Ducks Impressive In Win at UCLA

Saturday, October 11

Pasadena, Calif.

12:30 PM

University of Oregon

5-1 , 2-1

UCLA

4-2 , 1-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Oregon Ducks

UCLA

Photo by: Associated Press

10/11/14 | Football

Box Score

By: GoDucks.com

by Rob Moseley
Editor, GoDucks.com

PASADENA, Calif. — The No. 12 Ducks rebounded from their loss to Arizona and avoided losing back-to-back games for the first time since 2007 by jumping out to an early lead and going on to a 42-30 victory over UCLA in the Rose Bowl on Saturday.

How It Happened: The Ducks got on the board first with a Marcus Mariota touchdown run and a two-point conversion in the first quarter. A tipped pass by Tony Washington helped keep the Bruins to a field goal on their first score, and Oregon made it 21-3 on touchdowns by Thomas Tyner and Pharaoh Brown in the second quarter. UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley gave the Ducks trouble all day as a runner, including on a TD run just before halftime. But Mariota answered with his second scoring run of the game early in the third quarter for a 28-10 advantage, and Royce Freeman scored just 1:07 later after a turnover.

Who Stood Out: Mariota surpassed 100 touchdowns for his career and also threw for a touchdown in his 32nd straight game, every appearance of his career so far. The offensive line got a major boost from the return of left tackle Jake Fisher, who returned from a two-game absence and helped Oregon rush for 255 yards. Ifo Ekpre-Olomu had an interception to set up Freeman's touchdown in the third quarter, coming up big after leaving briefly in the first half to have his ankle re-taped.

What It Means: This game was billed essentially as a loser-out game for the College Football Playoff, after both teams lost a week earlier. Oregon improved to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the Pac-12, and could crawl back into the top 10 of the polls based on results from around the country.

Odds and ends: With Fisher back on the offensive line, Matt Pierson remained the starter at right tackle and Tyrell Crosby backed up both tackle spots. … Crosby had to leave at one point when his helmet came off, converted defensive lineman Stetzon Bair entered at left tackle and on the next play Freeman ran for his TD in the third quarter. … Defensive end Arik Armstead was not in pads after missing the second half of the Arizona game. … Keanon Lowe started at receiver but left in the first quarter and did not return. … Freeman became the first UO player to rush for 100 yards since Mariota in the Alamo Bowl, and the first running back since Tyner in the Civil War.

Next up: The Ducks return home to host Washington next Saturday at 5 p.m. on Fox Sports 1. The game will be played four days shy of the 20th anniversary of "The Pick."