Desert Proves Inhospitable To Ducks

Saturday, October 27

Tucson, Ariz.

7:30 PM

University of Oregon

5-3 , 2-3

Arizona

4-5 , 3-3

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Oregon

Arizona

Photo by: @EricEvansPhoto

10/27/18 | Football

Box Score FINAL STATS: Arizona 44, No. 19 Oregon 15 Oregon Season Stats

The Oregon football team suffered its second straight defeat Saturday night, falling 44-15 at Arizona.

By: Rob Moseley

TUCSON, Ariz. — Arizona Stadium continues to be a hostile environment for the Oregon football team.

It's where Dennis Dixon's career and the Ducks' magical 2007 season came to an end. It hosted a rare one-sided loss by Marcus Mariota's 2013 UO football team. And on Saturday, it continued to confound Oregon.

The Ducks suffered their second straight road loss on the heels of their overtime win over Washington, falling 44-15 to Arizona on Saturday night.

"Schematically, the things that we were successful at the first six weeks are things we felt we could lean on," UO coach Mario Cristobal said. "... We had a really good identity, and we certainly did not have that tonight, or even last week."

Oregon again struggled to run the ball, and Justin Herbert completed only 50 percent of his passes. The defense UO fought gamely in the first half before Khalil Tate and the UA offense got rolling, and the Ducks even had special teams breakdowns that included a blocked punt and a muff by the return team that gave the Wildcats the ball.

Coming a week after the dispiriting first half at Washington State, Oregon's performance Saturday in the desert dropped its record to 5-3 overall, and 2-3 in the Pac-12. The Ducks entered the game at No. 19 in the Associated Press top 25, which figures to change Sunday.

Arizona scored on the opening possession Saturday, and though the UO offense couldn't respond, the defense forced three straight field goals. Oregon was struggling to create momentum, but the Ducks trailed only 16-0.

"The defense played their hearts out tonight," receiver Jaylon Redd said. "They gave us every opportunity."

The Ducks finally got going when Herbert connected on a 29-yard touchdown pass to Dillon Mitchell. But the Wildcats answered that touchdown with an 18-play, 88-yard touchdown drive that included three conversion on third down and another on fourth down, to lead 23-8 at halftime.

Unlike a week earlier, Oregon wasn't able to make adjustments during the break that gave the Ducks much life. Arizona was up 37-8 before Oregon scored again, when Brenden Schooler hauled in a touchdown pass that went off the hands of tight end Jacob Breeland.

The Ducks return home next Saturday to host UCLA, and former Oregon head coach Chip Kelly. They do so looking to end a two-game losing streak, get their sixth victory to earn bowl eligibility, and get the 2018 season back on track after two difficult losses.

"It's been real rough," Redd said. "We've had great weeks of practice, great weeks of preparation. We just haven't been able to put it together on Saturdays. We've just got to figure out how to make it happen on game day."