The No.2 Oregon Ducks (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten) drubbed the Purdue Boilermakers (1-6, 0-4 Big Ten) by a score of 35 to 0 during Friday’s visit to West Lafayette, Indiana. Though Purdue has historically been a dangerous opponent for top-ranked teams to visit, the Ducks quickly put any concerns of an upset to rest.

Oregon began the game on offense and immediately resumed last week’s explosive form. After picking up two 1st downs in four plays, Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel quickly found wide receiver Evan Stewart, who endured defensive pass interference to haul in a 49-yard bomb down the sideline. Stewart had another nice game, finishing with four catches for 96 yards. 

Two plays later, running back Jordan James carried the ball eight yards for an opening-drive touchdown that put the Ducks up 7-0. Oregon forced a punt following a 3rd-down sack by Matayo Uiagalelei. Uiagalelei has now had at least half a sack in his last four games. 

With the ball at its own 20-yard line, Oregon began an 11-play drive. After finally arriving in the redzone, James was ruled short of the goal line on back-to-back 2nd and 3rd down plays, which left the Ducks inches short of the goal line on fourth down. 

On his third try, James finally broke through to make it 14-0 Oregon late in the first quarter. Purdue’s Reggie Love III broke off a few big plays on the Boilermakers’ next drive, but Oregon’s defense solidified at its own 40-yard line. 

Although a Keelan Crimmins punt pinned the Ducks at the 1-yard line, Oregon responded with the offense’s shortest scoring drive of the day. Tight end Kenyon Sadiq took a reception 39 yards into Purdue’s redzone, and Tez Johnson finished the dominant six-play drive with a 12-yard touchdown catch a play later. Johnson had seven catches for 66 yards and a touchdown.

It wasn’t until 10:54 in the second quarter that the Boilermakers finally recorded passing yards. Purdue gained momentum and drove downfield, picking up three 1st downs behind two completions and two effective scrambles from quarterback Ryan Browne. Standout Ducks cornerback Jabbar Muhammad limped off the field midway through the drive.

Despite Browne’s best efforts, Purdue’s offense stalled at the 18-yard line. Purdue fans inside Ross-Ade Stadium booed head coach Ryan Walters’ decision to kick a 36-yard field goal, and those boos continued when freshman kicker Spencer Porath missed the kick wide right.

Things then slowed offensively for both teams, as the two exchanged two punts in nine plays. Four plays after Oregon regained possession, Gabriel threw a pass over Johnson’s head and into the arms of Purdue cornerback Kyndrich Breedlove. Purdue attempted to take advantage of the turnover, but tight end Max Klare fumbled the ball back to the Ducks to effectively end the half after only three plays.

Purdue began the second half on offense and attempted to cut into Oregon’s 21-0 lead. Given the score, the Boilermakers attempted to go for it on 4th-and-11 at Oregon’s 42-yard line. Browne connected with Klare on a crossing route, but Klare was tackled short of a 1st down by Muhammad, who’d returned to the field for the second half.

Oregon faced an early 3rd-and-9 on its own 39, but Gabriel found Stewart for a 20-yard completion that gave the Ducks a new set of downs at Purdue’s 41. However, Purdue’s defense stiffened and stopped Oregon two yards short of a 1st down. 

Lanning made an uncharacteristically conservative choice to kick the 51-yard field goal, which kicker Andrew Boyle pushed just left of the uprights. Purdue got the ball back and again moved across midfield.

On 3rd-and-7 at Oregon’s 36-yard line, Browne fumbled the ball out of bounds after evading a second Uiagalelei sack. Browne went deep through the air on 4th-and-10 late in the third quarter, but the pass was broken up by Muhammad for another turnover on downs.

Uiagalelei, Devon Jackson and Teitum Tuioti each recorded a sack on defense. Tuioti led the team with five solo and six total tackles.

With James seemingly done for the night, Noah Whittington took over as Oregon’s lead back. He rushed for 22 yards as Oregon drove downfield and capped the drive off with an incredible 8-yard touchdown reception that saw him pin the ball to his facemask on his way out of bounds.

The Ducks forced a 3-and-out and got the ball back in solid field position at their own 45-yard line. Jayden Limar and Jay Harris stepped in for Whittington, and the two led a run-heavy attack that picked up three first downs in seven plays before Harris scored on a 12-yard run that made it 35-0 Ducks.

Gabriel had a good game, finishing 21/25 for 290 yards through the air. He had two passing touchdowns and barely erred except for the second-quarter interception. James led the team in rushing with 10 carries for 50 yards and two scores, and Whittington had a nice complimentary statline of nine carries for 42 yards and an eight-yard touchdown.

Oregon put its second-string defenders onto the field to begin Purdue’s next drive. The Boilermakers capitalized with three straight 1st-down runs that brought them inside Oregon’s 30-yard line. However, Oregon’s defense again hardened in its own territory, and the Boilermakers turned the ball over on downs for the 3rd time.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Austin Novosad stepped in with less than five minutes remaining but didn’t test the air. Oregon punted following a 3-and-out and seemed on the verge of losing their defensive clean sheet, but transfer cornerback Kam Alexander intercepted Browne in the end zone with 21 seconds remaining to finish the game.

Following their first road shutout since 1992, the Ducks return to Autzen Stadium next Saturday, and will look to defend their perfect record against No. 22 Illinois (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten).