Ducks Grind Down Cardinal, 21-6

Saturday, September 21

Stanford, Calif.

4:00 PM

University of Oregon

3-1 , 1-0

Stanford

1-3 , 0-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Oregon

Stanford

Photo by: @EricEvansPhoto

09/21/19 | Football

Box Score FINAL STATS - #16 Oregon 21, Stanford 6 Oregon Postgame Notes - Stanford

Oregon's defense held a third straight opponent without a touchdown Saturday, while Justin Herbert completed three more touchdown passes in the Ducks' Pac-12 opener.

By: Rob Moseley

STANFORD, Calif. — Oregon's defense held an opponent without a touchdown for the third straight game, and Justin Herbert set a UO record for touchdowns in a three-game span as the No. 16 Ducks beat Stanford, 21-6, on Saturday in Stanford Stadium.

A year after squandering a lead and losing in overtime to Stanford at home, the Ducks got three touchdown passes from Herbert and kept the Cardinal out of the end zone all evening. The UO defense put together a three-game stretch without allowing a touchdown for the first time since 1935, and Herbert set a school record by completing 13 touchdown passes in wins over Nevada, Montana and the Cardinal.

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The effort wasn't flawless — Herbert was sacked four times, contributing to a 61-yard rushing performance. But the Ducks committed just two penalties and didn't turn the ball over, grinding down the Cardinal to win their Pac-12 opener.

"Obviously a lot of good stuff — and a lot of stuff to work on," UO coach Mario Cristobal said. "… When you go on the road, sometimes it's a little bit ugly. But you never want to apologize for winning on the road, because it's tough."

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Herbert surpassed 8,000 career passing yards with his 259-yard performance, becoming the fourth UO quarterback to hit that mark. He extended the nation's longest streak of games with a TD pass to 32.

Oregon enters its first bye week of the season at 3-1 overall, and 1-0 in the Pac-12. The Ducks return to action Oct. 5, when they host California in Autzen Stadium.

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The Ducks played Saturday without injured starting center Jake Hanson, which perhaps contributed to a slow start. But after Stanford drove to a field goal on the game's opening drive, the defense stiffened, and the offense found some rhythm.

Herbert found Jaylon Redd out of the slot for a 36-yard touchdown pass that put Oregon up 7-3 late in the opening quarter. Then, in the second quarter, Herbert connected with tight Jacob Breeland for a 16-yard touchdown play, a back-shoulder throw on which the athletic UO tight end out-leaped a defender.

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"Jake's a really good athlete, went up and got it," Cristobal said. "He certainly has proven himself to be a playmaker for us."

Herbert and Breeland connected again for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, with the quarterback pump-faking a screen and then throwing over the top to his tight end. Breeland caught five of Herbert's 13 touchdowns over the past three games.

That was more than enough offense to back a stifling defensive effort. Stanford only crossed midfield on three possessions the entire game, and both of its red-zone trips ended in field goals.

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The UO defense held an opponent without a touchdown in the first half for the sixth consecutive game. Stanford suffered a double-digit loss at home for just the second time in a decade, one of the others being Oregon's 53-30 win in 2011; the Cardinal have now gone 51-9 at home since 2010.

Thomas Graham Jr. led the UO defense with a career-high nine tackles, and he broke up two passes. Jevon Holland added a career-high eight tackles and an interception, and Gus Cumberlander was in on 1.5 of Oregon's five sacks.

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The UO defensive effort was complemented by the punting of Blake Maimone, who averaged 45.7 yards on his six punts. Five pinned Stanford inside its 20-yard line.

Breeland led the UO offense with five receptions for 78 yards and two scores. The starting receiver trio of Redd, Bryan Addison and Johnny Johnson III combined on 10 receptions for 137 yards and one touchdown, consistently absorbing or avoiding contact to keep the chains moving as Oregon pounded out a victory.