CALIFORNIA 0/7/7/10 - 24
OREGON 17/0/7/21 - 45
EUGENE, OREGON - The Ducks won their first conference game of the season despite losing starting quarterback Justin Herbert to a broken collarbone near the end of the first quarter. The injury took place late in the first quarter when Herbert ran in a seven-yard touchdown that put the Ducks up 17 to 0. Oregon managed to overcome not just the injury to their starting quarterback, but a plethora of other positions, by limiting the Golden Bear run game to just eight total yards while gaining 328 yards on the ground.
Things could not have started better for the Ducks, scoring three times on their three opening drives. Aidan Schneider kicked things off with a 42-yard field goal to cap off the game’s first possession, then, the Ducks used just four plays to reach the end zone with a 37-yard touchdown pass to Brenden Schooler. And after Cal’s second consecutive punt, Herbert scored the touchdown that would alter the course of the season.
After Herbert was taken out of the game, backup quarterback Taylor Allie took his place and the offense failed to find its footing, resulting in three straight Oregon punts. Even after a fumbled punt recovery by Ugochukwu Amadi that put the Ducks at the CAL 42 late in the second, the Oregon offense failed to add to their lead, and on the very next play Allie threw a pick which Jordan Kunaszyk retrurned to the Oregon 18. One play later, Ross Bowers connected with Jordan Veasy to cut the lead to 10.
Oregon relied on its stable of backs to score the first touchdown of the third quarter, a one-yard touchdown drive from Kani Benoit that finished a 73-yard drive. It appeared the Golden Bears were ready to rally back after scoring on a 75-yard touchdown pass to Kanawai Noa and then a 36-yard field goal to make it a one-score game, however, the Ducks responded by scoring 14 consecutive points to kill the comeback bid.
Kani Benoit scored his second touchdown of the evening on a 68-yard run, finishing the game as the leading rusher with two TDs and 141 yards on 18 carries. A Justin Hollins sack forced Ross Bowers to lose control of the ball, which was recovered by Henry Mondeaux. Three plays later, Tony Brooks James found the end zone to give Oregon the 38-17 lead.
Bowers connected with receiver Vic Wharton for a 28-yard Golden Bear touchdown with 4:54 left in the game, but the final touchdown of the night belonged to true freshman Darrian Felix off of an 11-yard run. In addition to losing Herbert, the Ducks had injuries to star running back Royce Freeman, receiver Dillon Mitchell, and linebacker Kaluana Apelu, as well as losing Tyree Robinson in the first half after an ejection for targeting. Oregon may have won the battle of attrition, but it was a pyrrhic victory.
Oregon Offense (total: 459 - pass: 131 - rush: 328)
California Offense (total: 263 - pass: 255 - rush: 8)
Oregon Defense (forced turnovers: 2 - FUM: 2)
California Defense (forced turnovers: 1 - INT: 1)
UO (4-1, 1-1) CAL (3-2, 0-2)