GAMEDAY Open Thread/Live Blog: Ducks vs. Golden Bears

It's gameday in Eugene, and fans couldn't ask for a better day of October football. With clear skies and a temperature in the low 60s, the Ducks will kick off their home conference-opener against a California team who is dangerous in multiple facets of the game, despite being without their starting quarterback.

While the Ducks will try to focus on getting their running game back into full gear after a much-needed bye week, the Golden Bears will do whatever they can to slow down Justin Herbert and the high-flying offense.

Oregon comes into this game as the heavy favorites, projected to win by 18 points, but there is a chance that Cal can muddy up the contest and get the Ducks out of rhythm. Nonetheless, I think that Oregon will come out on top, and they will reign supreme in the Pac-12 when all is said and done.

Join us as we live-blog and discuss UOvsCAL here in our weekly GAMEDAY Open Thread. Dive into the conversation — it's easy — by simply going to the top of the site and in the bottom right-hand corner of the Ducks Maven logo, click the follow button.

You can log in with Facebook or Google and either way, it's free. From there, sound off in the comment section and share your reactions and observations with our staff, subscribers and fellow members of the DM community as we react to the game in real-time.

Injury News

At long last, the Ducks will see two of their top pass-catchers return to the field in Brenden Schooler and Mycah Pittman. On top of that, WR Juwan Johnson, a graduate transfer senior from Penn State is suited up and going through warm-ups for the first time this season. It is yet to be seen whether or not he will play for the Ducks.

As for Cal, their starting quarterback Chase Garbers will be held out of this game with a shoulder injury. While backup Devon Modster has shown the ability to play well in past games, it could be that the loss of Garbers turns out to be too much for the Golden Bears to overcome.

Fourth Quarter

Oregon facing a 3rd and short near the red zone.

Ducks go for it on 4th and short, and Herbert badly misses an open receiver. Turnover on downs.

Cal moving the ball a little bit, getting a couple of first downs.

Troy Dye gets a huge interception off of a tipped ball over the middle. Ducks ball on the right side of the field with under 10 minutes left and the lead.

Herbert scrambles for 25 yards then is shoved out of bounds late to tack on a penalty. 1st and Goal.

TD. Herbert finds Redd on a screen pass from the 1-yard line.

Oregon 17, California 7.

Modster rushes for a first down with 6:50 left

Gus Cumberlander being carted off the field. They brought out an air cast.

Ducks get a sack for 9-yard loss on 2nd and 10.

Cal converts for a 1st.

Penalty gives cal a 1st at the UO 29.

Cal to attempt a field goal on 4th and 5. Penalty makes it 4th and 10. FG is from 46.

No good.

Stalled drive for Cal. That’ll end this one.

Oregon 17, California 7.

Third Quarter

Ducks start with the ball on the 31 after a nice return from Dye.

Ducks go 3-and-out. Will punt right away.

Big 3rd down coming up for Cal. 3rd and 6 from their 29.

Ducks get a stop. Cal to punt.

Dye gets the drive started with a 12-yard run. Herbert finds Redd for a gain of 24. Ducks at midfield.

Back-to-back completions to Pittman and Breeland have the Ducks in the red zone.

Ducks drive stalls, but they get a field goal to put some points on the board.

California 7, Oregon 3.

Cal fumbles the snap and loses 13 yards. Second and long.

Ducks force a stop, Cal to punt.

Ducks drive stalls after a couple of nice runs from Dye. Ducks to punt.

3-and-out, punt. Holland with a 24-yard return to put the Ducks in great position.

Herbert with a strike to Breeland, down to the 1 yard line.

Touchdown, Habibi-Likio.

Oregon 10, California 7.

Ducks force another 3-and-out, will get the ball near midfield with a chance to build on the lead.

End of 3rd Quarter.

Second Quarter

Cal starts on their own nine. Ducks will force a punt.

Oregon gets over midfield, but Travis Dye fumbles again. Cal recovers. 3 drives, 3 turnovers for the Ducks.

Cal crosses midfield and enters the red zone. Looking to take a two-score lead.

Ducks RB CJ Verdell exits the medical tent and being carted to the locker room.

Cal with a third-and-long from the 23. Oregon gets pressure, but Modster keeps it up the middle and slides down a yard short of the 1st down marker. Cal to attempt the FG. MISSED.

Cal 7, Oregon 0.

Cyrus Habibi-Likio in at RB for the Ducks. Herbert sacked for a loss of six. 3rd and long.

Mycah Pittman with a nice catch, but a yard short of the sticks. Ducks will punt.

Cal goes 3-and-out, will punt it back to the Ducks.

Ducks get a first down but burn their final time out of the half a play later. Just can't seem to get into the right gear so far.

Jacob Breeland gets a nice gain over the middle for 20 yards as the Ducks get to mid-field and pick up the 1st down.

Herbert finds Schooler for 21 yards to get into Cal territory.

Ducks miss a 3rd down bomb, then miss the field goal after. Fans booing the incompletion call, but replay clearly showed that Johnson dropped the ball.

Call back into Oregon territory with a couple of nice balls by Modster. Just over a minute left.

Ducks get a strip-sack on third and long. Cal recovers. 4th and long near midfield. With 2 seconds left, Modster heaves a pass downfield, picked off by Jevon Holland and run-back 40 yards. Tackled as the half ends.

California 7, Oregon 0.

First Quarter

Oregon wins the opening toss, will kick.

Cal faces a 3rd and 1 early, but the Ducks gobble the RB up in the backfield. Golden Bears to punt.

Verdell getting some action early. 11 and 12-yard gains to start.

Oregon crosses midfield and gets the benefit of a PI call. Ducks are in business early.

Oregon gets into the Red Zone, then Justin Herbert throws his first interception of the season. That's...new.

Cal completes a big pass for 36-yards to get to the Oregon 27. A penalty gives the Golden Bears a 1st and 5 at the Oregon 22.

Oregon will look to stop Cal on a 3rd and 5 to force a field goal.

Devon Modster rolls right and finds a Cal receiver in the end zone. This is the first TD that Oregon has allowed since Week 1 against Auburn, and the first TD allowed in the first half all season.

California 7, Oregon 0.

Travis Dye returns the kickoff up to the Oregon 29. Ducks ball.

Ducks continue to pound the ball on the ground with great success. Back in the red zone, this time hoping for a better outcome.

4th and 1 on the 10. Ducks will go for it.

Travis Dye gets the first, then fumbles it. Two red-zone trips, two turnovers for Oregon.

End of 1Q.