Going into their match-up against the Rainbow Warriors in Autzen Stadium the Ducks had won 31 straight non-conference games at home, a streak that dates all the way back to 2008—the longest in the nation. After their 55-10 blowout win against Hawaii this past Saturday that streak now stands at 32. Oregon’s QB, Bo Nix, is currently 17th in the nation in QBR and fifth in the PAC12 regarding yards at 893 with 8 TD’s and no interceptions. One of the reason he trails significantly in yards is that he has seldom been needed much past the first part of the 3rd Qtr in their games so far. Such was the case this past Saturday at home against Hawaii where Nix connected on over 75% of his throws for 3 TD’s and no interceptions. Backup QB Ty Thompson came in later in the 3rd Qtr to go 4-of-6 for 85 yards and a TD of his own. The QB’s collectively connected multiple times with eight different receivers with Junior WR’s Tez Johnson and Traeshon Holden collecting 2 TD’s each. On the ground, Junior RB’s Noah Whittington and Bucky Irving along with Sophomore Jordan James rushed 24 times for a combined 200 of the 227 total yards for Oregon in this one with Whittington responsible for 1 TD and James running in a couple.
For Hawaii, QB Brayden Schager was 27-of-43 for 131 yards, 1 TD, and 1 interception while the Rainbow Warriors were very much held in check on the ground—picking up just 59 yards on 19 attempts and never making it into the end zone. Oregon started out hot and recorded two TD passes from Nix, one rushing TD by Jordan James and one 43 yard Camden Lewis field goal set up off an interception—all in the 1st Qtr without allowing Hawaii a single point to go up 24-0. The 2nd Qtr was more Nix completions and another Jordan James TD run and Camden Lewis field goal with Hawaii finally getting on the scoreboard on a Matthew Shipley field goal with time running out in the half making the score going into the break 34-3.
The second half was more of the same with Oregon putting up another 21 points on the scoreboard against a Brayden Schager TD pass to Alex Perry with less than three minutes left in the game to make it 55-10 where it would stay. Oregon led in all the statistical categories in this one as they out-paced Hawaii 26-15 in 1st downs, 333-142 in passing yards, 227-59 in rushing yards, in addition to successfully completing their third down opportunities more than half the time and were a perfect 2-for-2 on 4th down conversions.
Interesting match-up this coming Saturday as Colorado goes on the road to take on the Ducks. I don’t think anyone is giving the Buffaloes a chance to pull this out, especially with their most sure handed receiver and lethal cornerback two-way player Travis Hunter out with a lacerated liver. But does that mean that people won’t be watching. Don’t bet on it as Colorado’s last game at home against Colorado State was the fifth most watched college football game ever on ESPN. As far as the match-up between the QB’s goes Colorado’s signal caller Shedeur Sanders is currently 2nd only to Washington’s Michael Penix-Jr in yards thrown on the season having completed over 78% of his passes for 1,251 yards, 10 TD’s and 1 interception against 893 yards, 8 TD’s, and no interceptions for Nix. However, Sanders is taking a beating behind a line that is just not as stout as Oregon’s having already been sacked 15 times against once for Nix. Hard to imaging Shedeur lasting the entire season unless he gets some better protection. Game time—12:30pm this coming Saturday, September 23rd, on ABC.