Oregon vs. Oregon State score: Ducks dominate Beavers, set up Washington rematch in Pac-12 Championship Game

Two teams departing for the Big Ten next season will be playing for the final Pac-12 title next weekend

No. 6 Oregon punched its ticket to the Pac-12 Championship Game with a 31-7 win over rival No. 16 Friday in what will be the final regular season game in the Pac-12 for the Ducks. It could also be the final game between these in-state rivals for a long time.

It was a game that was every bit as lopsided as the score suggests, and possibly more so. Oregon set the tone from the start, going 88 yards on a 15-play touchdown drive to start the game that lasted 8 minutes and 41 seconds. It was the first of many long, soul-sucking, time-killing drives by the Ducks. Oregon had no use for its punter until it'd already built a 31-7 lead in the fourth quarter.

Bo Nix turned in a masterful performance as he finished with 367 yards passing, 31 yards rushing and three total touchdowns. It was the kind of performance sure to help his Heisman Trophy candidacy.

• Oregon outgained Oregon State 480 yards to 273 in the game and averaged 7.1 yards per play.
• The Ducks had two receivers finish with at least 100 yards receiving. Tez Johnson caught 11 passes for 137 yards and Troy Franklin had nine catches for 128 yards and a touchdown.
• This is Oregon's eighth straight win at Autzen Stadium against Oregon State. The last loss came in 2007 in a 38-31 Beavers win.
• Oregon State finished with only 53 yards rushing as a team, averaging 2.2 yards per carry.
• The final Pac-12 Championship Game will be between Oregon and Washington, both of whom are leaving for the Big Ten next season.
• Reports surfaced roughly an hour before kickoff that Oregon State coach Jonathan Smith is expected to take the Michigan State job.

[Nov 24, 2023 at 11:53 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Bo Nix and the offense are great, but the defense deserves credit too

It's no secret what Oregon State wants to do, and what it needs to do to be successful. It's a team that runs the rock with D.J. Uiagalelei and Damien Martinez. Oregon set out to stop that ground attack tonight, and it did so. Martinez came into the game averaging 104.3 yards per game and 6.3 yards per carry. The Ducks held him to 38 yards and 2.9 per carry. Uiagalelei rushed for only 13 yards. By taking away the ground game, the Ducks forced Uiagalelei to beat them with his arm, and he's never been able to do that consistently. He hit a few throws, but missed plenty as well.

[Nov 24, 2023 at 11:50 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Oregon State's defense did what it wanted, but it didn't matter

It was clear what Oregon State's plan was defensively: take away the explosive plays that Oregon has been phenomenal at producing all season. Instead, force Oregon to go a few yards at a time and put together long, sustained drives to get points. And it worked! Oregon finished the evening with only three plays of 20 yards or more.

The problem is that in order for this plan to work, you need to get off the field on third and fourth down. That's the part of the plan Oregon State couldn't execute defensively. The Ducks converted five of their 11 third-down attempts, and while they finished with an average distance needed of 7.7 yards, both those numbers were skewed heavily by a couple of late possessions in garbage time. For the first three quarters Oregon was consistently in third-and-short or third-and-medium. And Bo Nix thrived in these spots, completing 9 of his 10 pass attempts for 94 yards.

The Ducks also went for it on fourth down twice and converted both times. Compare those numbers to Oregon State, who was 3-for-11 on third down and 2-for-6 on fourth. There were a lot of areas where Oregon beat Oregon State tonight, but third and fourth down may have been the biggest killers of them all.

[Nov 24, 2023 at 11:46 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Oregon might be the second-best team in the country

I know the Ducks are ranked No. 6, and they do not deserve to be ranked higher than that. There are five undefeated teams and one of them beat Oregon. However, there's a difference between where a team deserves to be ranked and how it's currently playing, and when I see the Ducks, I see a team that could be the second-best team in the country right now.

Georgia is, without question, the best. They are the most complete team in the nation, and I'd pick them to win the national title right now 99 times out of 100. The 100th time would be a joke. All that said, Oregon is the second-most complete team. While it isn't as elite defensively as Ohio State or Michigan, it is not a bad defense. When it's giving up yards and points, it's typically doing so against great offenses. If you aren't great, this Oregon defense gets stops.

As for the offense, this team has numerous ways to beat you. They can go with short passes and rack up yards after the catch, or they can push the ball further down the field. Then there's the run game behind one of the best offensive lines in the country.

Whatever the game calls for, Oregon can do it. We saw it here tonight, and we've seen it all season long. This is not a team I want to face right now.

[Nov 24, 2023 at 11:41 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

FINAL: Oregon 31, Oregon State 7

The Ducks are going to Vegas.

[Nov 24, 2023 at 11:28 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

It's another turnover on downs

This one is more out of desperation as the Beavers go for it on fourth-and-17 and DJU's pass is batted down at the line of scrimmage. We're just waiting until this one is official, folks. 

[Nov 24, 2023 at 11:20 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Oregon punts for the first time tonight

For those who were wondering if Oregon has a punter, it does. His name is Ross James and he was just called on for the first time tonight after the Ducks offense got put into a third-and-long situation for the first time all night.

Oregon State starts at its 8-yard line following the punt.

[Nov 24, 2023 at 11:11 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Oregon State turns it over

After completing a third down with his legs, DJ Uiagelelei launches a ball toward Anthony Gould in the end zone but it's picked off by Dontae Manning. That's Oregon State's first official turnover of the night, but if you included turnovers on downs, it's the third.

[Nov 24, 2023 at 11:07 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

It's 31-7 Oregon

Jordan James follows the big boys into the end zone from a yard out for a touchdown to cap off a 12-play, 82-yard drive to make it 31-7.

I'm not sure what else there is to add at this point. That's Oregon's second touchdown drive to feature at least 12 plays and cover more than 80 yards tonight. Oregon State has done a great job of taking away the explosive plays, and it hasn't mattered. The Ducks are doing the football equivalent of hitting singles and moving runners along.

[Nov 24, 2023 at 11:01 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

END 3Q: Oregon 24, Oregon State 7

The Oregon Ducks are in firm control, leading Oregon State 24-7 after three quarters at Autzen Stadium, and on the verge of adding to their lead.

Outside of one long drive by the Beavers in the second quarter, this has been a game dominated by the Ducks. They've had the ball for nearly 27 minutes, and have outgained Oregon State 421 yards to 164. It's also been an excellent addition to Bo Nix's Heisman campaign, as he's thrown for 314 yards and 2 touchdowns while rushing for an additional yards and a 16-yard touchdown run.

Both Tez Johnson (10 catches, 127 yards) and Troy Franlkin (9 catches, 128 yards) have crossed the 100-yard barrier receiving. Meanwhile, nobody on Oregon State has done much of anything, as Damien Martinez has been held to 30 yards rushing on 11 carries as the Beavers are averaging only 2.3 yards per carry as a team.

It feels like we're 15 minutes away from Oregon clinching a rematch against Washington in Las Vegas next week.

[Nov 24, 2023 at 10:49 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

The Ducks force a 3 & out

Lot of game left to play and so on, but I'm sorry, I just don't have the sense the Beavers will be able to fight their way back into this. They can't run the ball and they can't provide DJU time in the pocket. Every play they make on offense feels like they got away with something.

I don't think it's in the cards tonight. Oregon is roughly 20 minutes of game time away from clinching a Pac-12 Championship appearance.

[Nov 24, 2023 at 10:44 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Oregon is held to a field goal

It looked as if the Ducks were about to make it 28-7 pretty easily, but the Oregon State defense holds in the red zone, as a Bo Nix pass on third down comes up short of its target. The 25-yard boot capes off an 8-play, 64-yard drive, and it's 24-7 Ducks with 6:01 left in the third.

Again, it seems like good news for the Beavers, but that ignores the warning signs. Oregon has had five possessions tonight and it has reached the red zone on all five of them. One ended with a missed FG. The Beavers aren't getting stops as much as Oregon's failing to finish. It's going to be hard to pull off a comeback relying on the Ducks to screw up.

[Nov 24, 2023 at 10:36 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Another turnover on downs for Oregon State

The review allows them to keep the ball, but the Beavers can't go anywhere on third down, leaving them with a fourth-and-2 at the Oregon 29. DJ Uiagalelei hardly has time to take a breath after catching the snap before he has Oregon's Brandon Dorlus and Jeffrey Bassa in his face. He gets off a weak attempt at a pass, but it goes nowhere and falls incomplete. A nine-play, 60-yard drive ends with nothing.

Oregon will get the ball for the first time in the second half with a chance to drop an anvil on the Beavers' heads.

[Nov 24, 2023 at 10:31 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

We've got a big review coming here

Oregon State has a nice drive going to start the second half, but as Damien Martinez was being tackled, he had the ball stripped from his arms by the Ducks. He was ruled down originally, but they're taking another look at it, and it's going to be close.

UPDATE: Call stands. Oregon State ball. Not enough evidence to overturn.

[Nov 24, 2023 at 10:06 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

HALFTIME: Oregon 21, Oregon State 7

What an incredible half of football we've seen at Autzen Stadium already. Oregon leads Oregon State 21-7 and may have delivered the knockout blow just before halftime.

The Ducks dominated the first 23 minutes of the game, scoring two on two clock-melting touchdown drives to take a 14-0 lead. That's when Oregon State rallied to put together a long touchdown drive of its own to cut the lead to 14-7 with 48 seconds left in the half. With the Beavers getting the ball to start the third quarter it felt like a monumental touchdown, so long as they could stop the Ducks from scoring again before the half.

They didn't. Oregon marched 80 yards in 40 seconds to go right back up by 14 points after Bo Nix found Troy Franklin for a 40-yard touchdown. Nix completed 18-of-22 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. He also rushed for a third. Nix has 218 total yards on his own while Oregon State has 95 yards as a team.

The Ducks have four possessions so far. All have lasted at least five plays and covered at least 55 yards. It's only a 14-point game, but honestly, it doesn't feel nearly as close.

Oregon State's opening possession of the second half will be a crucial one for both teams.

[Nov 24, 2023 at 10:01 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Oh. My. Goodness.

Remember how I said at the end of the last update that Oregon State needed to get a stop before half? Well, they didn't. The Ducks offense just went 78 yards in five plays in 40 seconds with Bo Nix lofting up a 40-yard touchdown pass to Troy Franklin while on the run. Franklin makes the grab, shakes the defender and waltzes into the end zone.

What a momentum swing in the final minute. Just when it looked like Oregon State had gotten back into the game Oregon pulled the rug out from beneath it.

[Nov 24, 2023 at 9:57 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Oregon State is on the board

That's the drive the Beavers desperately needed. A 15-play, 80-yard drive capped off with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Silas Bolden to make this a 14-7 game.

It was a drive helped along by a personal foul on Oregon for a suplex on a tackle, but more than anything, Oregon State didn't make the costly mistakes this time. They had a false start but overcame it, and converted a fourth-and-1 inside the red zone to keep the drive alive.

Getting the points was the most important part of the drive, obviously, but allowing their defense to get some rest was a big win for the Beavers as well. They'd been on the field for nearly the entire half, and now get a long rest just before halftime.

Of course, they've still got to stop Oregon before halftime.

[Nov 24, 2023 at 9:52 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Not legal, but cool imo

[Nov 24, 2023 at 9:42 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Another false start in short yardage for the Beavers

This time it's on a third-and-1 instead of fourth-and-1. Don't let anybody ever tell you that a loud crowd doesn't have an impact on a game, because we've seen multiple instances of it already tonight. The good news for the Beavers is they picked up a first down on the next play.

[Nov 24, 2023 at 9:39 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Oregon State gets its first stop...sorta

Oregon State is still struggling to stop the Ducks, as Oregon puts together a 12-play, 62-yard drive that takes another 6 minutes off the clock. That's the bad news. The good news is Camden Lewis' 34-yard field goal attempt sails well right of the uprights and is no good.

So we still have a two-score game here, but man, Oregon is grinding this game to dust. The Ducks have now had the ball for 18 minutes compared to Oregon State's 5:30. They're averaging 6.3 yards per play to Oregon State's 3.3. They have 213 yards to Oregon State's 26.

It has been an extremely one-sided game, as Oregon has been the only team to get stops tonight. Both Oregon State, and itself.

[Nov 24, 2023 at 9:27 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

It's three-and-out for the Beavers

DJU launches a deep ball on second down that's broken up. Oregon State fans definitely think there was pass interference. Oregon fans believe it was perfect defense. The refs side with Oregon. The result is an Oregon State punt that gives the Ducks the ball at the UO22 with 12:38 left in the first half.

If ever there was a time for the Oregon State defense to force a turnover, or just get a quick stop, this is it. Autzen is alive, and there hasn't been a single reason for any Ducks fan in attendance to quiet down. The Beavers need to give them one.

[Nov 24, 2023 at 9:21 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Another touchdown for the Ducks

There's a lot of game left to be played, but it's been all Ducks early on. While not as long as the first, Oregon's second possession has the same result. Bo Nix keeps it and goes untouched around the left edge for a 16-yard touchdown run to make it 14-0 Ducks. It was an 8-play, 58-yard drive.

Oregon has had the ball for nearly 12 of the 16 minutes of game time that have been played. It already feels like the Beavers are in a must-score position.

[Nov 24, 2023 at 9:16 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

End 1st: Oregon 7, Oregon State 0

The Ducks hold a 7-0 lead after a first quarter that felt like it lasted five minutes. So far, this rivalry showdown has been a tale of fourth downs. Oregon went for it on fourth-and-1 on its opening drive, converted and went on to score a touchdown. After Oregon State marched into Oregon territory, it went for it on fourth-and-1 but committed a false start to back them up 5 yards. The pass on the ensuing play fell incomplete.

Now we start the second quarter with Oregon deep in Beavers territory and threatening to make it a two-score game already. The Ducks have been the much more impressive team so far with 118 offensive yards to Oregon State's 20. Bo Nix is already 8-of-9 passing for 68 yard and a touchdown, while Bucky Irving has 44 total yards and a score. 

[Nov 24, 2023 at 9:07 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Drive killed by a false start

Oregon State finds itself in a fourth-and-1 situation just like Oregon was, and lines up to go for it just like Oregon did. Unfortunately for the Beavers, there's a false start on the left tackle, putting the Beavers in fourth-and-6. The Beavers go for it anyway, and DJU's pass is high and incomplete. Turnover on downs.

[Nov 24, 2023 at 8:57 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

That's a helluva start for the Ducks

Oregon opens the game with a 15-play, 88-yard touchdown drive that melts 8:41 off the clock. Bo Nix was 5-for-5 for 50 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown pass to Bucky Irving to cap it all off.

It's an odd start to the game. There's no question Oregon State wants to take explosive plays away from the Ducks and force them to put together long drives, but there still didn't seem to be much resistance from the Beavers on the drive. Aside from stuffing Nix on a third down, Oregon didn't get chunk plays, but it had no problem getting nearly six yards per play.

Taking chunk plays away will be huge, but it'll be just as important to keep the Ducks out of third and short and fourth and short situations, because you know they'll be aggressive in this spots.

[Nov 24, 2023 at 8:53 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

The first fourth-down decision of the day

Oregon goes for it on fourth-and-1 at the Oregon State 36-yard line after failing on third-and-1. Nix is more successful on the second attempt, picking up the first down to keep this opening drive -- which has already taken up half the first quarter -- alive.

[Nov 24, 2023 at 8:45 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Early whistle

Oregon's Bucky Irving catches a swing pass and is tackled, or more accurately, it looks like he's tackled. The only part of Irving's body to touch the ground was his hand, but the refs blow the play dead, even after Irving continued on with what could've been a huge play for the Ducks.

[Nov 24, 2023 at 8:43 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

And we're underway!

Oregon starts with the ball at its 23 following a 12-yard kick return.

[Nov 24, 2023 at 8:22 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

This is personal