After having some time to reflect on Oregon’s late-night victory over UCLA at the Rose Bowl, I still walk away with mixed feelings. The Ducks are 4-0, and their last two games have seen them outscore opponents 83-27. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel hasn’t been sacked in the last 10 quarters following the offensive line’s shaky start, and Oregon now holds the No. 6 spot in the AP Poll. On paper, everything looks great—so why am I not completely confident?
Perhaps my uncertainty stems from the level of competition Oregon has faced thus far. The win over an unranked UCLA came in front of a less-than-half-full Rose Bowl, just after a thrilling, high-stakes showdown between Alabama and Georgia in a packed stadium. That game featured huge plays and a late-game battle between two Heisman-caliber quarterbacks. In comparison, Oregon’s matchup felt lackluster, almost routine.
Frustration also arises from the Ducks’ offensive strategy, which has leaned heavily on lateral passes to the sidelines. Gabriel is frequently getting the ball out quickly to his playmakers, letting them try to create yards after the catch. This has led to a dearth of intermediate passes. In the UCLA game, Gabriel attempted 41 passes, 31 of which were either behind, at, or within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. The intermediate passing game is virtually non-existent, with Gabriel attempting only five passes between 10-20 yards. Yet when the Ducks do take deep shots, big plays happen, which raises the question: Why not stretch the field more?
The game felt like it was over early, with Oregon up 28-3 before halftime. But a poorly placed goal-line pass from Gabriel to a slipping Tez Johnson was intercepted and returned nearly 100 yards for a UCLA touchdown. After the break, Oregon seemed content to play conservatively, grinding the clock instead of keeping their foot on the gas. Their first two drives of the second half were run-heavy and resulted in only 27 total yards over nine plays, ending in punts.
Adding to the uneasy feeling, Oregon’s kicking woes persisted with a missed extra point and a kickoff out of bounds. Meanwhile, the defense softened in the second half, allowing several big runs. At one point, the Ducks’ lead was down to just eight points, and UCLA was one fluke play away from flipping the game. It wasn’t until later that Oregon pulled away for good.
The silver lining? Oregon is still winning comfortably, even though they haven’t yet hit their full potential. Fans might find comfort in that, but looming ahead is a massive test against Ohio State in two weeks. With Michigan State up next, it’s crucial that Oregon sharpens all aspects of their game before that showdown in Eugene.
As head coach Dan Lanning often says, “Oregon’s going to go to the doctor.” Even after a big win, there’s always room for improvement. Hopefully, we’ll see a more complete performance next weekend, as the Ducks have their last tune-up before facing the Buckeyes.
