Have you caught your breath yet? It’s funny, because although Oregon and Wisconsin possess two of the nation’s most explosive offenses, very few actually predicted a shootout. Past history indicated a slow offensive start, and a game that would likely end somewhere in the 20s. Well, it’s 28-28 now at halftime, and there’s no sign of the scoring coming to an end.
Oregon managed to overcome a few key mistakes in the first half and tied the game at 28 with just 30 seconds left on the clock. That last score, a touchdown pass from Darron Thomas to Lavasier Tuinei, was key because Oregon will also receive the ball to start the third quarter.
On the stats sheet, De’Anthony Thomas’ name sticks out in particular. He’s already got 91 rushing yards (on one carry that resulted in a touchdown) to go along with 84 yards on kickoff returns and two catches for 16 yards. Without him, it’s hard to say where the Ducks would be. Darron Thomas has been steady aside from a fumble that resulted in a touchdown, and LaMichael James has 77 yards on just eight carries.
On Wisconsin’s side of the ball, Montee Ball has already carried 21 times for 122 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Russell Wilson, meanwhile, is 10-13 for 157 yards and has yet to turn the ball over.
The Oregon defense will likely take its fair share of criticism today, but it has come up with a couple of key plays. Most notably, the Ducks stopped Wisconsin on a fourth-and-one play deep in their own territory. They’ll need a few more of those plays (or even better, a turnover) to keep up with Wisconsin in the second half.