Did anything think a game with Washington State wouldn’t have a few oddities it in?
From a rolling fog in the second half to a touchdown-turned fumble that erased a score and allowed the Cougars to be in the game longer than they should have, the Ducks eventually prevailed 38-24.
With the win, Oregon moved to 9-1 overall and 6-1 in the Pac-12 North. The Ducks most likely secured their No. 3 spot in the College Football Playoff for another week. WSU dropped to 5-5 overall and 4-3 in conference play.
Anthony Brown’s legs were the difference as the super senior rushed for over 100 yards and Byron Cardwell went for 98 yards and two touchdowns.
The win sets up a showdown with Utah in what could be the first of two games with the Utes. The second meeting could very well come in Las Vegas for the Pac-12 championship.
Here’s everything we know directly after the Oregon win:
Final Score: Oregon 38, Washington State 24
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Keys to the game
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Oregon dominated the third quarter and it was absolutely necessary after the Cougars came back to tie the game 14-14 just before halftime. But by the time the fourth quarter came around, it was 24-14 Ducks and they were driving for yet another score.
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The Ducks were on the verge of putting the game on ice when Brown seemingly scored a touchdown. But the officials never called the play dead and ruled he fumbled the ball, allowing WSU to return it to midfield. The Cougars kicked a field goal, making it 24-17 Oregon instead of 31-14 in the middle of the fourth quarter.
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After a rough start, the Oregon secondary figured some things out and held the Cougars’ Air Raid down. Jayden de Laura threw for 280 yards, but 77 of those yards came on one play.
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Oregon outrushed the Cougars 306-91.
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The Duck offensive line pushed Washington State around all night as the rushing game was nearly unstoppable. They also allowed just one sack on Brown.
Players of the Game
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Anthony Brown: 17-of-22, 135 yards, 1 touchdown; 17 carries, 123 yards, 1 touchdown
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Travis Dye: 18 carries, 88 yards, 1 touchdown
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Byron Cardwell: 9 carries, 98 yards, 2 touchdowns
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Verone McKinley III: 8 tackles, 1 interception
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Mykael Wright: 3 KO returns, 117 yards, long 56
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The Oregon offensive line: Dominated WSU all night long and was the main reason the Ducks rushed for 306 yards.
It was over when …
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It was over when Bryan Addison picked off Jayden de Laura with just 3:53 remaining in the game to end a would-be Washington State drive. Addison, a converted wide receiver, returned the ball to the Cougar 32-yard line.
What’s next?
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Oregon will now travel to Utah in a contest between division leaders and it could be a preview of the Pac-12 Championship Game in Las Vegas Dec. 3. The Utes are 7-3 overall and 6-1 in the Pac-12 South. They are coming off a 38-29 win over Arizona.
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