Oregon marched into Tucson, Arizona, on Saturday and certainly put the rest of the Pac-12 on notice. Bo Nix and the Ducks’ offense showcased a masterclass performance, accounting for 580 yards of total offense in the form of 306 total rushing yards and 274 passing yards.

What began as a solid start for Arizona quickly turned into a nightmare. The Wildcats began to move the ball with ease, leading to an early field goal. However, Oregon’s offense answered.. Just two minutes after the Wildcat field goal, running back Noah Whittington exploded through the defense with a 55-yard run, one kick started by a nasty jump cut. 

As the time ticked by in the first half, Arizona quarterback Jayden De Laura grew uncomfortable. The defensive line shed blocks quicker, linebackers tackled persistently, and the secondary’s coverage tightened. 

On the offensive side, Nix commanded the Ducks with confidence He finished with 265 yards on an ultra-efficient 80-percent completion percentage. Give offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham his flowers, as he kept the Wildcat defense on their feet with a balanced and creative offensive attack. 
“I think we’ve come together and the camaraderie is at an all-time high,” Nix said. “We know our strengths and coaches put us in the right situations… They let us play ball.”
 

In a second-quarter scoring drive, runs from Noah Whittington and Mar’quise Irving set up what could be argued as the throw of the game. On first-and-10 from Arizona’s 44-yard line, Dillingham dialed up a play-action pass which ultimately left the Arizona defense lost. Nix launched a 42-yard pass to Kris Hutson setting up first-and-goal on the two. Nix punched it in on the next play to put Oregon up 14-3. 

The offensive onslaught started on that drive and it never looked back.

Oregon would continue to run the ball down Arizona’s throat with force. Oregon’s top three running backs, and Nix each rushed for at least 65 yards in the contest. Credit to the Ducks’ offensive line.

“They’ve played great the past four weeks,” Nix said.

The defense continued to suffocate De Laura and the Wildcats’ offense, causing punts and turnovers. The offense took advantage with a total of seven rushing touchdowns.
In what could’ve been a trap game for the Ducks, they showed out and played the most complete game yet in all three phases. 

This week’s win sets up an integral matchup against No. 18 UCLA — who took down Utah — on Saturday, Oct. 22.