Oregon’s prolific offense is leading the country in scoring, leading thanks in no small part to the Ducks’ big-play threats, but the Ducks’ 53.38 points per game haven’t just been a product of explosion plays. The Ducks have also been consistent on longer drives and have avoided costly turnovers leading to a very impressive 91 percent red zone scoring rate. Oregon has only been held to a field goal four times once they cross the 20-yard line and have scored 39 touchdowns on their 47 trips into the red zone (which is second only to Florida State), but the offense isn’t even the most impressive unit in terms of red zone performance. The Ducks’ defense has the third best red zone mark in the nation, allowing just 11 touchdowns on the Ducks’ opponents’ 31 trips into the red zone, and Oregon’s pass defense has been particularly stout inside the 20 yard line, allowing just three touchdown passes all season. When the Ducks shut out Arizona 49-0, Nick Aliotti’s crew was a perfect 6-6 stopping Arizona in the red zone, and there hasn’t been much of a drop-off as Pac-12 play has continued with Oregon only giving up eight scores in the red zone in conference play. @@http://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/team/1028@@ @@http://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/team/1038@@ @@http://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/team/1053@@
The Ducks have been so dominant on defense in the red zone in large part because they’ve been forcing so many turnovers. Oregon is tied for fourth in the country with 23 turnovers forced including 14 interceptions, but even when the Ducks aren’t taking the ball away they’ve held firm on third downs (the Ducks opponents are converting less than 30 percent of their third downs), and when coaches have been willing to risk three points by going for it on fourth down, they haven’t had much success either, with the Ducks allowing just six fourth-down conversions all year. @@http://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/team/1047@@ @@http://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/team/1052@@
On offense, the Ducks have scored on all but four of their red zone drives and have found the end zone far more often than they’ve been forced to settle for three points with 39 touchdowns and just four field goals on drives where they cross the 20-yard line.