How Can Oregon Ducks Overcome Their Third Quarter Struggles?

After a 38-17 win against the Michigan Wolverines in the historic “Big House,” the No. 1 Oregon Ducks have a fairly winnable three game stretch towards a 12-0 season and a playoff berth. Though Oregon coach Dan Lanning insists there are no weaknesses, only opportunities for the Ducks, he did admit to a negative trend seen throughout the 2024 season so far: third quarter slumps.

"Yeah, there's a trend, right?” Lanning said during his postgame press conference. “There's something we're certainly aware of and attacking. You know, again, they came out and got a three-out there, I think, on the very first drive in the third quarter. So, it's something we want to look at and improve."

Against the Wolverines, the Ducks were only able to score a field goal in the third quarter. In seven of Oregon’s nine wins, the Ducks didn’t score a second-half touchdown until the fourth quarter . During their contests against Idaho, UCLA, Ohio State, Purdue, and Illinois, the Ducks were completely scoreless in the third quarter. To many, it seems like the Ducks haven’t put a “complete” game on the field, and that trend lies in part due to their performance when exiting the locker room at the half.

Nov 2, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Oregon Ducks running back Jordan James (20) celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the second half against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

When breaking down the statistics vs. Michigan, this trend becomes even more stark. Oregon’s offense averaged 3.7 yards per play during the third quarter, whereas they put up 6.4 yards per play in the first and fourth quarter, and 9.2 yards per play in their stellar second quarter performance.

For the seven passing plays the Ducks ran in the third quarter, they only yielded 12-yards. Compare that statistic to the period before, where the Ducks dominated the Wolverines with 13 pass plays for 146 yards. These numbers can be attributed to quarterback Dillon Gabriel having his least accurate quarter of the game, going 3-7 in passing attempts, and short runs from the likes of Jordan James and Noah Whittington that were shut down fairly quickly.

Against Michigan, Purdue, and Illinois, Oregon had their worst third down conversion statistics during the third quarter. This led to sometimes shorter drives, giving the opposing team more time with the ball and less time for Oregon to put up their usual dominant yardage they accumulate through the rest of the game.

On longer drives, like their second in the third quarter against Michigan around the seven minute mark, penalties against the Wolverines kept Oregon advancing down the field despite Oregon’s short rushes and incomplete targets from Gabriel, eventually leading to a 26-yard field goal from Atticus Sappington.

Michigan defensive lineman Mason Graham (55) tackles Oregon running back Noah Whittington (6) during the second half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

When asked if the Ducks’ third quarter slump is a problem for the team, Lanning focused on the positives.

“No. We won 38 to 17. So I’d say it’s not a problem. It’s something we want to address though,” Lanning said.

The third quarter issues for the Ducks are currently at the point of meme status in the Oregon fan community online. Though the Ducks have met this final stretch of the regular season with definitively impressive performances, it will be interesting to see how Lanning addresses this “trend” to bring sparks, and forward momentum, back to the beginning of the second half. With a post season ahead full of incredibly competitive teams, putting a "complete game" on the board to advance will require a re-evaluation of that third quarter slump.

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