When Kayvon Thibodeaux hit the turf, Oregon’s season opener morphed into a survive and advance game: a far cry from the contest once viewed as an appetizer to one of Oregon’s biggest regular season games in program history next weekend in Columbus.

Thibodeaux manhandled the Fresno State Bulldogs in his brief stint: a tipped pass down the field in coverage, a blazing speed rush that led to an assisted sack and a forced fumble. He was everywhere.

The ankle sprain, however insignificant in the long run, proved detrimental on Saturday. When Thibodeaux began to slow, so did the unit as a whole. When he left the game altogether, the defense crumbled like a spider-cracked windshield.

Oregon 31, Fresno State 24: an early season test Mario Cristobal’s program wasn’t expecting and didn’t seem prepared for.
Autzen Stadium set to full capacity for the first time in 644 days, Oregon had all the momentum entering Saturday. When Thibodeaux, the Ducks’ kingpin edge rusher, returned to the sidelines in a walking boot, his team had lost any momentum it still harbored.

Surrendering an 18-0 run, it wasn’t until the fourth quarter that Oregon began to play with a sense of urgency — and not until quarterback Anthony Brown’s 30-yard touchdown scamper that the game truly felt in hand.

The Ducks are 1-0 — right where they should be. But Saturday was far from flawless and a worrisome debut for a team with serious postseason aspirations.

Oregon’s offense couldn’t stay on the field. The defense couldn’t get off it. The Ducks’ saving grace? A 3-to-1 turnover differential.
“The biggest thing is we played fast and we played physical,” safety Verone McKinley III said. “That’s half the battle. We can always make adjustments communication-wise and scheme-wise.”

Noah Sewell and Justin Flowe were tremendous.

Sewell looked like a human missile, darting through Fresno State’s offensive line on multiple occasions for tackles for loss and sacks. Flowe demonstrated his violent athleticism and power as well — both for better and for worse.

The second-year freshman was consistently around the ball, but his overzealousness got the better of him when his late hit gave Fresno State’s offense life — and eventually six points — as the final minute ticked down in the first half. Baby steps.

That same aggressiveness paid off with a forced fumble late in the fourth quarter, helping the offense finally come alive. Flowe had a game-high 14 tackles. 

“My whole life playing linebacker, I just wanted to be the aggressive type,” Flowe said. “I just wanted to be me. That’s just me. That’s how I play. I try to bring it every time I get on the field.” 

For the better part of three quarters, Oregon’s offensive line failed to play up to its stature. That changed with 84 fourth quarter rushing yards. 

The passing offense never truly found its rhythm though, the prime culprit as Fresno State’s offense outgained the Ducks. Outside of an arching touchdown toss to Johnny Johnson III at the end of the first half, Brown’s dynamism was limited to the plays he made on his feet.
“I would say it just wasn’t clean enough, and in order for us to go where we need to go, we need to be firing on all cylinders, which we weren’t today and that was obvious,” Brown said. “We’re going to see it on the tape, fix what we need to fix, move on and progress from it.”

They’ll need to fix that and a great deal else before they march into Ohio Stadium on Sept. 11.