Oregon’s epic collapse knocks Ducks out of Pac-12 title game duel with USC
We were beginning to make plans with our friends at Ducks Wire. We saw that Oregon had a 31-10 lead over Oregon State late in the third quarter of Saturday’s football game in Corvallis. This was a done deal, folks.
Oregon State’s problems at quarterback are well known. USC benefited from four interceptions against the Beavers on Sept. 24 in a 17-14 win no one anticipated — not the win itself, but how it came about. Oregon State’s quarterback that day was Chance Nolan, who subsequently got injured. Replacement Ben Gulbranson has not been any better than Nolan. Oregon State simply cannot throw the ball, especially not down the field.
Down 21 points with 19 minutes left? Goodnight, Irene.
Or so we thought.
Our plans with Ducks Wire to collaborate on USC-Oregon Pac-12 title game coverage were scuttled.
Oregon State 38, Oregon 34.
Here’s how it went down, with a lot of stunning, ridiculous facts and decisions included.
Ducks Wire helped us with this report, as did Jon Wilner of the Wilner Hotline:
TURNING POINT
Oregon coach Dan Lanning whiffed on a crucial fourth-down call for the second time in three weeks. The bungled conversion, at Oregon’s 29 yard-line, set up the Beavers’ game-winning touchdown.
OREGON'S FAILURES
Wilner:
OSU secured its first nine-win season since 2012 while the Ducks locked up a disappointing year under their rookie coach.
Three games mattered more than any others (Georgia, Washington and OSU), and Oregon lost all three.
CHAOS AFTER THE GAME AS WELL AS DURING THE GAME
What followed after the game was best described as hectic.
While fans stormed the field in Reser Stadium, Oregon DL D.J. Johnson allegedly punched someone in the back of the head.
MORE OREGON NEWS
Also from Ducks Wire:
Not long after that, WR Chase Cota declared that he planned to play in Oregon’s bowl game, and QB Bo Nix danced around questions about his future in Eugene, or Tempe, or the NFL.
ASTOUNDING FACT NO. 1
Oregon State, in its crazy comeback, scored four touchdowns in 10 minutes.
The most astounding fact about those four touchdowns: They came without a single completed pass.
ASTOUNDING FACT NO. 2
Oregon State scored 38 points with only 60 passing yards and just six completed passes.
ASTOUNDING FACT NO. 3
Gulbranson, the winning quarterback for Oregon State in a game which ended 38-34, finished with this stat line: 6 of 13, 60 yards, two interceptions.
OREGON STATE RUSHING TOTALS
The Beavers had 43 rushing attempts for 275 total yards, which is 6.2 yards per rush.
COMPLACENCY
From Ducks Wire:
Oregon’s offense stalled out, and after putting up 31 points on the board, their final four drives ended in one field goal and three turnovers on downs. The play-calling grew predictable, and the Beavers we able to key in on what the Ducks were doing. There was a time in the final drive of the game when Oregon had a first and goal from the 5-yard line and were stuffed on three straight runs up the middle.
The Ducks took their foot off the gas, thinking that they could coast to the win. It ended up giving Oregon State an opening, and the Beavers took advantage.
PLAY CALLING
Ducks Wire mentioned that Oregon’s play calling grew predictable. Let’s talk more about that point.
When Oregon got stopped on its own 29-yard line on 4th and 1, setting the stage for Oregon State’s go-ahead (winning) touchdown, everyone in Reser Stadium was expecting a Bo Nix keeper. That’s what Oregon did.
Kenny Dillingham made the predictable call instead of doing something Oregon State’s defense didn’t expect.
1ST AND GOAL AT THE 5
This is another instance in which Kenny Dillingham seemed to mail it in on Saturday. He ceased to be creative or original. Oregon, trying to retake the lead near the goal line, ran the ball up the middle three straight times.
First and goal from the 5? No problem with a run there, but it gained just two yards to the 3. Second or third down — at least one of the two plays — neded to involve either Bo Nix or a play which went outside. By running up the gut three straight times, it made fourth down easier for Oregon State.
Everyone anticipated a Bo Nix rollout on fourth down. That’s what Dillingham did. OSU broke up the play.
DILLINGHAM MENTALLY ELSEWHERE
We see it plenty of times: A coach who is finalizing a deal to coach somewhere else is just not mentally locked in and focused in his last game with his current school.
Dillingham coached like a man who felt his work was done in Eugene, and who was ready for the next step at Arizona State.
READ DUCKS WIRE ON KENNY DILLINGHAM AND UO'S NEW REALITY
BIG OREGON QUESTIONS
From Ducks Wire:
Will Bo Nix change his decisions about his future with Oregon because of it? Does Dante Moore reconsider his commitment to the Ducks now? Who is the next OC in Eugene?
TIMEOUT USAGE
Oregon called timeout before its fourth-down-and-goal play late in regulation against Oregon State, meaning that when the Ducks were stopped on fourth down, they had a far lower chance of getting the ball back. Dan Lanning did not handle that situation well.
OREGON IN CORVALLIS
Oregon is 1-3 in its last four games against Oregon State in Corvallis.
BALANCED DEFENSE ... AND NOT IN A GOOD WAY
Oregon’s defense has to live with the fact that it couldn’t stop the pass against Washington and couldn’t stop the run versus Oregon State. This was a total defensive breakdown by the Ducks in November, not just one position group or player.
