UCLA at Oregon final score: No. 3 Ducks prevail 42-14
Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota completed a 13-yard pass to Keanon Lowe on their opening drive, but the wide receiver fumbled after the catch and No. 12 UCLA took over on the No. 3 Ducks 38-yard line.
Bruins’ quarterback Brett Hundley punched it in from four yards out after a 7-play drive and UCLA was the first on the board in a possible Pac-12 Championship game preview.
On their next possession, it appeared Oregon would turn the ball over on downs, but the Ducks fooled everyone with a fake punt and subsequent 66-yard run by linebacker Rodney Hardrick.
Running back De’Anthony Thomas drove it over the goal line from a yard out and Oregon tied it at 7.
Thomas was making his first start for the Ducks since going down with an ankle injury on the opening kickoff against California back on September 28th.
Neither team put it in the end zone again after the Oregon score at the 7:58 mark. After one quarter of play the game was even.
Running back Byron Marshall broke free and virtually untouched on a 40-yard TD run, capping off a 7 play, 68 yard drive that gave the Ducks their first lead at 14-7 with 13:10 left in the half.
UCLA responded with an 11-yard touchdown reception from Thomas Duarte on a pass from Hundley with 1:35 left in the second quarter.
Oregon kicker Alejandro Maldonado pushed a 37-yard field goal wide and the Ducks and Bruins went into halftime tied at 14.
Both teams exchanged punts on their first drives of the 2nd half. Oregon drove down to the UCLA 19, but a bad snap led to a turnover, recovered by the Bruins’ Anthony Barr, and again no points were scored.
Ducks defenders stepped up after the fumble and forced a Bruins’ three-and-out with 4:29 left in the third.
It took Oregon 5 plays after the UCLA punt to punch it in. Byron Marshall scored from 11 yards out and the Ducks retook the lead 21-14 heading into the final quarter of play.
Oregon defensive back Avery Patterson picked off a Hundley pass to open the final frame and returned it back to the UCLA 39 yard line.
Just like that, the Ducks were back in business.
Mariota completed an 8-yard TD pass to wide receiver Bralon Addison to cap a 7-play, 28-yard drive. Oregon got the ball right back after another three-and-out from UCLA and scored again after a 9-play, 65-yard drive was completed with another Byron Marshall touchdown – this time from 3 yards out.
Oregon’s defense came into the game rather unheralded – they give up just 17.3 point per game, good enough for 12th in the nation – but began to take control of this game and set the offense up.
UCLA failed to get a first down again on their subsequent drive and were forced to punt.
Oregon drove 66-yards to pay dirt and the route was official. Freshman running back Thomas Tyner scored on a 2-yard jaunt and the Ducks brought the game to it’s conclusion.
Final score: Oregon 42, UCLA 14
Oregon remains undefeated and moves to 8-0, 4-0 in the Pac-12. The Ducks travel to Stanford Nov. 7th.
UCLA moves to 5-2, 2-2 Pac-12 and take on Colorado at the Rose Bowl next week.
Oregon stats:
Passing: Mariota 21-of-28 for 230 yards, TD.
Rushing: Marshall 19-133, 3 TDs; Tyner 14-77, TD; Thomas 10-31, TD.
Receiving: Josh Huff 6-76, Addison 6-66, TD.
UCLA stats:
Passing: Hundley 13-19-64, TD, 2 INTs.
Rushing: Paul Perkins 22-93, Hundley 15-72, TD.
Receiving: Shaq Evans 3-21.