Oregon took care of business last Saturday, defeating their rival Oregon State 49-14 in Corvallis. The Ducks had two close calls the previous two weeks, defeating Idaho and Boise State by a combined 13 points.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel was a big reason for its win over the Beavers. The Oklahoma transfer even earned praise from FOX Sports college football commentator Joel Klatt.
“Dillon Gabriel against Oregon State was phenomenal,” Klatt said on “The Joel Klatt Show.” “This is the quarterback that they all dreamed of, that they thought they had, that they celebrated that they got in the offseason when he transferred to Oregon. He was incredible as far as his efficiency and accuracy down the field.”
"That was dominant. That's what we expected to see out of Oregon." 🙌
— The Joel Klatt Show: A CFB Pod (@JoelKlattShow) September 17, 2024
The Ducks corrected the drift, and they were dominant in week 3. @joelklatt is here to share that Oregon is back 🦆 pic.twitter.com/YbLVKblrxP
Gabriel sure lived up to his preseason Heisman Trophy favorite hype in this one, completing 20 of 24 passes for 291 yards and two touchdowns. The Oregon State secondary could not stop his go-to target, Tez Johnson, as he had seven catches for 110 yards.
The Ducks’ running game was also a huge reason for this blowout victory. Jordan James made the most of his 12 carries, racking up 86 yards while finding the endzone twice. Fellow running back Noah Whittington, along with Gabriel, scored a touchdown in this one as well.
Oregon will have this week off before facing a familiar foe: former Pac-12 opponent UCLA. The Bruins are struggling right now, coming off two poor performances vs. Hawaii and Indiana, so the Ducks have the opportunity to keep their offense humming once again.
