Somebody check for a pulse. In the Grateful Dead game the Ducks started like were on a bad acid trip, a series of bobbles, drops, miscues and missed blocks. Their first 12 offensive plays produced a net total of three yards.
Oregon opened with an onside kick, recovered by Na'eem Offord. It proved wasted as Kenyon Sadiq dropped a screen pass and Dante Moore was dropped for a nine-yard loss on 4th and 2.
The Badgers took over at their own 44 but went three and out. Gary Bryant handled the ball securely and the Ducks took over at their 17.
The Ducks looked sluggish. They made one first down before Jordon Davison got tripped up on yet another screen, then Isaiah World got beat off the line and gave up another sack on third down. The Ducks had to kick it away, starting the game with two possessions that yielded 0 net yards on offense.
The linebackers got washed on a first down run that went for 8 yards off left tackle. The tight end bobbled a second down pass as he went out of bounds. On 3rd and 2, the Ducks stopped a run to the left side with a favorable spot. On 4th down, a butt fumble resulted in a turnover on downs.
A reverse to Benson kept the offense in the negative. Yet another screen pass, broken up. A checkdown over the middle got only seven on third and 14, three and out.
James Ferguson-Reynolds got the Ducks some life with a line drive punt that bounded down to the 1. Special teams were the only part of the team executing with any energy.
Teitum Tuioti knifed in to stuff a first down running play Gideon Ituka just barely escaping the end zone. On second down Ituka pierced the middle for 7 yards. Simmons rolled right on third and three, finding Vinny Anthony II for a first down.
The Badgers worked the ball out to the 31 with two first downs. The visitors had outgained Oregon 46-3 after Cade Yacamelli pushed up the soft middle for six. On third and 4, Dillon Thieneman broke up a pass and nearly picked it.
Oregon started their fourth possession, and they still hadn't thrown a pass more than eight yards downfield or run the ball for more than three yards on any play.
Finally on 3rd and 10 Dante Moore hit Jeremiah McClellan over the middle for 20 yards and a first down. Noah Whittington followed that with a run up the middle for -2. Linebacker Darryl Peterson shot the gap.
Yet another screen got batted away. Moore missed Dakorien Moore high on 3rd and 12, still 0-0 at the end of the quarter. As crisp as Oregon had looked at Rutgers, they looked to be in a stupor in a quiet Autzen Stadium, in no way a playoff a team.