It was just another Wednesday night for Oregon football in Autzen Stadium on Saturday. 

Washington State quarterback Anthony Gordon found Brandon Arconado for a 5-yard touchdown pass and Washington State took a 35-34 lead with only one minute left in the game. 

Oregon only had 52 seconds once they got the ball back on offense, but that is something they’ve seen every Wednesday. 

“Our players were already saying ‘It’s just like our Wednesday practice,’” head coach Mario Cristobal said. “We practice every imaginable two-minute situation. Needing a touchdown, needing a field goal…our guys were already harping on that. They were telling that to each other and they worked it into reality.” 

Oregon started on its own 39-yard line, down by one. 

Justin Herbert found Spencer Webb for a 7-yard completion to give Oregon a fresh set of downs. Herbert then found Juwan Johnson, who coming into this game had not been a factor in Oregon’s offense, for a 15-yard gain that put the Ducks into Cougar territory. Herbert then found Johnson again, as he put the Ducks deep into Cougar territory following a 24-yard strike. 

Oregon’s offense would set up freshman Camden Lewis, who missed an extra point earlier in the game, but converted on a 40-yard field goal, for a 26-yard attempt to win the game. 

Lewis walked by Cristobal, gave him a high five, and got ready to attempt the biggest kick of his young collegiate career in front of 59,361 people. Lewis would send the game-winning field goal straight through the uprights to secure No. 11 Oregon’s (7-1, 5-0 Pac-12) win over Washington State (4-4, 1-4 Pac-12). 
“He went in there cool as can be and got it done,” Cristobal said. 
Lewis, who last kicked a game-winning field goal when he was on his junior varsity team in his freshman year of high school, was asked if this went better for him. 

“A little bit,” he said, “They are both pretty cool through.”

Lewis kick was able to get Oregon over the hump of defeating Washington State, something it hasn’t been able to do for the past four seasons. 

Oregon’s streak of consecutive losses wasn’t the only streak snapped on Saturday night. Herbert had thrown a touchdown pass in 35 consecutive games, which dates back to his first career start against Washington in 2016. Herbert’s streak was the longest active streak by any FBS quarterback. The streak ended as Herbert was unable to find the end zone, but he didn’t mind. 

“To be able to trade that for a win, I’d do it again,” Herbert said. “It’s a special moment whenever you can beat Washington State.” 

Another streak that was broken was Jaylon Redd’s. Redd came into Oregon’s game against Washington State with a six-game streak with a receiving touchdown, but that ended Saturday night. 

Oregon’s passing attack wasn’t as potent against the Cougars, so they relied heavily on the running game, specifically CJ Verdell.

Verdell had 23 carries for 257 yards and three touchdowns, also adding 56 receiving yards, to account for 313 of Oregon’s 528 total offensive yards. Verdell’s rushing performance was the third-best rushing performance in the FBS this season. 

“It’s special for sure,” center Jake Hanson said. “It’s more special to do it against Washington State, who historically we’ve been terrible running the ball against. That was our emphasis in practice all week…if were going to win this game, then we’re going to have to run the ball effectively.” 

Oregon’s defense has struggled against Washington State’s air raid attack in the past, and tonight was no different.
The defense was unable to stop Washington State’s offense in key moments in the fourth quarter, and that allowed them to stay in the game. Gordon and Arconado were an effective duo against Oregon’s secondary. Gordon finished the game with 406 yards and three touchdowns. Arconado caught nine passes for 130 yards and two scores, including the Cougars final touchdown of the game that nearly sealed the upset.

Washington State’s pass-heavy attack was able to hang 35 points on Oregon at Autzen Stadium; Oregon had only giving up 19 points at home this season prior to Saturday night.

“It’s really hard to stop,” Cristobal said. “They attack you in so many different ways that you have to get pressure on the quarterback…I think our guys did a good job just fighting the whole way through.” 

Oregon will now turn its attention to the USC Trojans. Oregon will head to Los Angeles boasting a 5-0 conference record for the first time since 2013. 

Follow Gabriel on Twitter @gabe_ornelas