No. 6 Oregon Dominates in the Desert, Routs Arizona State 49-13
The No. 6 Oregon Ducks are now 10-1 overall and 7-1 in Pac-12 play as they get their first win in Tempe since 2015, dismantling the Arizona State Sun Devils in a 49-13 win Saturday afternoon.
Bo Nix and Troy Franklin put on a clinic in the desert, as the two stars of the nation's best-scoring offense either tied or broke program records in just the first half.
Nix tied Oregon’s single-game passing touchdown record, throwing for six, matching performances by Joey Harrington, Marcus Mariota and Justin Herbert.
“Feels awesome,” Nix said. “It’s a complete team win, we played really good on offense.”
Franklin surpassed Dillon Mitchell’s single-season receiving yards record of 1,184 yards with his 128-yard game putting him at 1,221 yards on the year; his two touchdowns also made him the single-season receiving touchdowns record holder at 13, breaking Josh Huff and Jeff Maehl’s record of 12.
“I think it shows the work and the production I’m putting out there,” Franklin said.
The Ducks started off their historic day with Nix throwing a 25-yard touchdown pass to Patrick Herbert, who ran up the seam and split the safety to score on Oregon’s first drive.
Oregon Ducks wide receiver Troy Franklin catches a touchdown pass against Arizona State.
Darby Winter/Ducks Digest
Oregon Ducks tight end Patrick Herbert against the Arizona State Sun Devils.
Darby Winter/Ducks Digest
Arizona State responded to Oregon’s quick start with an RPO that led to Trenton Bourguet throwing a deep pass to Troy Omeire. The two Sun Devils weren’t able to connect as Kyhree Jackson was called for passing interference.
Three plays after Jackson’s pass interference, Bourguet faked a quarterback sneak and passed to Jalin Conyers who leaked out of the backfield late for a 31-yard gain, converting on third down. The Sun Devils weren’t able to capitalize off that play as they missed a field goal attempt.
After Arizona State’s failed field goal it was all Oregon. The Ducks scored a touchdown on all of their six first-half drives.
Herbert scored his second touchdown of the day off a 49-yard screen where he had an entourage led by Jackson Powers-Johnson escort him unscathed all the way to the end zone.
Oregon Ducks tight end Patrick Herbert runs after the catch against Arizona State.
Darby Winter/Ducks Digest
On Oregon’s third drive, head coach Dan Lanning opted to not take a timeout in the red zone choosing instead to take the delay of game penalty. The very next play, Franklin caught his twelfth touchdown of the season on a 16-yard post, putting the Ducks up 21-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Before Franklin broke Mitchell’s single-season record, he moved the chains on fourth- and-two, gaining seven yards off a quick slant. Two plays later he was rewarded, scoring on a 45-yard go route, making him the single-season receiving touchdowns record holder.
“Best receiver in the nation,” Lanning said. “This guy is the definition of consistency right now … he’s a special player that comes to work, that wants that ownership of what it means to be an elite receiver.”
The Ducks went into halftime with a 42-0 lead.
Coming out of the half, Oregon didn’t score for the first time all day. Nix’s would-be record of seven passing touchdowns in a single game to Terrance Ferguson was negated due to an offensive passing interference call. Then on their field goal attempt, holder Ross James fumbled the snap and threw an interception in the direction of Herbert.
Oregon Ducks tight end Terrance Ferguson hauls in a pass from Bo Nix against Arizona State.
Darby Winter/Ducks Digest
Arizona State was able to capitalize off that, scoring their first points of the day on a field goal.
Ty Thompson came into the game with three minutes left in the third quarter and threw his third touchdown of the season to Casey Kelly.
Camden Lewis became Oregon’s all-time points leader, scoring 385 points to pass up Royce Freeman’s record of 384.
The Ducks will host Oregon State in their last home game of the season and what could be the last ever in-state rivalry matchup ever, next Friday at 5:30 p.m. PT on FOX.
