Five Takeaways from Oregon's Win Over Washington State Cougars

Oregon took down the Cougars on the road in a massive win for Dan Lanning.

The No. 15 Oregon Ducks defeated 3-0 Washington State on the road 44-41 in a game that was thrilling until the very end. The entire game could have gone either way quickly for both teams, but the Ducks had the grit and determination to finish the job.

The Ducks' offense was the highlight of this matchup, but the defense bounced back late in the second half.

Here are five takeaways from this week’s game.

1. The offense is Oregon’s most vital unit to this point

Besides in the red zone, Oregon's offense looked very smooth and clean. With the mix of runs, RPO’s and deep shots, the Ducks had the Cougars looking for an answer the whole game. Bo Nix finished 33/44 for 428 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Troy Franklin was the lead receiver once again with 137 yards with a touchdown on five catches. Bucky Irving led the ground attack with 81 rushing yards yards on 11 carries.

The offense came out with the mentality that they were going to win the game down two possessions late in the fourth quarter. Washington State could not stop the Ducks  even when the game was on the line, and this is something fans can be very excited for as this unit showed how determined they all were the whole game.

Even with a few minor errors for the Ducks, the offense had no problem getting the ball where it needed to be. Nix didn't look rattled even after throwing a late pick six. He continues to lead this offense week in and week out and showed why he earned the title of QB1. In four games Nix is 95/132 for 1,100 yards and ten touchdowns against three interceptions.

The Oregon offense shouldn't slow down as the season continues. This game showed why this unit is the focal point of the program.

2. The Ducks kept fighting through adversity

The fourth quarter had fans on both sides on their feet with Oregon looking to make their comeback a reality while the Cougars held the lead the whole game. Through it all the Ducks never wavered and stepped up when it mattered most.

The offense moved down the field easily in their last possession in the fourth quarter, finishing with a touchdown to Cam McCormick to make it a five-point game with 3:48 left. The defense gave the Ducks another opportunity to take the lead with just under three minutes left and capitalized. 

Not only that, but the defense sealed the deal by intercepting Ward on a play that had been torching the Ducks all game. The defense had every opportunity to stop the Cougar offense, and even though there were calls that moved the ball up for Washington State, you could see the fight they all had until the very end.

3. The defense needs to find their identity early

The defense had looked lights out the previous two games and improved since playing Georgia. Saturday's game showed some spurts of week 1 as the defense struggled early on against the Cougars' tempo.

Though this unit specifically sealed the game for the Ducks with a Mase Funa pick-six, they still need some improvement, especially early on in the game.

With the offense struggling in the red zone in the first half, the defense had to keep Washington State out of the end zone, which looked as if they made their adjustments in the second half. Oregon’s defense has struggled early on the past few years and that's something that Lanning and Tosh Lupoi need to get fixed.

The coverage in the secondary still struggled against the pass. Cameron Ward was 37/48 passing for 375 yards with two touchdowns against two interceptions. The Ducks have allowed 1,206 yards in four games through the air. Fixing this issue defensively would put the Ducks in better situations for their offense to get more points on the board, which was something they needed in this game. 

4. Offense struggles in the red zone

The Oregon offense had the chance to take the lead on multiple occasions as they frequently entered the red zone. Whether it was play-calling or execution, the Ducks couldn't find their way into the end zone on their first four attempts. Three resulted in field goals and one trip resulted in a 96-yard pick six for the Cougars.

Kenny Dillingham prides himself on his offensive scheme, as they can be flashy yet straightforward. However, the Ducks seemed to try more of that flashy stuff when they entered the red zone, which didn't work.

In the previous two games the offense made a big impact in the red zone whether it was running up the middle or hitting Terrance Ferguson in the end zone. Washington State sniffed out the movements and schemes that the Ducks tried to use against them on almost every red zone series.

The game itself could've gone in a different direction early on and is something the Ducks will need to approve on in the coming weeks if they want to make that first statement with early touchdowns.

5. Missed tackles make a return for the Ducks

Missed tackles kept piling up for Oregon the entire game. Washington State’s offense is schemed to be up-tempo and to keep you guessing.

Oregon struggled to keep up with the tempo as far as getting adjusted and bringing down the ball carrier. However, the secondary made phenomenal one-on-one tackles in open space that helped the Ducks out as the game wore on.

Being a consistent unit is what this defense needs and having multiple missed tackles against talented teams will not take any program far in the season. Lanning talked about his team having worked on this issue a few weeks ago and fans can expect the same work to be done this upcoming week.

Oregon got their first conference win of the season and will have a long journey ahead of them as they move week to week and work for a return to the Pac-12 title game in Vegas. This upcoming week the Ducks will be back at home under the lights for a late 8 PM game against the Stanford Cardinal. 

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