Oregon Ducks' Dillon Gabriel To Set Record Vs. Penn State In Big Ten Championship Game

Originally posted on Oregon Ducks on SI
By Bri Amaranthus | Last updated Dec 7, 2024 6:07 PM ET

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Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel will set a new FBS record for starts by a quarterback against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Big Ten Championship Game. Gabriel will make his 62nd start on Saturday, passing former Oregon quarterback Bo Nix's record of 61 career starts.

“It seems like (Gabriel) has been playing college football for the last ten years,” Penn State coach James Franklin said ahead of the Big Ten title game.

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Gabriel is no stranger to setting records this season.

Gabriel is the NCAA all-time leader in total touchdowns (183) while ranking second in passing touchdowns (149), passing yards (18,140) and total yards (19,375).

Gabriel is a constant threat with his legs too. Gabriel has scored seven rushing touchdowns this season tied for the most among Big Ten quarterbacks (Will Howard, Ohio State).

The transfer quarterback can help lead the No. 1 Ducks to their first-ever 13-0 record with a win over No. 3 Penn State. The Ducks have a chance to win the Big Ten Championship in Oregon's first year in the conference, which earns them a first-round bye in the 12-team College Football Playoff.

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“Winning is difficult. It's not easy. To do it consistently and wake up every morning and not let it become a lackadaisical routine, it's demanding,” Gabriel said ahead of the Big Ten Championship. “We all appreciate it, but I think the best part is we haven't really talked about it. We're just one week focused and so present. It's hard to do. It's very easy for us to look forward to the future, but we've just been living in a time where tomorrow's fiction," Gabriel said. "Tomorrow's not real in our books. We're just focused right where we're at."

Gabriel finished the 2024 regular season with 3,275 passing yards, 24 passing touchdowns and six interceptions. He also added 175 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns en route to winning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. Gabriel, a sixth year senior, transferred from Oklahoma to the Ducks this past offseason.

Safe to say, Oregon has scored with both of its last two transfer quarterbacks in Nix and Gabriel.

Gabriel and the Ducks will face Penn State's pesky defense. The Nittany Lions have one of the best defenses in the country, ranking No. 2 in the Big Ten in points allowed per game, with 14.