On the Bright Side: Three Positive Takeaways from Oregon's Disappointing Loss to Auburn

There's no getting around the heartache that Oregon fans are feeling after watching the Ducks blow a lead late to the Auburn Tigers, ultimately getting upset in the final seconds of the game on Saturday night. That pain in your chest is familiar, and it's becoming far too frequent as well.

While the Ducks may not have been triumphant in the end, they still played a hell of a game (or first half, rather) and showed that — similar to years past — when they are firing on all cylinders, they are as good as any team in the country.

It's easy to wallow in pity and grief, but following a tough loss, it's still important to look on the bright side and acknowledge the things done well.

The Ducks Defense is Dominant

The Oregon defense was all-around a game-changer in the first half of the game, holding the Tigers to just six points and 69 yards on the ground. True freshman quarterback Bo Nix was goated into throwing two interceptions in the first half, and Auburn was largely unable to get anything going on offense.

Up front, nose tackle Jordon Scott was a menace, constantly blowing up run plays before they could get off the ground. In the secondary, safety Jevon Holland was doing it all, stifling the passing game for Auburn and helping on run defense. He was responsible for both of Nix's interceptions, and he even was a huge contributor on special teams, where he averaged 42.7 punt-return yards in the first half.

Over the course of the game, as the Ducks offense started to lose their footing, the defense expectedly started to tire, and the Tigers started to find more success. In the end, Oregon was unable to find a couple of crucial stops in the final minutes of the game, and the Tigers were able to score a go-ahead touchdown late in the game.

Still, don't let that recency bias detract from what was a dominant performance from the Ducks defense. Oregon held Auburn to 7-for-17 on third down with two turnovers. They may have wavered late, but the Ducks D still gets the game ball for Oregon in my books.

These Big Boys Can Play

The offensive line for Oregon is easily their most experienced unit, with a number of starters returning this season. On Saturday night they proved to be one of the best units in the nation, with a dominant first half against Auburn.

The box score will indicate that the Ducks only rushed for 90 yards in the game, but the offensive line routinely opened up gaping holes in the first half and continually found their way in to the second level downfield. They also stepped up in pass protection, keeping Justin Herbert relatively unscathed throughout the game.

There aren't many stats in a box score that will show you how well the boys up front played, but when you watch the game, it's easy to notice. On Saturday night, Oregon's line stood toe-to-toe with a vaunted SEC defense, and for a good chunk of the game, they pushed them around the field. Mario Cristobal has done well to integrate his strong-man mentality in Eugene, and the offensive line's performance on Saturday proved that it's working.

No Playmakers, No Problem

Just ahead of the game, it was announced that senior receiver Juwan Johnson would be held out of the game. His absence, along with Brenden Schooler and Mycah Pittman left the Oregon offense largely void of their starting receiving group. No matter, the Oregon skill positions are deep, and they're talented.

Early on in the game, you never would have guessed that the Ducks were without their top three options at WR. Justin Herbert and CJ Verdell obviously are household names in Eugene, but it's the guys beyond them that stole the show. WR Jaylon Redd looked like a reincarnation of DeAnthony Thomas, and at one point TE Jacob Breeland embodied a combination of Randy Moss and Rob Gronkowski on a leaping touchdown catch that he brought down over an Auburn defender.

Later in the second half, both Verdell and RB Travis Dye were on the sidelines with minor injuries, and backup RB Darrian Felix took over the running game without missing a beat, running it in for a touchdown off the left edge.

What a luxury — your top two RBs go to the sideline with injuries, and you can just plug Felix into the backfield like nothing happened. Oregon needed that score.
— Zachary Neel (@zacharycneel) September 1, 2019

The biggest takeaway is that Oregon was able to look like a dynamic team, even while missing three of their best players. Heading into the game, it seemed that Herbert would be largely void of playmakers on the outside, but the Ducks depth reared its head and calmed all doubts.

As is a common-theme with this team in years past, when at full strength, they're capable of play that simply can't be stopped. Unfortunately, it seems that they are never at full strength when they need to be the most.