First Quarter
The Cougs come out firing with quarterback Jayden de Laura connecting with Calvin Jackson Jr. for an incredible 70-yard catch and run for the Cougs on the second play of the game. Jackson Jr. was ruled out at the seven-yard line.
de Laura followed that play up by diving for the pylon, but a sprinting Jamal Hill came flying in to knock the ball loose and out. It would roll out of the end zone for a touchback and Oregon would take over.
The Ducks responded with a drive that was shut down quickly and didn't go anywehere.
Kayvon Thibbodeaux was disruptive early, tackling Max Borhi in the backfield. The following play was a catch by Travell Harris that led to third down for the Cougs. Thibbodeaux sacked de Laura to bring up fourth down. The Oregon defense knew what they were showing up for tonight.
Anthony Brown took three runs over four plays for an overall gain of 34 yards and three first downs. After 11 plays for 75 yards, Travis Dye ran it in through heavy coverage for the Oregon touchdown and the Ducks struck first.
Verone Mckinley III picked off de Laura to give the ball back to the offense. Harris got a nasty face-mask call on Mckinley, which gave Oregon a first down at the 40 yard line. The following drive lead to a Dye connection with Brown for his second score of the day.
Brandon Dorlus smacked away a Washington State pass to hand the Cougs a fourth down to end the first quarter and the Ducks led 14-0.
Second Quarter
Brown was dominant on the ground tonight and finished the game with 123 rushing yards on 17 carries. A 37-yard pass from AB to a twisting Troy Franklin was called back to bring up a fourth down and the Autzen crowd roared about the pass being ruled incomplete. Tom Snee eventually punted the ball away to the Cougars.
Though the Ducks' defense had some serious gas in the first quarter, the Cougars kept finding the occasional open receiver to gain yards. Those leaked Cougar runs lead to Jordan Happle tackling Max Borghi for a loss of five yards.
At this point, the Ducks decided to keep “swiss army knife” lineman Dawson Jaramillo at left guard, swapping around some linemen to keep the rotation of Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, Jaramillo, Alex Forsyth, Steven Jones, and TJ Bass.
Dye would fumble later on to give the Cougs the ball back and a couple passes set up a nine-yard Coug touchdown to De'Zhaun Stribling to put Washington State on the board.
After the offensive line shifted to include George Moore at right guard, Brown was sacked and the Ducks turned the ball to the Cougars. Jayson Jones bursted through the line for his first college sack, but the Cougars pushed forward.
The Cougars seemed to pick up their momentum and were pushing downfield with de Laura seeming to toughen-up against the Oregon defense.
Speaking of the Cougars getting their spirit back, Travell Harris came up with a catch to move inside the Oregon five-yard line. de Laura punched it in for a Cougar touchdown with the visitor’s section in an uproar.
The two teams headed to the locker room tied at 14.
Third Quarter
The first drive of the quarter began with a 56-yard kickoff return by Mykael Wright which led to a rushing touchdown by Brown. It was just what the doctor ordered for the Oregon offense.
The Cougars continued to hammer home screen plays, but the Ducks’ defense figured out their schemes and stoped the Cougars at their 49 yard-line.
Brown threw short several passes during a Duck drive and eventually carried to the 33-yard line for a first down. A 27-yard pass to Johnny Johnson III grabbed another much-needed first down. The drive ended at the four-yard line with a field goal from Camden Lewis and the Ducks led 24-14.
Fourth Quarter
Dye kicked off the quarter with a six-yard run for a first down. After back-and-forth between the teams, Brown ran it into the end zone only to lose the ball, with Washington State recovering for a first down. The fumble was confirmed with much uproar from the Autzen crowd.
The next Washington State drive resulted in a fantastic sack by Thibbodeaux, handing the Cougars a third down. Continued pressure forced the Cougars to go for a field goal. It went through the uprights and it was a one score game.
After several runs by Dye and company, Byron Cardwell ran it in for a 27-yard touchdown and Oregon led 31-17.
During the Cougar drive, there seemed to be several plays where the Ducks’ defense was spotty on coverage, but Bryan Addison snagged an interception and returned it to the 32 yard-line.
It wouldn't take long before Cardwell ran in another touchdown from 22 yards out.
Washington State got the ball back and would score in garbage time after a pass interference call on Oregon moved them deep into the red zone.
From there Brown would kneel it out and the Ducks won 38-24.
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