No. 6 Oregon Ducks Slay the Spartans 31-10

© Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

The No. 6 Oregon Ducks handled business at home against the Michigan State Spartans on Oct. 4, winning 31-10. Fans nationwide were skeptical that Oregon (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten Conference) could use this as a look-ahead game for Ohio State next week. However, that proved to be false. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel started off pretty sloppy, throwing two red-zone interceptions. But the defense was too dominant for it to become an issue in the game. The Ducks' defense held "Sparty" to no points until they pulled starters in the fourth quarter.

Game Summary

It was a bit of a rocky start offensively for Oregon. The Spartans (3-3, 1-2 Big Ten) forced Oregon to a three-and-out to start and had a shot at taking a 7-0 lead until Aidan Chiles fumbled on the 1-yard line. Gabriel and the Ducks' offense moved the ball effortlessly, except for those INTs in the first half. This was the first time Gabriel had two interceptions in a game since he faced off against Baylor in 2022. The game could have been much worse for the Spartans because of this. Oregon's offense was also dominant on the ground. Jordan James surpassed 150 yards rushing in the first half.

The Ducks went up 21-0 at halftime. Michigan State opened up the second half by punting, and Oregon kicked a 50-yard field goal in response. The Ducks got another stop on defense, which led to an eventual Tez Johnson touchdown on a fourth-down attempt in the fourth quarter. This TD gave the Ducks a 31-0 lead, resulting in head coach Dan Lanning pulling defensive and offensive starters. Michigan State got a garbage-time touchdown, making it 31-7.

Turning Point for the Ducks

The Ducks' turning point could have been at many points in this game. Sadly, the red-zone interceptions made that moment challenging to identify. Oregon's defense never gave up much, so momentum was almost always on its side. The turning point would have to be either Chiles' fumble or Evan Stewart's touchdown, making it 21-0 going into the half.

What Does This Mean?

This means a ton for Oregon. A lot of teams could have gotten caught here in a look-ahead spot. Oregon hosts Ohio State next week, which sets up for a potential game-of-the-year candidate. They handled business at home, and their defense looked phenomenal. The Ducks are in a good spot here with an extra day off to prepare for the Buckeyes, while Ohio State still has their matchup ahead of them. Next Saturday should be a good one.