience should make Ducks fans feel proud and even more supportive of their squad under head coach Dan Lanning.
So, why are some discontented, frustrated and anxious? Why does an undefeated start feel so weird and tenuous? Answer: The Ducks have been consistently inconsistent. Let’s look at this weekend’s game to help identify some justification for the bellyaching in Eugene.
Oregon’s drubbing of the unwashed Bruins this weekend didn’t come as a surprise. Oddsmakers had the Ducks by 24 points. Overall, Oregon did its job, manhandling a conference foe on the road in a way-too-late night game. Tez Johnson was electric, finishing the game with 121 yards receiving and two touchdowns. Jordan James had 103 yards rushing on 20 carries and a touchdown. Dillon Gabriel completed 31 of 42 pass attempts for 278 yards, three touchdowns and an interception (we’ll get to that…), yet another top-tier performance from the talented young man from Hawaii’s Mililani High School.
That’s pretty good, right? Well, yes, but most of those stats came before halftime. And while a win is a win, the game was filled with oddities and blackholes that still have some scratching their heads.
Oregon running back Jordan James finds a crease against the Bruins on Saturday night in Los Angeles. Photo by Eric Becker
In the first half, the Ducks jumped out to a 28-3 lead, including touchdowns in the air and on the ground, a two-point conversion and a pair of 40-plus-yard field goals from converted Beaver kicker Atticus Sappington. The offense was cooking, largely due to clean hands, crisp execution and outmuscling in the trenches that allowed plays to develop and succeed.
And then we all watched horrified as Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel threw a pick-six just a few minutes before halftime to Bruins defender (and former Duck) Bryan Addison. While the red zone blunder was undoubtedly a bad decision coupled with a poor throw (and very uncharacteristic of the Heisman hopeful), the Ducks’ response, or lack of a response, was more baffling. The lone blemish in an otherwise pristine 30 minutes of football seemingly let the air out of the balloon for the men in green and yellow.
In the second half, Oregon’s offense looked deflated, delivering a flimsy mishmash of bottled-up run plays and agonizing lateral passes. In the third quarter, the Ducks punted twice after gaining just 27 yards on nine plays. When the Ducks eventually found the end zone again in the fourth quarter, Sappington missed the point after touchdown for the second time this season.
Oregon’s defense had four sacks and seven tackles for a loss against UCLA. Photo by Eric Becker
The saving grace was Oregon’s defense, which recorded four sacks, two interceptions, seven tackles for a loss and didn’t allow an offensive touchdown. Whoa.
Nitpicking aside, the Ducks looked solid in every phase of the game for a majority of the night. Oregon finished with 431 total yards offense and ultimately took care of business, easily defeating an inferior team. At no point was the outcome of the game against the Bruins in question.
For pundits, casual observers and fans, the discrepancies in Oregon’s offensive performances are not very persuasive for a team with national title aspirations. It’s the repeated little mistakes that have some questioning this team’s ceiling. Some have argued that while Oregon can survive mistakes against lesser opponents, what about better teams with equally or more talented rosters? Ohio State. Michigan. Both come calling this season. Can the Ducks afford to deliver inconsistent performances against the remaining Big Ten schedule? Only time will tell. Until then, pass the Pepto and enjoy the ride. Go Ducks!
Jordan is a lifelong Duck fan currently living in San Diego. Jordan graduated from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, after serving a prestigious fellowship with the Washington State House of Representatives. Upon graduation, he worked as an English language teaching assistant for the Spanish Ministry of Education’s Ambassadorial Program in Monforte de Lemos, Spain. Jordan has worked as a journalist, writer, and editor in Oregon, Washington, Montana, and California, covering a wide range of topics, including sports, local politics, and crime. He is VERY excited to be writing about his beloved Oregon Ducks.