No. 1 Oregon Ducks Defeat Michigan With Ease, 38-17

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The No. 1 Oregon Ducks (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten Conference) defeated the Michigan Wolverines (5-4, 3-3) 38-17 at the Big House on Nov. 2 in Ann Arbor, Mich. The Ducks started the game off hot by forcing a stop and responding with a quick touchdown pass from quarterback Dillon Gabriel to Evan Stewart. One of the main worries for the Ducks after the game is the health of their leading receiver, Tez Johnson. Johnson went out of the game early with a shoulder injury and was seen on the sidelines with a sling and street clothes.

Game Summary

Oregon started on defense and forced a stop right away. Stewart started the game with a TD reception. Oregon got another stop, but Johnson getting injured forced Oregon to put in a new punt returner, Ryan Pellum, who muffed a punt that led to Michigan getting the ball inside the 30. Michigan tied the game at 7, but Oregon responded once again. The Ducks took a 21-7 lead in the first half, and allowed a field goal, making it 21-10. Oregon got a TD to end the first half at 28-10.

Oregon seemed to go into cruise control in the second half, not taking many shots. Michigan cut the lead to 28-17, and Oregon responded quickly with a field goal, making it 31-17. Michigan had a drive in the fourth quarter that got them inside the 10-yard line, but a fourth-down "Philly special" attempt failed and Oregon took over. The Ducks then marched down the field and capped off a long TD drive with a Jordan James rush. Oregon won the game 38-17, covering the 14.5-point spread late.

Turning Point for the Ducks

The turning point may have been when the Ducks scored a touchdown before halftime. Before the drive, Michigan regained some momentum by cutting the lead down to 21-10 with a field goal. However, the Ducks responded with a methodical 7-play, 80-yard TD drive capped off by a 23-yard TD rush from Gabriel. Oregon went into halftime with a 28-10 lead and received the second-half kickoff.

What This Means for the Ducks

This is a big one for Oregon. The Ducks are coming off a convincing 38-9 victory over a ranked Illinois team. This game was always regarded as the biggest road test of the season for the Ducks. Even with this underwhelming Michigan team, the Big House is never an easy place to play. Oregon now improves to 9-0, Gabriel maintains himself in the Heisman Trophy race and the Ducks are projected to make it to the B1G championship.