Late in the third quarter, leading by multiple touchdowns, Oregon ran what seemed like the same play over, and over, and over. Two tight ends at the line of scrimmage with wide receiver Brenden Schooler motioning towards the line of scrimmage and becoming an extra blocker.

“Ricos,” as Oregon calls the formation. The Ducks ran up the middle with ease while star quarterback Justin Herbert was injured and in sweats and a sweatshirt on the sideline. The Ducks kept it simple. But for Oregon State, it was impossible to stop.

“Once we got in that formation we kind of saw that we have some openings in the run game, and our guys, we knew that we could push them,” sophomore quarterback Braxton Burmeister said. “Once we started doing that we we’re just like, ‘Let’s do it until they stop it,’ and they didn’t really stop it.”

Running back CJ Verdell got two rushes for four yards, but then broke for 33 yards and finished with a 10-yard touchdown run.

“They knew exactly what was going to happen,” offensive lineman Shane Lemieux said. “That breaks them and their mindsets. … When those big ones broke, I think is really when they broke.”
Oregon pummeled Oregon State 55-15 in the 122nd Civil War. Despite Herbert’s injury to his right shoulder just before halftime, Oregon continued to roll on the way to a season-high 392 rushing yards, avenging a loss in Corvallis two seasons ago.
The Ducks went up 21-3 at halftime. They were running at will, amassing 141 yards and two 1-yard touchdown runs from Verdell.

But just before the half, Herbert was sacked and landed on his right shoulder. At halftime, pictures emerged of Herbert out of pads and on a cart, a sign he was doubtful to return. Sure enough, Burmeister took his place.

Last season, Burmeister replaced Herbert when he had a broken collarbone. The offense struggled, and the Ducks could barely move the ball.

Friday night at Reser Stadium was different. Oregon State has the Pac-12’s worst run defense, so it was in the cards for the Ducks to at least hold on to their lead. That’s all they had to do. Instead they outscored the Beavers 34-12 in the second half.

“We knew we had to take a bigger role on the offensive line and start dominating up front,” Lemieux said. “I think we just dominated up front.”

Oregon only threw the ball twice in the second half. Verdell and freshman Travis Dye split 35 carries, leading the Ducks to 251 yards in the second half. Verdell finished with 187 yards while Dye finished with 199.

“We knew it was all going to be on our shoulders,” Dye said. “Me and CJ, we knew we had to step it up.”

Herbert’s status for the bowl game is up in the air. Head coach Mario Cristobal said he did not know the severity of the injury, and they will return to Eugene for further testing.

In the bowl game, Oregon will not be playing a team with as bad of a run defense, but it will continue to fall on the offensive line and Burmeister’s shoulders. More Ricos formation as well, but Burmeister will have to make more important plays if he starts, ones that Oregon State could not force him into.

Is he ready for that again?

“100 percent,” he said.

 Follow Jack Butler on Twitter @Butler917