Jerry Matson’s interception 18 seconds into Saturday’s game started it.
The rest of the Oregon defense ended it. The Ducks held UCLA to 13 points Saturday, including just six in the second half.
One week after limiting California to 188 passing yards and 106 rushing yards, Oregon made a stand.
“I thought we played pretty well,” linebacker Kevin Mitchell said. “We gave up two field goals and a touchdown. I don’t think we gave up too many total yards and once we got comfortable, we started to figure out what they were doing. We were able to stop the run and played the pass real well.”
The Bruins managed 327 total yards offensively, with 249 coming through the air. However, starting quarterback Drew Olson completed 29 of 49 passes and was sacked six times.
Defensive end Devan Long led that category with two sacks, while linebacker David Martin and defensive linemen Igor Olshansky, Junior Siavii and Quinn Dorsey each had one.
Oh, there was also Matson’s interception, the first of his career. He ended up running it back for a 22-yard touchdown.
“It was more than fun, it was almost surreal,” he said. “I just couldn’t really believe it was happening to me. It’s hard to remember the play. This is really exciting for me, especially personally, because this is probably the biggest play I’ve ever made, in a big game. Something I can have forever.”

Special Ducks
The Oregon special teams units have seen their fair share of ups and downs this season.
An up, after a punt return by senior Steven Moore that sent Oregon on its way to a 31-27 victory over Michigan.
A down when Washington State was able to get to Oregon punter Paul Martinez and block two punts, including one for a touchdown.
Perhaps, in a statement of the team’s resurgence, Kenny Washington’s 97-yard kickoff return Saturday against UCLA brought the Ducks’ special teams into the spotlight.
It couldn’t have happened at a better time.
“It started out real rough,” sophomore Justin Phinisee said. “We had a lot of rookies on the special teams squad, which we usually have, but all in all I believe we came along very well. From the first game, we couldn’t even get blocks on kickoff returns to last week’s game (where) everybody had probably a tremendous block. Not only did you get to see the touchdown from it, but on film we went over and we watched it; everybody executed a good block.”
The injuries that have claimed Duck players one-by-one have affected Oregon’s special teams the most. Where the Ducks started the season with backups at key positions, they now are thin. Little depth at key positions can make or break a game, and in turn, maybe even a season.
“I think our special teams has helped us more than its hurt us, and its been the difference maker in a couple games so far,” junior kicker Jared Siegel said.
Siegel made a 51-yard field goal in the win over the Bruins, his first this season of 50-yards or more. That, however, hasn’t overshadowed his inconsistency this season.
He’s made two field goals in the last five games, missing three. He started off the season by connecting on 4 of 6, but like the team, suffered in his production when the Ducks went on a three-game slide.
Siegel’s prominence Saturday against the Beavers could be key in what some expect to a close-scoring affair.
Special teams, “I think it’s the only thing where statistically we rank ahead of Oregon State,” Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti said. “Certainly, it has to be something that we want to utilize — the field position, the opportunity to score and the momentum is there. Everybody’s going to point to the offense and defense and I think they all do their jobs and show up, but I think special teams — certainly, in a big game — in rivalry games — can make a difference.”