It wasn’t until the 7:27 mark that Oregon found the red zone.
Up until that point, the Ducks, who were holding onto a slim 6-0 lead, relied on the great play of their defense. And despite the high number of penalties (15) charged in the first half, it was the Ducks leading 23-0 at the break at Levi’s Stadium with the Pac-12 crown on the line.
Marcus Mariota led the Ducks, with 190 yards on 14-for-27 passing and two rushing touchdowns, while Charles Nelson added 142 total yards.
Arizona, who failed the score, was held to just 25 yards in the first half.
Key plays:
– With under eight minutes to play in the first half, Mariota kept the ball for a seven-yard touchdown run, the first of the game. Oregon, who had as many as 18 plays inside the 20-yard line without a score, managed to take a 13-0 lead following this play.
– At the 9:20 mark in the second quarter, DeForest Buckner sacked Anu Solomon on a 3rd and 10 situation to give the Ducks another shot to score. With the Wildcats itching to get on the board, Buckner’s big time play couldn’t have come at a better time.
– Late in the first half, Charles Nelson broke free on a pass from Mariota for 74 yards. It was on a 3rd and 16. Mariota punched in his second rushing touchdown shortly after, giving the Ducks a 20-0 lead.
Three things to watch in second half: 
1) Oregon’s Red Zone offense.
Oregon’s moving the ball against Arizona at an alarming rate. It’s now been inside the Wildcats’ 20-yardline six times, but has only come away with two touchdowns. The way its dominating this game on both sides of the ball, the damage could be much worse. Currently, Oregon’s out-gained Arizona 379 to 25 in terms of yardage. With that said, the Ducks are in comfortable position at halftime. Yet, its ability to continue this will be something to watch out for and finishing drives is the only weakness it showed in the first half.
2) Can the Oregon defense continue to stop Arizona’s rushing attack?
Before tonight, the Wildcats were averaging 256 rushing yards per game in their last two match-ups with the Ducks. In the first half, the offense has accounted for -16 yards on 12 carries. Oregon’s front seven has looked like a force and Tony Washington and Arik Armstead’s name continue to be announced on the PA system. Currently, Arizona has only been on the field for 9:41 and its last six drives have resulted in three-and-outs.  Nick Wilson, who has emerged as the Wildcats leading rusher has just 14 yards on 7 carries.
3) Will this be the Ducks’ most dominant performance of the season?
Arizona has gained 25 yards of total offense. That’s not a typo. With the balance between an offensive attack that has gained 379 yards and a defense that hasn’t allowed a single point, Oregon churned out the most dominant half of the season and leads 23-0. Can it continue?
Oregon Passing
Marcus Mariota – 14-of-27, 190 yards
Arizona Passing
Anu Solomon – 6-of-12, 34 yards
Oregon Rushing
Royce Freeman – 15 rushes, 90 yards
Arizona Rushing
Nick Wilson – 7 rushes, 14 yards
Oregon Receiving
Darren Carrington – 5 receptions, 69 yards
Charles Nelson – 4 receptions, 86 yards
Arizona Receiving
Austin Hill- 2 receptions, 13 yards
Oregon Total Offense – 379
Arizona Total Offense – 25
Follow Justin Wise on Twitter @JustinFWise
Follow Hayden Kim on Twitter @HayDayKim
 
Follow Hayden Kim on Twitter @HayDayKim