GAME RECAP: Beavers Routed by Rival Ducks, 49-14
I’ve lived in our beautiful Beaver State for nearly thirty years, and it felt disturbing to watch this traditional rivalry game in mid-September. In seasons past, Oregon & Oregon State fought the week of Thanksgiving.
Next Thanksgiving, many Beavers fans will be thankful that this game is in the past.
A fiery start from Dillon Gabriel, who completed each of his first 15 passes, and a 27-0 second-half masterclass on both sides of the ball, led #9 Oregon past Oregon State, 49-14.
A Reser Stadium post-renovation record crowd of 38,419 fans witnessed a tight, back-and-forth first half. After running on almost 70% of their snaps in the first two weeks, the Beavers opening drive featured six pass attempts from a variety of formations. Upon crossing into enemy territory, first year head coach Trent Bray pushed his proverbial chips into the middle of the table, calling a tush push on fourth and one. QB Gevani McCoy dove beyond the line to gain, but the play was blown dead by a false start penalty on RT Grant Starck. After Everett Hayes’ field goal attempt was blocked, the battle remained scoreless.
Oregon answered with an eight-play, 74-yard touchdown drive, capped off by RB Jordan James’ four-yard touchdown run. Atticus Sappington, the Pac-12 leading kicker at Oregon State last season who transferred to Oregon in late December, completed the extra point despite a chorus of boos.
The orange & black responded with an impressive, physical drive. In 13 plays, and nearly 8 minutes, the Beavers marched 75 yards downfield, finally striking paydirt on an Anthony Hankerson six-yard touchdown run.
Early in the second quarter, Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel executed a speed option down the left sideline 54 yards, re-taking the lead. A two-point conversion punched in by Kenyon Sadiiq made it 15-7 Oregon.
On the following Beavers’ drive, a package of plays was called for Missouri transfer QB Gabarri Johnson, a young & promising dual-threat. On second down, a low snap slipped past Johnson’s grasps, and the drive stalled out.
Following an Oregon State punt, Dillon Gabriel showed off his arm. The Oklahoma transfer would finish the first half 10-for-10 with a pair of touchdowns, matching his earlier rushing score with a 20-yard aerial strike to WR Traeshon Holden.
Trailing 22-7 late in the second quarter, a weaker team might have quit, but the Beavers showed resilience. Starting QB Gevani McCoy returned to action, leading a 14 play, 75 yard drive that featured a flurry of screen passes to RB Anthony Hankerson & WR Trent Walker, a fourth-and-one conversion by Hankerson, and a crucial penalty that marched the Beavers into the red zone. With less than a minute until halftime, McCoy was hammered by Oregon LB Devon Jackson, who was flagged for roughing. Two plays later, Hankerson pinballed through an Oregon tackler and spun into the end zone.
The Ducks kneeled out the half up 22-14, but the Beavers headed into the locker room with a 42-21 advantage in plays executed and a 12:06 advantage in time of possession. Trailing by one posession at halftime, with a dominant running game, an effective screen game, and an electric crowd, Oregon State had plenty of hope for the second half. But those hopes evaporated quickly.
In the third quarter, the Beavers suffered back-to-back three-and-outs, while Oregon set up a Sappington field goal after a 10 play drive, and a Jordan James lunge at the goal line capping off a 9 play drive to go up 32-14. In the third quarter, Oregon out-gained Oregon State 198 to 13.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, the game was put out of reach with a Noah Wittington 27 yard touchdown run. The Ducks extended the lead on a Jayden Limar 65 yard screen catch & run, and Atticus Sappington’s second field goal of the day. The Beavers suffered a pair of turnovers on downs in the final minutes.
Next Saturday, September 21st, the Beavers host Purdue at Reser Stadium. The game will kick off at 5:30 PM, and will be televised on The CW.
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MATT BAGLEY
Matt fell in love with radio during his college days at Oregon Tech, and pursued a nine year career in sports broadcasting with Klamath Falls' and Medford's highest-rated sports radio stations. He currently lives in McMinnville wine country and is excited to talk about the Beavers again.