Saturday, November 17
Eugene, Ore.
7:30 PM
University of Oregon
31
vs
29
Arizona State
Photo by: @EricEvansPhoto
Home, Sweet Home: Ducks Beat ASU
11/17/18 | Football
Oregon returned home from a tough stretch of road games to beat Arizona State on Senior Night on Saturday, 31-29.
EUGENE, Ore. — Justin Herbert, Dillon Mitchell, CJ Verdell and Travis Dye did the heavy lifting on offense, and Oregon's defense did its best to limit the damage from four UO turnovers as the Ducks won their 2018 home finale on Saturday, 31-29 before 50,483 fans in Autzen Stadium.
The Ducks improved to 7-4 on the season, matching their win total from 2017 with two games left to play. Oregon wraps up its regular season Friday at Oregon State, before moving on to a bowl game.
Verdell accounted for two touchdowns, Dye rushed for 105 yards, Mitchell caught four passes for 103 yards and a touchdown, and Herbert threw for 262 yards. But the Ducks also allowed 17 points off turnovers, and needed a strip-sack by La'Mar Winston Jr. late in the game to hold on for the win.
"We had some brilliant moments, but we had some where we shot ourselves in the foot," UO coach Mario Cristobal said. "... The passion our guys played with to close out Autzen for the '18 season, to play like that for the seniors, really proud."
That play capped a game in which the UO defense did admirable work. After the combination of Wilkins and N'Keal Harry did damage in ASU's win in the desert in 2017, UO cornerbacks Thomas Graham Jr. and Deommodore Lenoir accounted for nine pass breakups Saturday, and kept Harry out of the end zone despite seven receptions for 105 yards.
Oregon's defense also limited Arizona State to 3-of-17 on third down, with Gus Cumberlander contributing two sacks that forced punts by the Sun Devils. Troy Dye led the Ducks in tackles with 12.
"When you play that hard," Cristobal said, "the reward is, you win football games."
After a tough stretch of four games that included three on the road, Oregon was happy to be playing back home. The Ducks won the coin flip, opted to take the ball and marched 78 yards to the first of two touchdowns on the day by Verdell.
Verdell scored again early in the second quarter to make it 14-3, and a 57-yard pass play between Herbert and Mitchell made it 21-6. Arizona State capitalized on an interception to score with 50 seconds left in the first half, but Oregon answered with a rushing touchdown by Jaylon Redd just before halftime to put the Ducks up 28-13.
"When we have that kind of momentum going, it's hard to stop us," Cristobal said. "We just have to keep that going."
After a month of slow starts, the Ducks instead began to spin their wheels in the second half Saturday. The Sun Devils converted a muffed punt return into a touchdown early in the fourth quarter to get within 28-23, and Oregon could manage only a field goal in response for a 31-23 lead.
When ASU drove 10 plays to another touchdown, it was 31-29. But the Sun Devils' two-point attempt was a pass caught out of bounds, and Oregon was still clinging to a two-point lead.
Another interception gave Arizona State the chance to pull ahead. But Winston hit quarterback Manny Wilkins in the backfield, Cumberlander jumped on the fumble and Oregon was able to run out the clock.
The Ducks improved to 7-4 on the season, matching their win total from 2017 with two games left to play. Oregon wraps up its regular season Friday at Oregon State, before moving on to a bowl game.
Verdell accounted for two touchdowns, Dye rushed for 105 yards, Mitchell caught four passes for 103 yards and a touchdown, and Herbert threw for 262 yards. But the Ducks also allowed 17 points off turnovers, and needed a strip-sack by La'Mar Winston Jr. late in the game to hold on for the win.
"We had some brilliant moments, but we had some where we shot ourselves in the foot," UO coach Mario Cristobal said. "... The passion our guys played with to close out Autzen for the '18 season, to play like that for the seniors, really proud."
That play capped a game in which the UO defense did admirable work. After the combination of Wilkins and N'Keal Harry did damage in ASU's win in the desert in 2017, UO cornerbacks Thomas Graham Jr. and Deommodore Lenoir accounted for nine pass breakups Saturday, and kept Harry out of the end zone despite seven receptions for 105 yards.
Oregon's defense also limited Arizona State to 3-of-17 on third down, with Gus Cumberlander contributing two sacks that forced punts by the Sun Devils. Troy Dye led the Ducks in tackles with 12.
"When you play that hard," Cristobal said, "the reward is, you win football games."
After a tough stretch of four games that included three on the road, Oregon was happy to be playing back home. The Ducks won the coin flip, opted to take the ball and marched 78 yards to the first of two touchdowns on the day by Verdell.
Verdell scored again early in the second quarter to make it 14-3, and a 57-yard pass play between Herbert and Mitchell made it 21-6. Arizona State capitalized on an interception to score with 50 seconds left in the first half, but Oregon answered with a rushing touchdown by Jaylon Redd just before halftime to put the Ducks up 28-13.
"When we have that kind of momentum going, it's hard to stop us," Cristobal said. "We just have to keep that going."
After a month of slow starts, the Ducks instead began to spin their wheels in the second half Saturday. The Sun Devils converted a muffed punt return into a touchdown early in the fourth quarter to get within 28-23, and Oregon could manage only a field goal in response for a 31-23 lead.
When ASU drove 10 plays to another touchdown, it was 31-29. But the Sun Devils' two-point attempt was a pass caught out of bounds, and Oregon was still clinging to a two-point lead.
Another interception gave Arizona State the chance to pull ahead. But Winston hit quarterback Manny Wilkins in the backfield, Cumberlander jumped on the fumble and Oregon was able to run out the clock.
