Oregon Finally Shows Its True Potential In Rivalry Win At OSU

By SPENCER McLAUGHLIN

Contributor, 750 The Game

Saturday afternoon in Corvallis was a breath of fresh air for Oregon fans. Or maybe a sigh of relief. Either way, Duck fans finally saw the team Oregon assembled this offseason on paper show up on the football field. Oregon State had no chance with Oregon rolling, and the Ducks blasted the Beavs 49-14 at Reser Stadium.

Do you know the name Ross James? Maybe not. He’s Oregon’s punter, one of the most underrated in the country over the last couple of years. He and I were in for the same number of snaps on Saturday as the Ducks’ offense was, literally, unstoppable for the Beavers’ defense. 6 touchdowns, 2 field goals, and a shutout pitched by the defense in the second half.

In other words, total domination.

Plenty of Oregon fans were rightly concerned after the first two weeks at home were dud victories that left a lot to be desired. The Ducks put it together on the road for the first time heading into the bye week, and it all started with the offensive line.

Oregon ran the ball for 240 yards on 7.5 yards per carry against an Oregon State defense that pitched a shutout last week on the road against San Diego State. The Ducks and Aztecs are not in the same class of overall talent–but you wouldn’t have known that after watching Oregon’s first 2 games against Idaho and Boise State. It was readily apparent in game number three.

The offensive line looked completely revamped with a starting unit of Conerly-Strother-Laloulu-Harper-Cornelius. I’m sure Oregon fans are wondering why it took until the second half of the Boise State game to figure that out, but they shouldn’t worry about that. The important thing is that the Ducks are 3-0 heading into a bye week which could allow for the return of Matthew Bedford, a projected starting right guard coming into the year.

Dillon Gabriel wasn’t sacked on Saturday. I noticed my Twitter mentions were lacking the “let’s see Dante Moore” overreaction posts once Gabriel had time to throw. He completed his first 15 passes in addition to running for a 54-yard touchdown on a beautiful speed option.

You ever seen a Hawaiian QB wearing #8 in an Oregon uniform score a TD on that type of play? My mind immediately went back to Mariota’s final TD of the Rose Bowl Semifinal against Florida State. 

Gabriel went for 291 yards and 2 touchdowns in the air on just 24 pass attempts. He was comfortable, in rhythm, and spreading the ball around brilliantly. The exact sort of high level facilitator Oregon thought it had acquired in the offseason from Oklahoma.

The defense didn’t have its best day, until the second half began. The first 2 quarters saw them struggle to get off the field on third/fourth down, allowing the Beavers to drain the clock and keep the game close. Dan Lanning and co. made some halftime adjustments and that unit pitched a shutout in the second half.

Oregon still has a long season ahead, with Ohio State looming in less than a month at Autzen Stadium. Saturday was a great step towards playing the sort of football this team is capable of. But Dan Lanning would likely be the first to tell you that there is more work to be done.

The Ducks have to play like this every week, not just against Oregon State, if they’re going to be a serious national title contender. Until Oregon takes the field next in LA against UCLA on September 28th, Duck fans can sit back, relax, and realize that season could still be what they hoped when it began.

Spencer McLaughlin is an Oregon Ducks football contributor to 750 The Game. He also hosts the “Locked On Oregon Ducks” and “Locked On College Football” podcasts and has work featured throughout the season here.