Oregon Ducks, Purdue Officiating Called Into Question: Jordan James Touchdown
Did the Oregon Ducks somehow score three touchdowns on one drive vs. the Purdue Boilermakers?
Oregon coach Dan Lanning appeared upset on the sideline but the Ducks were able to overcome and beat the Purdue Boilermakers, 35-0, on Friday, Oct.18 at Ross–Ade Stadium.
Oregon running back Jordan James dove into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown to cap an 80-yard drive in the first quarter.
Third time was the charm for James, who appeared to score two other times without the officials calling the touchdown.
On second and goal, Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel connected with games on a 6-yard pass that was marked just short of the end zone. It appeared that James did catch the ball for the touchdown but after review, he was marked short at the one yard line.
Then, on third and goal, James attempted to punch the ball in from the one yard line. It was close, but after review, he was again marked short by one inch.
On fourth and goal, James finally scored a touchdown to the delight of Oregon fans. Many Ducks fans joked that James should get 18 points instead of 6 points for the touchdown.
To begin the drive, the Ducks showed great execution with some big plays from Kenyon Sadiq and Justius Lowe. Both young players saw increased playing time, as Oregon was without star tight end Terrance Ferguson vs. Purdue. Ferguson was out because he had to have his appendix removed but coach Lanning hopes to have him back soon.
James also got off to a hot start vs. the Boilermakers, scoring Oregon's first two touchdowns and leading the team in rushing. It's James' fifth-straight game with a rushing touchdown.
Oregon cruised to a 35-0 victory vs. Purdue in a game in which most of the second team saw the field for the final seven minutes. The win marked Oregon’s first shutout since 2012 against Arizona and its first road shutout since 1992 against Oregon State.
Coach Lanning raved about James after Oregon's 32-31 win over the Ohio State Buckeyes last week.
"Jordan man. He runs like he’s pissed off all the time, and we see it every day in practice," said Lanning after the victory. "Before the game started, he came up to me and said, ‘Coach, I got you’, right, and I know when he says that he meant it. And he took advantage of those opportunities he got today, and he’d be the first one to tell you the schematic advantages that coach (Will) Stein and the offensive staff created, the blocking that coach (A’lique) Terry’s group did."
The junior James has led the Ducks in carries and rushing yards in all six games, and he has rushed for 100-plus yards in each of the last three contests after carrying the ball 23 times for 115 yards and a touchdown last week vs. Ohio State.
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