The Duck Flock Takes Flight in Corvallis With Statement Win

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The No. 9 Oregon Ducks (3-0) took a quick road trip to Corvallis, Ore., on Sept. 14 to face their in-state rival Oregon State Beavers (2-1). The Ducks put together a statement win on the road, 49-14. Oregon's offense has seemed out of rhythm over the first two weeks with problems stemming mainly from the offensive line.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning has been under scrutiny after the Ducks barely defeated their first two opponents who were double-digit underdogs. The Ducks ended the day hoisting the Platypus Trophy. The all-time series now favors Oregon 69-49-10.

Game Summary

Oregon State came out with some fight to start this game. The Beavers attempted to follow Boise State's blueprint from last week by pounding the rock. In the first half, the Beavers saw success. Anthony Hankerson was imposing his will, bulldozing his way for two first-half touchdown rushes. The Oregon defense struggled against the run in the first half but kept the passing game contained again. The Beavers missed a field goal on the opening drive, and Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel marched the Ducks down on an emphatic drive that was finished by Jordan James, who had 12 carries for 86 yards and 2 touchdowns.

The Beavers responded with a 6-yard touchdown rush by Hankerson, who refused to go down. Oregon's offense continued their rhythm after Gabriel took one to the house for 54 yards. The Ducks ran a trick play on the extra point to convert a 2-point conversion, making it 15-7. The Ducks then responded by forcing a stop on defense. Gabriel continued his perfect game by throwing a 20-yard TD to Traeshon Holden on the next drive, making it 22-7.

Oregon State put together an incredible drive that drained the entire first half, giving Oregon's offense no time to make it worse. Oregon went into the half up 22-14. The Ducks marched down the field again to start the second half. But they were forced to kick a field goal after Gabriel threw his first incomplete pass on what should have been a touchdown to Tez Johnson.

Turning Point For The Ducks

Down 25-14, the Beavers could not respond this time. Oregon forced a three-and-out. This was when things started to get ugly for the Beavers. Oregon then went on a 9-play touchdown drive, capped off by Jordan James for a 1-yard rush. Oregon once again forced a three-and-out, showing its halftime adjustments for their defense were a success. Gabriel again led the Ducks inside Oregon State's 30-yard line, which was capped off by a Noah Whittington 27-yard rushing TD.

Oregon made yet another stop, and Gabriel capped off his flawless performance with a screen pass to Jayden Limar for a 65-yard TD. This looked like an audible at the line of scrimmage made by Gabriel, who noticed the "Cover Zero" look. Oregon fans have reason to be excited now that the quarterback and offensive line seem to be in sync. Limar is a fan favorite after last week's play, where he recovered a fumble in the end zone and saved an Oregon touchdown.

Give Gabriel His Flowers

Recently, many Ducks fans have been critical of Gabriel. Despite putting up an elite completion percentage of 85 percent through his first two games and 0 interceptions, Oregon fans have been questioning Gabriel's ability to make pre-snap adjustments and his tendency to take sacks. On Sept. 14, Gabriel quieted his doubters. He went the entire first half without throwing an incomplete pass, finishing 10-for-10. Gabriel also showed the ability to use his legs after he took a 54-yard speed option to the house.

Gabriel went 15-for-15 before throwing his first incomplete pass. He exhibited everything you could ask from a quarterback. Gabriel showed patience against three-man fronts when his offensive line gave him time to throw. He used his legs and tucked it when he had nowhere to go. Gabriel didn't take sacks and knew when to attack down the field against one-high safety looks. The preseason favorite for the Heisman Trophy may not have electrifying numbers so far, but they are Bo Nix's efficiency level. Gabriel finished the day 20-for-24 with 291 yards passing and 2 touchdowns. He added 64 more yards on the ground with a rushing touchdown. Gabriel currently has an overall completion percentage of 84 percent. He has 914 yards, 6 passing touchdowns, and 2 rushing TDs with 0 interceptions.

What Does This Mean For The Ducks?

This is what Oregon was looking for all year. The Ducks looked questionable in their first two games, needing late-game drives to secure a victory against teams who aren't in the Power Four. At halftime of the Boise State game, Lanning adjusted his offensive line. Charlie Pickard, a walk-on, took a backseat. After placing Iapani Laloulu at center, Oregon began to see some success in the trenches.

The Ducks stuck with that same five and they showed dramatic improvement. Matthew Bedford, a veteran transfer from Indiana, still did not play on Sept. 14 despite clearing the injury report. This is scary because Oregon's offensive line can still improve. This means that the Ducks are back on track and ready for Big Ten Conference play. They had to get it together before the Ohio State Buckeyes came to town, and they did.