Five Takeaways From No. 6 Oregon's 31-7 Win Over No. 16 Oregon State
The No. 6 Oregon Ducks are now 11-1 after finishing the regular season with a commanding 31-7 win over the No. 16 Oregon State Beavers.
The Ducks will have a chance to avenge their only loss of the season against Washington in the Pac-12 Championship game next week.
Before we look to the rematch, here are my five takeaways from Oregon’s win on Friday.
1. Bo Nix had his Heisman moment
Nix may not have had the performance he’s had in the past two weeks, but his 367-yard and two-touchdown showing while completing 82.5% of his passes did show the country once again why he’s the Heisman front-runner.
Up 14-7, the Ducks only had 48 seconds to score before the first half ended with 78 yards to go. Nix wasn’t phased at all as he marched the offense into the end zone in just five plays. His 41-yard touchdown pass to Troy Franklin showcased why he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the country.
Nix rolled out to the right side of the pocket and threw the ball across his body to the left side of the field where Franklin was, hitting him right in the numbers as Franklin shed the safety on his way into the end zone.
2. Troy Franklin is the best receiver in Oregon program history
Franklin holds the single-season receiving touchdowns and receiving yards record with 1,349 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also holds the record for most 100-yard receiving games in a single season with 8.
Adding to that list is the all-time receiving touchdowns record at 25 and he’s tied the single-season receptions record of 77 set by Jeff Maehl in 2010 and Samie Parker in 2003.
Franklin’s record-setting season has shown why he deserves to be in the Biletnikoff conversation, as he’s proven to be among the best receivers in the country along with the likes of Marvin Harrison Jr. (Ohio State) and Malik Nabers (LSU).
3. Oregon’s Rushing Defense made a statement
53 yards.
That’s the total amount of rushing yards Oregon State finished with through four quarters. The Beavers hadn’t even been held to under 100 rushing yards all season, let alone just over 50.
Oregon State’s star running back Damien Martinez was held to 38 rushing yards on 13 carries. In last year's game, he ran for 103 yards in just three quarters.
4. Dan Lanning has solidified himself among Oregon’s great coaches
Lanning has led an Oregon team to an 11-win regular season for just the fourth time in program history. That hasn’t been done since Chip Kelly’s 2010 and 2012 teams and Marcus Mariota’s Heisman season in 2014.
Lanning did that in just his second season with the program.
This is Oregon’s eighth overall 11-win season and with the win over Oregon State, it will be Oregon’s sixth time playing in a Pac-12 Championship game.
5. Dontae Manning can be a No. 1 cornerback
Manning followed up his performance against Arizona State last week with a masterclass against Oregon State.
He had an amazing pass breakup in the second quarter as DJ Uiagalelei tried Manning on a deep pass to Anthony Gould which led to a three-and-out.
His coverage skills were on point the whole night and showcased in his clutch interception.
Just four minutes into the fourth quarter, Uiagalelei tried Manning again on a deep ball, but this time it was intended for Gould in the end zone. Manning stuck by Gould’s side, turning his head at the right time to snatch the ball out of his hands, stopping any momentum the Beavers thought they could muster up in the fourth.
