Oregon football finds early momentum in win vs Oregon State
The game between Oregon and Oregon State for years was known as the Civil War. Now, while the name has been ‘adjusted’ to the Rivalry Series, the game brings out the best in both teams. One player in particular showed up for the Ducks on Saturday.
Bo Nix.
The Oregon Heisman Trophy candidate was once again the best player on the field and continued to prove it with his arm. Nix was responsible for two touchdowns, including one on the ground. Just before halftime, Nix ran a :54 second drill that saw him escape the pocket, throw across his body and hit Troy Franklin for a strike. Franklin did the rest to make it 21-7 Oregon. The throw could have only been made by someone with as much experience as the Ducks QB.
Nix leads the NCAA in starts at the position and he has seen a lot of football. Once again, he was consistent completing 33 of 40 passes for 367 yards. He again completed better than 80 percent of the passes that left his hand. Tez Johnson and Troy Franklin both had 100-yard games for Oregon.
The ground game was led by Bucky Irving who had a hard fought 41 yards on 14 carries. Bo Nix had 6 carries for 31 yards on the ground. The final score was 31-7 as the fourth largest crowd in Autzen Stadium history watched what for now is the final game in the storied history between in-state rivals.
Looking ahead, Oregon State’s path forward is less clear. Along with Washington State, they will likely be a two-team conference for 2024. As it stands now, that is about all we know. No schedule has been released beyond potential bowl games for this season.
For Oregon, the victory over the Beavers means a rematch in Las Vegas in the Pac-12 Championship vs Washington on Friday.
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