There’s been a lot of noise surrounding Oregon State’s (2-1) standing as the college football world shapeshifted over the last two years. The Beavers were left out of the conference-realignment fun, which almost spelled the end of their historic rivalry with the Ducks (3-0).
The rivalry stayed, fans were greeted with the 128th rendition of this great state’s favorite classic and any noise surrounding the Beavers was silenced, as Saturday’s contest built on last year’s theme of straight Oregon dominance.
With a 49-14 demolition of the Beavers, the No. 9 Ducks now set their sights on the new challenge brought upon by the monstrous Big Ten conference.
Oregon State’s offense relied heavily on its run game heading into Saturday afternoon’s contest, but the Beavers came out throwing on their first two plays. Both almost ended up in the hands of Oregon linebacker Bryce Boettcher, and the Ducks subsequently surrendered a first down on a 3rd-and-15 after a 37-yard Gevani McCoy scramble.
Oregon State rumbled down to the Ducks’ 21-yard line with a 4th-and-inches, but a false start forced them to attempt a field goal. The Beavers passed up on their 43-yard opportunity to put the game’s first points on the board after an incredible effort from Matayo Uiagalelei to block the kick.
The Ducks responded immediately with a rumbling drive of their own, which included a 4-4, 48-yard drive from Dillon Gabriel — 32 of those going to Tez Johnson — capped off by a 4-yard punch-in from Jordan James.
That would start his electric 20-24, 291 yard and two touchdown performance.
“I love how everyone in the building has continued to focus on the process and getting better every single day. I think that allowed us to play confident, play free and let loose,” Gabriel said.
Ducks broke the deadlock and took a quick 7-0 lead.
One of the most prominent takeaways from that first drive was the offensive line. After two weeks of constant change along the front five, Oregon finally found its most efficient five, who dominated Oregon State’s defensive front.
“I think the biggest thing you saw in this game is we had three penalties. I think that’s the biggest difference, when we don’t put ourselves in negative holes to start, especially coming into a [road game] environment,” head coach Dan Lanning said about his offensive line.
The Ducks’ inability to get off the field on third downs continued early, as Oregon’s defense gave up three third-down conversions en route to a 6-yard score from running back Anthony Hankerson. That play brought the opening quarter to a close with a 7-7 tie.
Oregon made responding a theme that would last all day. After reading a heavy blitz pre-snap, Gabriel switched the formation, called an audible and, with the help of incredible blocking, waltzed 54 yards into the endzone.
“It’s all blocks downfield, I didn’t get touched on the run…I’m just proud of the guys up front, just the way they compete and continue to do so. It’s been great to see,” Gabriel said.
The already silenced Reser Stadium got even quieter as the Ducks shocked the Beavers with a quick run to Kenyon Sadiq to score a two-point conversion and take a 15-7 lead.
Oregon built on that defensively and forced the first punt of the game from the Beavers.
An outstanding, eight play, 84-yard drive ensued for Gabriel and the Ducks. Largely on the success of James’ running, Oregon converted two third downs and Gabriel finished it off with a 20-yard that found Traeshon Holden in the back of the endzone.
As the game moved into its middle eight, Oregon found itself up 22-7.
With the last six minutes of the first half, the Beavers ran down the clock with their run-heavy offensive attack.
On Oregon State’s first play near the redzone, Oregon linebacker Devon Jackson picked up a roughing-the-passer penalty, which brought the ball up to the Oregon 11.
With two running plays, the Beavers found themselves on the Oregon 1-yard line, and Hankerson easily punched it in to make the score 22-14 with just 15 seconds left in the first half.
Despite only possessing the ball for nine of the game’s first 30 minutes, the Ducks took a lead into the break.
Gabriel continued his dominance early in the second half, and drove the Ducks all the way down to the Oregon State 7-yard line. Gabriel threw his first incompletion of the game on a 3rd-and-goal, which set up an Atticus Sappington chip shot to make the game 25-14.
The Ducks’ defense forced their first 3-and-out on the next drive and set up a premium opportunity to take a three-score lead.
Oregon proceeded to take it right to the Beavers’ defense with a mix of hard-nosed run plays — Noah Whittington picked up 32 of his 64 yards on that drive — and excellent quarterback play from Gabriel.
Gabriel linked with Johnson after a pinpoint, 27-yard toss, which set the Ducks up inside the 10. After two rushes from James, Oregon tacked on six more and broke the contest wide open.
Another 3-and-out followed for the Beaver offense, which led into another dominant offensive drive for Oregon. The Ducks put the contest out of reach with the first play in the fourth quarter, a 27-yard run into the endzone for Whittington.
At that point “Let’s Go Ducks” chants could be heard ringing around Reser Stadium, and the Orange-clad fans started filing out of the building — a drastically different scene from the last time this rivalry was played in Corvallis
“I can’t put into words, obviously, how different [winning] is, but it’s a way better feeling,” Boettcher said.
Shortly after, Gabriel decided his work was not finished.
He flipped an easy screen over to Jayden Limar, who raced 65 yards without being touched and gave the Ducks a 32-point lead.
That lead only grew, and Saturday’s game wrapped up as a 49-14 blowout win for the Ducks over the rival Beavers. Oregon never punted as it handed the Beavers their first loss of the young season.
Oregon takes a major win and a boatload of improvements into a bye week.
