FINAL: Oregon Ducks Beat Michigan Wolverines in 'Historic' Big House, Says Dillon Gabriel

'The No. 1 Oregon Ducks stay on top of the college football after taking down the Michigan Wolverines in the "Big House" for the first time since the Ducks' historic win in 2007.

Nov 2, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach on the sideline in the first half against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Still sitting at the top of the college football food chain, the No. 1 Oregon Ducks took their third flight this season for their second Big Ten Conference road game against the unranked Michigan Wolverines and won 38-17. This match up is a long time coming, as the last time the Oregon Ducks entered the “Big House” in 2007, their 39-7 win became a historic game for the program. Though Oregon faced some adversity through a few key injuries, the Ducks were still able to dominate.

A highlight for the Ducks was their ability to rebound after senior star wide receiver Tez Johnson left for the lockerroom with an apparent right upper body injury during the first quarter. After a following botched punt return attempt led to Michigan's first points of the game, the Ducks were able to use their "next man up" mentality with Evan Stewart coming in on special teams and Traeshon Holden picking up targets at wide receiver.

“Next man up," Oregon coach Dan Lanning said to CBS Sports while going to the locker room for halftime. "I thought they’ve executed really well excluding one drive where they had some tough field position. Drive the ball, I’m really proud of the way they performed so far.”

"Just proud of him, the way he worked," said quarterback Dillon Gabriel about Holden postgame to CBS Sports. "You know, he’s gone through adversity, but I just love the way he responds. He’s a damn good kid and works his butt off, so I don’t think you can say anymore, he just a guy you can respect."

Gabriel had some incompletions here and there, but stepped up when it mattered with the Ducks going 5-5 in the redzone. Gabriel was 22-34 in the passing game with 294 yards. Gabriel was also the third highest rusher on the Ducks' team with 23 yards off three attempts and one touchdown at the end of the first half.

"Man it’s historic," Gabriel said. "Michigan’s a great team, they played their butt off, but just proud of our guys. The way they continued to respond and keep playing through ups and downs. I think all three phases coming together, it’s important."

Jordan James continued to carry the ground game for the Ducks. The senior picked up 117 yards off 23 attempts and scored a 2-yard touchdown with mere seconds left in the game.

However, the biggest shining spot for the Ducks in their takedown of the Wolverines was their defense. Former Michigan State Spartan Derrick Harmon set the tone for this match up with a yards for loss tackle on the first offensive play for the Wolverines. Harmon picked up one tackle for loss, one quarterback hurry, and one pass breakup on top of four total tackles. Kobe Savage and Bryce Boettcher led the team in tackles with seven a piece. Seven Ducks contributed to seven tackles for loss. Oregon's defense at times practically turned off the offensive momentum for the Wolverines.

"We got a good team that continues to get better and better every single week, and I still see a lot of things that we can improve, and I know we’re excited to go attack it," Lanning said. "Just our resiliency. We faced some adversity there, early in the game. For nobody to even flinch or blink and then go ahead and say, ‘Hey the next play’s the most important.’ I saw that consistently show up tonight."

Look below for a rundown of the game. The latest updates lie at the top of the article.

Oregon football players celebrate with seconds to go as the win Michigan at the Big House becomes certain in 2007. / Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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OREGON WINS: OREGON 38, MICHIGAN 17

Q4 00:09: On their last play of the game, Donovan Edwards of Michigan rushes for 6-yards and is shut down by Bryce Boettcher and Keyon Ware-Hudson.

OREGON 38, MICHIGAN 17

Q4 00:26 OREGON SCORES: Jordan James rushes for a 2-yard Oregon touchdown. Kick is good, and a Michigan offsides penalty is declined.

Q4 01:11: Oregon calls a timeout.

Q4: Marcus Harper II done for the day with a left knee injury.

Q4 02:18: Jordan James follows up a loss with a 13-yard first down. 2-minute timeout is enacted.

Q4 03:03: Jordan James is tackled for a 1-yard loss.

Q4 03:57: Dillon Gabriel passes deep to Traeshon Holden for a 47-yard first down.

Q4 07:29: Alex Orji and Michigan aren't able to seal the deal in the red zone. Oregon takes over on downs. Michigan is 0-1 on fourth down conversions.

Q4 09:51: Michigan's Alex Orji rushes for 29-yards and a Michigan first down.

Q4 12:27: After continuing to get hurried by Michigan defenders, Oregon punts on downs. Kawika Rogers is currently in for Marcus Harper at right guard.

Q4 12:38: Nishad Strother called for a false start 5-yard penalty. Marcus Harper II is down on the field.

Q4 14:57: Davis Warren passes to Colston Loveland. There's a challenge from Michigan on whether the pass was incomplete or not. Play is confirmed. Michigan punts.

FOURTH QUARTER

OREGON 31, MICHIGAN 17

Q3 00:39 OREGON SCORES: Oregon settles for a field goal after not converting on third down. Oregon is 7-11 on third downs. Atticus Sappington sinks a 26-yard field goal.

Q3 02:03: Dillon Gabriel rushes but is tackled for a 3-yard loss by Derrick Moore.

Q3 02:28: Michigan gets a penalty for illegal substitution for a 5-yard gain for Oregon.

Q3 03:28: Timeout Michigan.

Q3 04:39: Michigan's Trey Pierce called for a Illegal formation penalty. 5 yards on the penalty and a first down for the Ducks.

Q3 04:39: Ducks punt on downs after Dillon Gabriel throws some incompletes. Gabriel is currently 18-27 with 225 passing yards so far this game. Michigan's ball.

Q3 05:35: After hurrying Dillon Gabriel, Josaiah Stewart is down with an injury for Michigan. He walks off under his own power.

OREGON 28, MICHIGAN 17

Q3 07:13 MICHIGAN SCORES: Davis Warren passes to Peyton O'Leary for a 6-yard touchdown pass. Extra point is good.

Q3 10:09: Jestin Jacobs takes down Donovan Edwards for a 4-yard loss for Michigan.

Q3 13:52: After not being able to get momentum going, Oregon punts.

Q3 14:34: Dillon Gabriel throws an incomplete pass after being hurried by Derrick Moore.

THIRD QUARTER

HALFTIME

OREGON 28, MICHIGAN 10

Q2 00:39 OREGON SCORES: Dillon Gabriel rushes for 23-yards and a touchdown. Gabriel currently has the second highest amount of rushing yards for the Duck team. Kick is good.

Q2 00:45: Oregon calls a timeout.

Q2 01:25: Dillon Gabriel deep passes to Evan Stewart for a touchdown but Marcus Harper II is called a penalty for illegal man downfield.

OREGON 21, MICHIGAN 10

Q2 01:53 MICHIGAN SCORES: After a 1-yard loss on a rush by Kalel Mullings brought down by Jeffrey Bassa and an incompletion by Davis Warren, Michigan settles for a 38-yard field goal.

Q2 02:10: After a long pass by Davis Warren, Alex Orji is swapped in at quarterback and hurried by Derrick Harmon, leading to an incompletion.

OREGON 21, MICHIGAN 7

Q2 04:23 OREGON SCORES: After a 38-yard pass from Dillon Gabriel to Traeshon Holden to get within goal range, Noah Whittington rushes for 6-yards to get his fourth Oregon touchdown of the season. Andrew Boyle kick is good.

Q2 09:07: After two more plays, Michigan can't convert and is forced to punt. Oregon's ball.

Q2 10:37: Michigan's Davis Warren's pass is complete to Colston Loveland who's tackled by Nikko Reed for a loss of 3-yards.

Q2 10:49: After several missed passes to Evan Stewart from Dillon Gabriel, Oregon is forced to punt. Michigan starts with the ball on the Ducks 47-yard line.

Q2 11:42: Michigan is forced to punt. Oregon's ball.

OREGON 14, MICHIGAN 7

Q2 14:30 OREGON SCORES: Noah Whittington rushes for a 1-yard touchdown. Sappington extra point attempt is good.

SECOND QUARTER

Q1 00:23: Michigan's Josaiah Stewart called for roughing the passer - 15-yard penalty and automatic first down for the Ducks.

OREGON 7, MICHIGAN 7

Q1 01:36 MICHIGAN SCORES: Davis Warren passes to Tyler Morris for a 7-yard Michigan touchdown. Kick is good.

Q1 04:50: On the punt return, Oregon's Ryan Pellum is hit, fumbles, and Michigan recovers the ball.

OREGON 7, MICHIGAN 0

Q1 06:55 OREGON SCORES: Dillon Gabriel throws a 2-yard ball to Evan Stewart who catches in heavy coverage. Oregon's first scoring drive is 12 plays for 63 yards. Kick by Atticus Sappington is good.

Q1: Tez Johnson is going to the lockerroom with a right shoulder injury.

Q1 12:42: Dillon Gabriel passes to Tez Johnson for a first down. It appears as if Johnson is injured and is off the field.

Q1 13:27: Michigan forced to punt. Jeffrey Persei, offensive tackle for Michigan, is helped off the field with an injury.

Q1 14:53: Donovan Edwards rushes but is taken down for a loss of 5-yards by former Michigan State Spartan turned Oregon Duck Derrick Harmon.

FIRST QUARTER

PREGAME: The Ducks claim tails and win the coin toss. The Ducks defer to the second half.

PREGAME: Terrance Ferguson and Jordan Burch are participating in warmups.

INJURY REPORT

Oregon

OUT

2 Gary Bryant Jr.
6 Jahlil Florence
14 Khamari Terrell
17 Kyler Kasper
77 Matthew Bedford
93 My’Keil Gardner

QUESTIONABLE

none

Michigan

OUT

1 Amorion Walker
2 Will Johnson
3 Jaden Mangham
4 Micah Pollard
9 Rod Moore
20 Jyaire Hill
40 Christian Boivin
75 Andrew Gentry (season)

QUESTIONABLE

23 Jordan Marshall
26 Rayshaun Benny
41 Bryson Kuzdzal

PREGAME

The Ducks and the Wolverines have faced each other five times in 1948 (Oregon loss), 1960 (Oregon loss), 1973 (Oregon loss), 2003 (Oregon win), and 2007 (Oregon win). Oregon has only won one of the four games played in Ann Arbor over the years.

Arguably, the most iconic win for Oregon against the Wolverines came in 2007 when the Oregon Ducks beat Michigan at the "Big House" 39-7. During that game, then offensive coordinator soon to be former Duck coach Chip Kelly called the famous "Statue of Liberty" play fake in which former Duck quarterback Dennis Dixon faked a behind the back hand-off to Jonathan Stewart before keeping the ball and rushing for a touchdown.

Stewart spoke to KOIN 6 Sports’ and Oregon Ducks on Sports Illustrated’s Ally Osborne earlier in the year about this play when discussing his “Ducks of a Feather” podcast with co-host and fellow former Duck Kenjon Barner.

“Yeah, those are plays that you guys see in movies, backyard football,” Stewart said. “And you're like, That will never work in a game, maybe like a high school game, but you know, on the national level like that? The guts to go on to Ann Arbor and call that play. It was a testament to who we really were and just the amount of trust [Chip Kelly] had in his players. We were prepared. We ran that play all like every practice, just about. And we just and it was just always like, ‘Hey, practice like you want to run it.’ You never know when you have to run it. And sometimes with those plays you can get goofy and just kind of go through the motions and what not. But he called that play on work to perfection.”

The Ducks are wearing all-white "Warp Speed" uniforms for this contest in honor of the historic 2007 win. This uniform is apart of Oregon's "Generation O" 2024 uniform line. Mirroring the previously released “Fly Era” uniforms, the shoulder pads contain a combination of carbon fiber wings and steel plating from Oregon uniforms of old. Details of silver and chrome run throughout the uniform. The number in the center is perforated, with a color changing green base, made to represent the head of a mallard duck.

Coming off a definitive 38-9 beatdown of the Illinois Fighting Illini at home, the Ducks have seemingly worked out all the kinks that plagued them at the start of the season. Dillon Gabriel went 18-26 and picked up 291 yards in the passing game against Illinois, and is right at home in a short-pass heavy Oregon offense. Senior Jordan James continues to pave the way on the ground for the Ducks, with a now cohesive offensive line held together by center Iapani "Poncho" Lalolou and strong performances from left guard Nishad Strother and Marcus Harper II.

On the defensive side for the Ducks, it seems like the defensive line is unstoppable with former Michigan State Spartan Derrick Harmon. The Ducks held the Fighting Illini 0-3 on fourth downs and 5-13 on third downs, while limiting their total offensive yardage to 293 total yards and snatching three sacks.

Michigan is currently in a rebuilding year after their national championship title win. Former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh exited the program, leaving Sherrone Moore in charge of a team with 20+ exiting transfers and senior. After constant shifting at quarterback and the recent medical retirement of Jack Tuttle, yet another shift at quarterback to now starter Davis Warren has the Wolverines playing catch-up.

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