Saturday, September 23
Eugene, Ore.
12:30 PM
University of Oregon
vs
Colorado
Top-20 Showdown Opens Pac-12 Play
09/19/23 | Football
The Matchup
#10 Oregon vs. #19 Colorado
Saturday, September 23, 2023
12:40 p.m. PT | ABC
Autzen Stadium | Eugene, Ore.
#10 Oregon Ducks (3-0, 0-0 Pac-12)
AP/Coaches Rank: 10/11
Head Coach: Dan Lanning (William Jewell College, 2008)
Record at Oregon: 13-3 (2nd Season)
Career Record: Same
#19 Colorado Buffaloes (3-0, 0-0 Pac-12)
AP/Coaches Rank: 19/19
Head Coach: Deion Sanders (Talladega College, 2020)
Record at Colorado: 3-0 (1st Season)
Career Record: 30-5 (4th Season)
TV: ABC
Play-By-Play: Joe Tessitore
Analyst: Jesse Palmer
Sideline: Katie George
Radio - Oregon Sports Network
Local: KUJZ-FM 95.3 (Eugene) | KFXX-AM 1080 (Portland)
Sirius: 133 | XM: 197
Play-by-Play: Jerry Allen
Analyst: Mike Jorgensen
Sideline: Dusty Harrah
Pre-Game Show: Joey McMurry
Series History
All-Time Series Record: Oregon leads, 15-9
Last Meeting: Oregon won, 49-10 (11/5/22 in Boulder)
Numbers To Know
0 - Oregon is one of just two teams in the nation (Penn State) yet to commit a turnover this season.
2 - Bo Nix is just two completions away from becoming the third active player to reach 1,000 in his career.
4.7 - The Ducks are limiting opponents to just 4.7 yards per pass attempt, leading the Pac-12 and tying for sixth nationally.
6 - The Oregon offensive line has allowed just six quarterback hurries and one sack in 116 total pass attempts. As a unit, the Ducks' O-line leads the nation with a pass blocking grade of 94.7 from Pro Football Focus.
14 - Oregon has won 70 straight games when holding its opponent to fewer than 14 points.
15.7 - Oregon is allowing just 15.7 points per game, a mark that ranks in the top 35 in the country.
20 - Troy Franklin has at least one reception in 20 consecutive games, and multiple catches in 16 of his last 17 games.
26 - Oregon has played 26 true freshmen so far this season, including five who have appeared in all three games.
27 - Junior running back Bucky Irving needs just 27 rushing yards to reach 2,000 for his career.
36 - Wide receiver Tez Johnson has caught a pass in 36 straight games, tied for the sixth-longest active streak in the country.
48 - Kicker Camden Lewis is just 48 points away from Royce Freeman's all-time program record of 384.
58.0 - Oregon is No. 2 nationally with 58.0 points per game and is one of four teams to score 50-plus points multiple times.
61 - Bo Nix is 61 rushing yards away from 1,500 in his career. Only eight active FBS QBs have 1,500-plus career rushing yards.
158.7 - The Ducks lead the Pac-12 and are No. 16 in the country in passing defense at 158.7 yards allowed per game.
TEAM NOTES
Top-20 Showdown Opens Pac-12 Play
After improving to 3-0 with a dominant 55-10 win over Hawai'i in its nonconference finale, No. 10 Oregon will host No. 19 Colorado in front of a sold-out Autzen Stadium to kick off Pac-12 Conference play. The Ducks are off to a 3-0 start for the fifth time since 2017, outscoring opponents 174-47 while ranking second in the nation with 58.0 points per game. Oregon owns a 15-9 lead in the all-time series with Colorado, winning three in a row and nine of the last 10 after a 49-10 victory last season in Boulder.
A Win Would...
» Make Oregon 4-0 for the second time since 2014, and 1-0 in Pac-12 play for the fifth year in a row.
» Be UO's fourth straight over Colorado and 10th in the last 11 meetings.
Ducks Roll Past Hawai'i
Oregon extended the nation's longest active nonconference home winning streak to 32 games last week with a near-complete performance against Hawai'i. Outside of nine penalties, head coach Dan Lanning said the Ducks "showed what we were capable of from an efficiency standpoint really in all three phases." The Ducks racked up 560 yards of total offense while scoring on nine of 11 drives, becoming the fourth team to score 50-plus points multiple times this season. Defensively, Oregon held the Rainbow Warriors to just 201 total yards of offense and won its 70th straight game when allowing 14 points or less.
» QB Bo Nix - 21-of-27, 247 yards, 3 TD
» QB Ty Thompson - 5-of-7, 102 yards, TD
» RB Noah Whittington - 5 rushes, 80 yards, TD
» RB Jordan James - 7 rushes, 61 yards, 2 TD
» WR Tez Johnson - 4 receptions, 77 yards, 2 TD
» WR Traeshon Holden - 4 receptions, 63 yards, 2 TD
» DB Khyree Jackson - 3 tackles, INT
» DB Tysheem Johnson - 8 tackles (5 solo)
Last Time vs. Colorado
Oregon never trailed in its 49-10 win over Colorado last season in Boulder, with the offense getting off to a hot start with three unique touchdowns. Bo Nix opened the scoring with a TD pass to offensive lineman Josh Conerly Jr., and then reversed roles with Bucky Irving when the running back took a pitch threw an 18-yard TD pass back to the quarterback. Linebacker Noah Sewell made his collegiate debut on offense early in the second quarter, rushing for a one-yard touchdown to make it 21-0. Oregon became the first FBS team in history to have an offensive lineman catch a touchdown, a quarterback catch a touchdown and a defensive player rush for a touchdown in the same season, let alone the same game. Nix also made history as just the second FBS player since 1996 with two passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and a receiving touchdown in the same game. Oregon won its third straight over the Buffs, and fifth straight in Boulder.
All About The Ball
Oregon enters Week 4 as one of just two teams in the nation (Penn State) yet to commit a turnover, and one of 25 without a lost fumble. The Ducks are tied for fourth in the FBS with a plus-6 turnover margin, headlined by four takeaways (three interceptions and a fumble recovery) in their Week 2 win at Texas Tech. Khyree Jackson pulled in his second interception in as many weeks and Oregon's fourth of the season vs. Hawai'i, putting the Ducks in a tie for 25th nationally. An emphasis on the ball has been a trend under head coach Dan Lanning, after Oregon ranked 15th nationally with a plus-9 turnover margin in his first season in 2022. In 16 games under Lanning (13-3), UO has committed just 12 total turnovers with 27 takeaways.
OFFENSIVE NOTES
O Yeah
Oregon's offense has been firing on all cylinders through three games this season, ranking second nationally at 58.0 points per game and fourth with 579.7 yards of offense a game. After dropping a modern-era record 81 points in the season opener, UO's offense came away with three offensive touchdowns and three field goals against Texas Tech in one of the nation's toughest environments. The Ducks then dropped 55 points Saturday against Hawai'i, scoring on their first seven possessions with five touchdowns. The Ducks own a 92.1 overall offensive grade from Pro Football Focus, ranking 18th in the FBS and fifth in the Pac-12.
» Oregon is one of four teams to score more than 50 points multiple times this season (USC, Oklahoma, Washington State).
» The Ducks are one of 23 FBS teams to have scored 30-plus points at least three times.
» Oregon has reached the end zone 21 times in 35 drives (60.0%) and come away with points on 27 different drives (77.1%).
» The offense has gained 10 or more yards 59 times, tied for sixth in the nation, out of 211 total plays (27.9% of plays).
» 41 of UO's 59 plays of 10-plus yards have come through the air.
» 8.20 yards per play is the seventh-best average among FBS teams and fourth in the Pac-12.
» The Ducks average 28.53 first downs a game, best in the Pac-12 and tied for fourth in the country.
Experience Under Center
Oregon boasts the nation's most experienced signal caller in Bo Nix, who returned to Eugene for his fifth and final season of eligibility following a tremendous first year with the Ducks. Nix leads all active FBS quarterbacks with 50 career starts, and ranks in the top three in six other major categories. The Pinson, Ala., native is No. 3 among active players with 11,736 career passing yards, putting him at No. 50 in NCAA history after he passed Russell Wilson last week vs. Hawai'i.
Hot Start
Bo Nix has picked up where he left off last season while leading the Ducks to a 3-0 start, completing 76-of-98 passes for 893 yards and eight touchdowns. Nix ranks 12th in the nation with 297.7 passing yards per game, and his 77.6 completion percentage is No. 6 in the FBS after he ranked second with a UO single-season record 71.9 mark in 2022. Nix was named the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week after leading Oregon's comeback win over Texas Tech on Sept. 9 in Lubbock.
» 21-of-27 for 247 yards and three touchdowns vs. Hawai'i while playing first half and one series in the second.
» 32-of-44 for 359 yards and two touchdowns in Oregon's 38-30 comeback win at Texas Tech on Sept. 9.
» 32 completions tied for the second-most in UO single-game history; fourth career game with 30-plus completions.
» Eighth career game with 300-plus passing yards, and fourth as a Duck.
» 23-of-27 for 287 yards and three TDs in season opener vs. Portland State, playing just the first half and one series in second half.
» 85.2 completion percentage vs. PSU was best of Nix's career and second-best in UO single-game history.
» Nix now owns three of the top six single-game completion percentage performances in Oregon history.
» In eight career games at Autzen Stadium, Nix is 167-of-227 (73.6) for 2,043 yards and 23 touchdowns, plus six rushing TDs.
» First completion of the season went to Tez Johnson, Nix's adopted younger brother.
» 76 completions have gone to 10 different players - four receivers, three running backs and three tight ends.
Elite Target
Troy Franklin is the go-to target for quarterback Bo Nix, putting together a tremendous 2022 season and picking up right where he left off through the first three games of 2023. Franklin leads the Ducks with 17 catches for 292 yards and three touchdowns, ranking 21st in the nation with 97.3 receiving yards per game. He opened the season with back-to-back 100-yard receiving games vs. Portland State (106) and Texas Tech (103), and pulled in four catches for 83 yards last week vs. Hawai'i while playing just the first half and one series in the third quarter. Franklin enters Saturday's game with at least one reception in 20 consecutive games, and multiple catches in 16 of his last 17 contests.
» Four catches away from becoming the 30th player in Oregon history with 100 in a career.
» Five career 100-yard receiving games and two career games with multiple touchdown receptions.
» First Duck since 2020 with back-to-back 100-yard receiving games.
» Saw streak of consecutive games with a touchdown reception end at six last week vs. Hawai'i.
» Career-long 72-yard touchdown reception on Sept. 9 at Texas Tech.
» Seven consecutive games with at least four receptions.
» Tied for No. 2 in the FBS in first-quarter receiving touchdowns (3) and No. 3 in first-quarter receiving yards (177).
» 47 receptions for 694 yards and eight touchdowns in last eight games at Autzen Stadium.
Picking Up Where They Left Off
Despite having to replace four primary starters from an offensive line that led the nation in 2022 with just five sacks allowed, Oregon's new-look unit hasn't missed a beat through three games in 2023. The O-line has posted a pass blocking grade of 94.7, according to Pro Football Focus, which leads the nation. The Ducks' O-line has allowed just one sack (three yards lost) and six quarterback hurries in 116 pass attempts. In 2022, UO's offensive line ranked fourth nationally with a pass-blocking team grade of 84.8.
Jackson Powers-Johnson, who has started the first three games at center after primarily playing guard in 2022, ranks fifth nationally among all FBS centers and first among Power 5 centers with a pass-blocking grade of 86.9 from Pro Football Focus. He has allowed just one quarterback pressure and one hurry in 113 opportunities this season. Last season, Powers-Johnson's overall PFF grade of 84.1 was third among FBS guards.
Pick Your Poison
Behind a multi-back attack, Oregon continues to gobble up yardage on the ground as it ranks fourth in the Pac-12 with 216.3 rushing yards per game and 8.20 yards per carry through the season's first three weeks. Bucky Irving (216), Jordan James (155) and Noah Whittington (101) have all rushed for more than 100 yards already this season, making Oregon one of 13 teams in the nation to have three running backs all over 100 yards on the ground. Irving leads the Ducks with 8.00 yards per carry and is tied for the FBS lead with two rushes of 50-plus yards, while James leads the Pac-12 and is tied for fourth in the nation with three rushing touchdowns after finding the end zone three times vs. Portland State and twice last week vs. Hawai'i. Whittington found the end zone for the first time this season last week, and freshmen Dante Dowdell and Jayden Limar both scored in the season opener. The Ducks are one of just four FBS teams (LSU, Miami, Oklahoma) to have five different running backs with a rushing touchdown this season.
» UO leads the Pac-12 and is tied for third in the nation with 11 rushing touchdowns.
» Oregon has had a different leading rusher in all three games this season (Irving, QB Bo Nix, Whittington).
» Oregon rushed for 348 yards in the season opener vs. Portland State, led by 119 yards on just four carries by Irving.
» The Ducks' seven rushing touchdowns vs. PSU tied for the second-most for the program since 1996.
» Irving notched his fifth 100-yard rushing game as a Duck and eighth of his career.
» Irving is also second on the team with 12 receptions for 95 yards, and Whittington has nine catches for 77 yards.
» All five of James' rushing touchdowns have come in Oregon's two home games.
Transfer Trio Bolsters Receiver Room
Oregon used the transfer portal to add reinforcements to its wide receiver group, signing three experienced players in Gary Bryant Jr. (USC), Traeshon Holden (Alabama) and Tez Johnson (Troy). The trio combined for 240 career receptions, 3,024 yards and 22 touchdowns prior to coming to Eugene, and each caught multiple passes in their Duck debut in week one vs. Portland State. Bryant Jr. hauled in seven catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns, teaming up with Troy Franklin to become the first UO receiving duo since Dec. 5, 2014 (Darren Carrington & Charles Nelson), to each go over 100 yards in a game. Johnson - the adopted brother of quarterback Bo Nix - caught three passes for 41 yards and hauled in his fist score as a Duck at Texas Tech before reaching the end zone twice against Hawai'i last Saturday. Holden caught his first two Oregon touchdowns against the Rainbow Warriors, finishing with 63 yards on four catches.
Ferguson Leads Deep Tight End Room
Tight end Terrance Ferguson has established himself as one of the nation's best red-zone threats since arriving in Eugene, finishing 2022 with 32 catches for 391 yards and five touchdowns. Ferguson tied for sixth nationally last season with 12 red-zone receptions, while tying for seventh in red-zone receiving yards (104) and 26th in red-zone touchdown receptions (5). The junior returns along with junior Patrick Herbert, who caught six passes for 95 yards and a touchdown last year while playing the full season after missing 2020 and 2021 due to injury. The duo is joined by junior transfer Casey Kelly, who had 28 receptions for 282 yards and three touchdowns in 35 games played at Ole Miss, as well as a highly-regarded freshman in Kenyon Sadiq.
» Ferguson has at least one reception in 19 games and has seven catches for 66 yards in three games this season.
» With 56 career receptions, Ferguson is in 10th place on UO's all-time top 10 list for catches by a tight end.
» Ferguson needs seven catches to move into an eighth-place tie in Oregon tight end history.
DEFENSIVE NOTES
No Fly Zone
The strength of the Oregon defense this season has come from its ability to defend the pass. Through three games, the Ducks lead the Pac-12 in passing yards allowed per game (158.7) and yards allowed per pass attempt (4.7). Opposing quarterbacks hold a passer rating of just 106.36 against the Ducks, a mark that is in the top 25 nationally. UO's recent performance against Hawai'i produced its highest PFF pass coverage grade (86.4) since receiving an 89.6 against Washington State in Week 4 of the 2022 season. The Ducks intercepted three passes on Sept. 9 at Texas Tech, including a pick-six that extended the lead late in the fourth quarter. In the season-opening win against Portland State, Oregon held the Vikings to just 52 passing yards, the fewest since holding Washington State to just 51 in 2009. The Ducks limited Hawai'i to 152 passing yards last week, including just 44 in the first half.
Transfers Making Big Impact In Secondary
Oregon's defensive secondary looks quite a bit different in 2023, with the departure of first-round draft pick Christian Gonzalez and 2022 leading tackler Bennett Williams. The Ducks returned valuable experience in players like Trikweze Bridges, Bryan Addison, Steve Stephens IV, Dontae Manning and Jahlil Florence, but also used the transfer portal to bring in four guys with significant FBS experience - Khyree Jackson (Alabama), Tysheem Johnson (Ole Miss), Nikko Reed (Colorado) and Evan Williams (Fresno State). Jackson and Johnson have been especially productive early in their Oregon careers - Jackson is tied for the Pac-12 lead with two interceptions, and Johnson leads the Ducks with 20 total tackles and 2.0 tackles for loss.
» Johnson has played the most defensive snaps of any Duck (160) and also leads the team in solo tackles (14).
» Johnson was a 247Sports True Freshman All-American in 2021 after making 47 tackles and four TFLs.
» Jackson has recorded an interception in each of the Ducks' last two games, the first two picks of his career.
Pick Party
The Ducks were all over the Texas Tech passing game in Week 2 with three interceptions, headlined by a lead-extending pick six by JEFFREY BASSA late in the fourth quarter.. The Ducks have now intercepted 14 passes over the last 10 games dating back to last season, when UO tied for 10th nationally with 16 picks. Through just three games in 2023, Alabama transfer KHYREE JACKSON is tied for the Pac-12 lead with two interceptions after picking off his second pass in as many games last week vs. Hawai'i.
The trend is nothing new for Oregon, which has been the best team in the nation over the last decade-plus at coming away with interceptions. UO leads all FBS teams with 210 total interceptions since 2010, 12 more than second-place Iowa and 15 more than Alabama. That impressive run of picking off passes goes back even further, as the Ducks lead the nation with 372 total interceptions since 2000, 14 ahead of Virginia Tech. Since 2018, Oregon is second in the nation with 79 interceptions, behind only Iowa (84).
Popo Getting Back To Business
Oregon's defense has received a boost up front this season with the return of seventh-year defensive lineman Popo Aumavae, who missed all of 2022 due to injury. Aumavae was a big key to the Ducks' defensive success in 2021, receiving first-team all-Pac-12 honors from both the Associated Press and Pro Football Focus after leading all Pac-12 interior defensive linemen with an 81.3 overall defensive grade by PFF. Aumavae has picked up where he left off in 2021 so far this season, recording sacks in each of the Ducks' last two games.
» Three tackles, one solo, in season opener vs. Portland State, his first action since 2021.
» Oregon's second-highest graded defensive starter at Texas Tech with a 73.6 overall grade from PFF; Aumavae recorded five tackles and a 7-yard sack in the game.
» Notched a 13-yard sack against Hawai'i.
» In 41 career games, Aumavae owns 72 total tackles, 10.0 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.
Bassa Leads The Way
Now a junior, inside linebacker Jeffrey Bassa has taken on the leadership role within the Oregon defense. Bassa transitioned from defensive back to inside linebacker early as a freshman in 2021, and is now comfortable in the middle after racking up 119 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and three interceptions over the last two seasons. Bassa is Oregon's leading returning tackler from 2022, when he finished with 62. He had at least five tackles in each of the final four games of 2022, including six tackles and a sack in the Holiday Bowl, and he set a career-high with 10 tackles in Oregon's win at Washington State. Bassa was dominant in the Ducks' comeback victory at Texas Tech on Sept. 9, leading the team with nine tackles while adding a tackle for loss. The defensive leader also had the play of the game when he intercepted a pass and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown with 35 seconds left, extending what was just a one-point Oregon lead and all but sealing the win for the Ducks. Through three games, Bassa is second among Ducks with 16 total tackles.
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
Lewis Chasing All-Time Scoring Record
Kicker Camden Lewis is looking to make history as a fifth-year senior in 2023. He entered his final season just 82 points shy of the Oregon all-time scoring record held by Royce Freeman (384, 2014-17), and now sits 48 points away after making six field goals and 16 PATs through three games this season. Lewis' 43 career field goals are the fourth-most in program history and just eight short of Aidan Schneider's (2014-17) program record of 51. Lewis was an all-Pac-12 honorable mention selection in 2022 after earning second-team honors in 2021.
» 6-for-6 on field goals to begin 2023, with a long of 43 yards coming against Hawai'i last week.
» Made two go-ahead field goals in the fourth quarter at Texas Tech, including a 34-yarder with 1:10 remaining that gave Oregon the lead for good. Tied career-high with three field goals made.
Gotta Go For Two
Oregon has made use of the "swinging gate" formation on extra point attempts this season to catch their opponents off guard after scoring a touchdown. The Ducks have had successful two-point conversions in two of their first three games so far, striking with a rushing attempt in the first quarter against Portland State and a Patrick Herbert-to-Terrance Ferguson passing connection in the first quarter against Texas Tech. The Ducks are one of just four teams in the nation with multiple successful two-point attempts, and are the one of two teams with a perfect conversion percentage on multiple attempts (Northern Illinois; 2-for-2). Going for two is nothing new for UO as the Ducks lead the nation in 2-point conversions since 1996 with 56, nine more than second-place Arizona State (47).
#10 Oregon vs. #19 Colorado
Saturday, September 23, 2023
12:40 p.m. PT | ABC
Autzen Stadium | Eugene, Ore.
#10 Oregon Ducks (3-0, 0-0 Pac-12)
AP/Coaches Rank: 10/11
Head Coach: Dan Lanning (William Jewell College, 2008)
Record at Oregon: 13-3 (2nd Season)
Career Record: Same
#19 Colorado Buffaloes (3-0, 0-0 Pac-12)
AP/Coaches Rank: 19/19
Head Coach: Deion Sanders (Talladega College, 2020)
Record at Colorado: 3-0 (1st Season)
Career Record: 30-5 (4th Season)
TV: ABC
Play-By-Play: Joe Tessitore
Analyst: Jesse Palmer
Sideline: Katie George
Radio - Oregon Sports Network
Local: KUJZ-FM 95.3 (Eugene) | KFXX-AM 1080 (Portland)
Sirius: 133 | XM: 197
Play-by-Play: Jerry Allen
Analyst: Mike Jorgensen
Sideline: Dusty Harrah
Pre-Game Show: Joey McMurry
Series History
All-Time Series Record: Oregon leads, 15-9
Last Meeting: Oregon won, 49-10 (11/5/22 in Boulder)
Numbers To Know
0 - Oregon is one of just two teams in the nation (Penn State) yet to commit a turnover this season.
2 - Bo Nix is just two completions away from becoming the third active player to reach 1,000 in his career.
4.7 - The Ducks are limiting opponents to just 4.7 yards per pass attempt, leading the Pac-12 and tying for sixth nationally.
6 - The Oregon offensive line has allowed just six quarterback hurries and one sack in 116 total pass attempts. As a unit, the Ducks' O-line leads the nation with a pass blocking grade of 94.7 from Pro Football Focus.
14 - Oregon has won 70 straight games when holding its opponent to fewer than 14 points.
15.7 - Oregon is allowing just 15.7 points per game, a mark that ranks in the top 35 in the country.
20 - Troy Franklin has at least one reception in 20 consecutive games, and multiple catches in 16 of his last 17 games.
26 - Oregon has played 26 true freshmen so far this season, including five who have appeared in all three games.
27 - Junior running back Bucky Irving needs just 27 rushing yards to reach 2,000 for his career.
36 - Wide receiver Tez Johnson has caught a pass in 36 straight games, tied for the sixth-longest active streak in the country.
48 - Kicker Camden Lewis is just 48 points away from Royce Freeman's all-time program record of 384.
58.0 - Oregon is No. 2 nationally with 58.0 points per game and is one of four teams to score 50-plus points multiple times.
61 - Bo Nix is 61 rushing yards away from 1,500 in his career. Only eight active FBS QBs have 1,500-plus career rushing yards.
158.7 - The Ducks lead the Pac-12 and are No. 16 in the country in passing defense at 158.7 yards allowed per game.
TEAM NOTES
Top-20 Showdown Opens Pac-12 Play
After improving to 3-0 with a dominant 55-10 win over Hawai'i in its nonconference finale, No. 10 Oregon will host No. 19 Colorado in front of a sold-out Autzen Stadium to kick off Pac-12 Conference play. The Ducks are off to a 3-0 start for the fifth time since 2017, outscoring opponents 174-47 while ranking second in the nation with 58.0 points per game. Oregon owns a 15-9 lead in the all-time series with Colorado, winning three in a row and nine of the last 10 after a 49-10 victory last season in Boulder.
A Win Would...
» Make Oregon 4-0 for the second time since 2014, and 1-0 in Pac-12 play for the fifth year in a row.
» Be UO's fourth straight over Colorado and 10th in the last 11 meetings.
Ducks Roll Past Hawai'i
Oregon extended the nation's longest active nonconference home winning streak to 32 games last week with a near-complete performance against Hawai'i. Outside of nine penalties, head coach Dan Lanning said the Ducks "showed what we were capable of from an efficiency standpoint really in all three phases." The Ducks racked up 560 yards of total offense while scoring on nine of 11 drives, becoming the fourth team to score 50-plus points multiple times this season. Defensively, Oregon held the Rainbow Warriors to just 201 total yards of offense and won its 70th straight game when allowing 14 points or less.
» QB Bo Nix - 21-of-27, 247 yards, 3 TD
» QB Ty Thompson - 5-of-7, 102 yards, TD
» RB Noah Whittington - 5 rushes, 80 yards, TD
» RB Jordan James - 7 rushes, 61 yards, 2 TD
» WR Tez Johnson - 4 receptions, 77 yards, 2 TD
» WR Traeshon Holden - 4 receptions, 63 yards, 2 TD
» DB Khyree Jackson - 3 tackles, INT
» DB Tysheem Johnson - 8 tackles (5 solo)
Last Time vs. Colorado
Oregon never trailed in its 49-10 win over Colorado last season in Boulder, with the offense getting off to a hot start with three unique touchdowns. Bo Nix opened the scoring with a TD pass to offensive lineman Josh Conerly Jr., and then reversed roles with Bucky Irving when the running back took a pitch threw an 18-yard TD pass back to the quarterback. Linebacker Noah Sewell made his collegiate debut on offense early in the second quarter, rushing for a one-yard touchdown to make it 21-0. Oregon became the first FBS team in history to have an offensive lineman catch a touchdown, a quarterback catch a touchdown and a defensive player rush for a touchdown in the same season, let alone the same game. Nix also made history as just the second FBS player since 1996 with two passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and a receiving touchdown in the same game. Oregon won its third straight over the Buffs, and fifth straight in Boulder.
All About The Ball
Oregon enters Week 4 as one of just two teams in the nation (Penn State) yet to commit a turnover, and one of 25 without a lost fumble. The Ducks are tied for fourth in the FBS with a plus-6 turnover margin, headlined by four takeaways (three interceptions and a fumble recovery) in their Week 2 win at Texas Tech. Khyree Jackson pulled in his second interception in as many weeks and Oregon's fourth of the season vs. Hawai'i, putting the Ducks in a tie for 25th nationally. An emphasis on the ball has been a trend under head coach Dan Lanning, after Oregon ranked 15th nationally with a plus-9 turnover margin in his first season in 2022. In 16 games under Lanning (13-3), UO has committed just 12 total turnovers with 27 takeaways.
OFFENSIVE NOTES
O Yeah
Oregon's offense has been firing on all cylinders through three games this season, ranking second nationally at 58.0 points per game and fourth with 579.7 yards of offense a game. After dropping a modern-era record 81 points in the season opener, UO's offense came away with three offensive touchdowns and three field goals against Texas Tech in one of the nation's toughest environments. The Ducks then dropped 55 points Saturday against Hawai'i, scoring on their first seven possessions with five touchdowns. The Ducks own a 92.1 overall offensive grade from Pro Football Focus, ranking 18th in the FBS and fifth in the Pac-12.
» Oregon is one of four teams to score more than 50 points multiple times this season (USC, Oklahoma, Washington State).
» The Ducks are one of 23 FBS teams to have scored 30-plus points at least three times.
» Oregon has reached the end zone 21 times in 35 drives (60.0%) and come away with points on 27 different drives (77.1%).
» The offense has gained 10 or more yards 59 times, tied for sixth in the nation, out of 211 total plays (27.9% of plays).
» 41 of UO's 59 plays of 10-plus yards have come through the air.
» 8.20 yards per play is the seventh-best average among FBS teams and fourth in the Pac-12.
» The Ducks average 28.53 first downs a game, best in the Pac-12 and tied for fourth in the country.
Experience Under Center
Oregon boasts the nation's most experienced signal caller in Bo Nix, who returned to Eugene for his fifth and final season of eligibility following a tremendous first year with the Ducks. Nix leads all active FBS quarterbacks with 50 career starts, and ranks in the top three in six other major categories. The Pinson, Ala., native is No. 3 among active players with 11,736 career passing yards, putting him at No. 50 in NCAA history after he passed Russell Wilson last week vs. Hawai'i.
Hot Start
Bo Nix has picked up where he left off last season while leading the Ducks to a 3-0 start, completing 76-of-98 passes for 893 yards and eight touchdowns. Nix ranks 12th in the nation with 297.7 passing yards per game, and his 77.6 completion percentage is No. 6 in the FBS after he ranked second with a UO single-season record 71.9 mark in 2022. Nix was named the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week after leading Oregon's comeback win over Texas Tech on Sept. 9 in Lubbock.
» 21-of-27 for 247 yards and three touchdowns vs. Hawai'i while playing first half and one series in the second.
» 32-of-44 for 359 yards and two touchdowns in Oregon's 38-30 comeback win at Texas Tech on Sept. 9.
» 32 completions tied for the second-most in UO single-game history; fourth career game with 30-plus completions.
» Eighth career game with 300-plus passing yards, and fourth as a Duck.
» 23-of-27 for 287 yards and three TDs in season opener vs. Portland State, playing just the first half and one series in second half.
» 85.2 completion percentage vs. PSU was best of Nix's career and second-best in UO single-game history.
» Nix now owns three of the top six single-game completion percentage performances in Oregon history.
» In eight career games at Autzen Stadium, Nix is 167-of-227 (73.6) for 2,043 yards and 23 touchdowns, plus six rushing TDs.
» First completion of the season went to Tez Johnson, Nix's adopted younger brother.
» 76 completions have gone to 10 different players - four receivers, three running backs and three tight ends.
Elite Target
Troy Franklin is the go-to target for quarterback Bo Nix, putting together a tremendous 2022 season and picking up right where he left off through the first three games of 2023. Franklin leads the Ducks with 17 catches for 292 yards and three touchdowns, ranking 21st in the nation with 97.3 receiving yards per game. He opened the season with back-to-back 100-yard receiving games vs. Portland State (106) and Texas Tech (103), and pulled in four catches for 83 yards last week vs. Hawai'i while playing just the first half and one series in the third quarter. Franklin enters Saturday's game with at least one reception in 20 consecutive games, and multiple catches in 16 of his last 17 contests.
» Four catches away from becoming the 30th player in Oregon history with 100 in a career.
» Five career 100-yard receiving games and two career games with multiple touchdown receptions.
» First Duck since 2020 with back-to-back 100-yard receiving games.
» Saw streak of consecutive games with a touchdown reception end at six last week vs. Hawai'i.
» Career-long 72-yard touchdown reception on Sept. 9 at Texas Tech.
» Seven consecutive games with at least four receptions.
» Tied for No. 2 in the FBS in first-quarter receiving touchdowns (3) and No. 3 in first-quarter receiving yards (177).
» 47 receptions for 694 yards and eight touchdowns in last eight games at Autzen Stadium.
Picking Up Where They Left Off
Despite having to replace four primary starters from an offensive line that led the nation in 2022 with just five sacks allowed, Oregon's new-look unit hasn't missed a beat through three games in 2023. The O-line has posted a pass blocking grade of 94.7, according to Pro Football Focus, which leads the nation. The Ducks' O-line has allowed just one sack (three yards lost) and six quarterback hurries in 116 pass attempts. In 2022, UO's offensive line ranked fourth nationally with a pass-blocking team grade of 84.8.
Jackson Powers-Johnson, who has started the first three games at center after primarily playing guard in 2022, ranks fifth nationally among all FBS centers and first among Power 5 centers with a pass-blocking grade of 86.9 from Pro Football Focus. He has allowed just one quarterback pressure and one hurry in 113 opportunities this season. Last season, Powers-Johnson's overall PFF grade of 84.1 was third among FBS guards.
Pick Your Poison
Behind a multi-back attack, Oregon continues to gobble up yardage on the ground as it ranks fourth in the Pac-12 with 216.3 rushing yards per game and 8.20 yards per carry through the season's first three weeks. Bucky Irving (216), Jordan James (155) and Noah Whittington (101) have all rushed for more than 100 yards already this season, making Oregon one of 13 teams in the nation to have three running backs all over 100 yards on the ground. Irving leads the Ducks with 8.00 yards per carry and is tied for the FBS lead with two rushes of 50-plus yards, while James leads the Pac-12 and is tied for fourth in the nation with three rushing touchdowns after finding the end zone three times vs. Portland State and twice last week vs. Hawai'i. Whittington found the end zone for the first time this season last week, and freshmen Dante Dowdell and Jayden Limar both scored in the season opener. The Ducks are one of just four FBS teams (LSU, Miami, Oklahoma) to have five different running backs with a rushing touchdown this season.
» UO leads the Pac-12 and is tied for third in the nation with 11 rushing touchdowns.
» Oregon has had a different leading rusher in all three games this season (Irving, QB Bo Nix, Whittington).
» Oregon rushed for 348 yards in the season opener vs. Portland State, led by 119 yards on just four carries by Irving.
» The Ducks' seven rushing touchdowns vs. PSU tied for the second-most for the program since 1996.
» Irving notched his fifth 100-yard rushing game as a Duck and eighth of his career.
» Irving is also second on the team with 12 receptions for 95 yards, and Whittington has nine catches for 77 yards.
» All five of James' rushing touchdowns have come in Oregon's two home games.
Transfer Trio Bolsters Receiver Room
Oregon used the transfer portal to add reinforcements to its wide receiver group, signing three experienced players in Gary Bryant Jr. (USC), Traeshon Holden (Alabama) and Tez Johnson (Troy). The trio combined for 240 career receptions, 3,024 yards and 22 touchdowns prior to coming to Eugene, and each caught multiple passes in their Duck debut in week one vs. Portland State. Bryant Jr. hauled in seven catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns, teaming up with Troy Franklin to become the first UO receiving duo since Dec. 5, 2014 (Darren Carrington & Charles Nelson), to each go over 100 yards in a game. Johnson - the adopted brother of quarterback Bo Nix - caught three passes for 41 yards and hauled in his fist score as a Duck at Texas Tech before reaching the end zone twice against Hawai'i last Saturday. Holden caught his first two Oregon touchdowns against the Rainbow Warriors, finishing with 63 yards on four catches.
Ferguson Leads Deep Tight End Room
Tight end Terrance Ferguson has established himself as one of the nation's best red-zone threats since arriving in Eugene, finishing 2022 with 32 catches for 391 yards and five touchdowns. Ferguson tied for sixth nationally last season with 12 red-zone receptions, while tying for seventh in red-zone receiving yards (104) and 26th in red-zone touchdown receptions (5). The junior returns along with junior Patrick Herbert, who caught six passes for 95 yards and a touchdown last year while playing the full season after missing 2020 and 2021 due to injury. The duo is joined by junior transfer Casey Kelly, who had 28 receptions for 282 yards and three touchdowns in 35 games played at Ole Miss, as well as a highly-regarded freshman in Kenyon Sadiq.
» Ferguson has at least one reception in 19 games and has seven catches for 66 yards in three games this season.
» With 56 career receptions, Ferguson is in 10th place on UO's all-time top 10 list for catches by a tight end.
» Ferguson needs seven catches to move into an eighth-place tie in Oregon tight end history.
DEFENSIVE NOTES
No Fly Zone
The strength of the Oregon defense this season has come from its ability to defend the pass. Through three games, the Ducks lead the Pac-12 in passing yards allowed per game (158.7) and yards allowed per pass attempt (4.7). Opposing quarterbacks hold a passer rating of just 106.36 against the Ducks, a mark that is in the top 25 nationally. UO's recent performance against Hawai'i produced its highest PFF pass coverage grade (86.4) since receiving an 89.6 against Washington State in Week 4 of the 2022 season. The Ducks intercepted three passes on Sept. 9 at Texas Tech, including a pick-six that extended the lead late in the fourth quarter. In the season-opening win against Portland State, Oregon held the Vikings to just 52 passing yards, the fewest since holding Washington State to just 51 in 2009. The Ducks limited Hawai'i to 152 passing yards last week, including just 44 in the first half.
Transfers Making Big Impact In Secondary
Oregon's defensive secondary looks quite a bit different in 2023, with the departure of first-round draft pick Christian Gonzalez and 2022 leading tackler Bennett Williams. The Ducks returned valuable experience in players like Trikweze Bridges, Bryan Addison, Steve Stephens IV, Dontae Manning and Jahlil Florence, but also used the transfer portal to bring in four guys with significant FBS experience - Khyree Jackson (Alabama), Tysheem Johnson (Ole Miss), Nikko Reed (Colorado) and Evan Williams (Fresno State). Jackson and Johnson have been especially productive early in their Oregon careers - Jackson is tied for the Pac-12 lead with two interceptions, and Johnson leads the Ducks with 20 total tackles and 2.0 tackles for loss.
» Johnson has played the most defensive snaps of any Duck (160) and also leads the team in solo tackles (14).
» Johnson was a 247Sports True Freshman All-American in 2021 after making 47 tackles and four TFLs.
» Jackson has recorded an interception in each of the Ducks' last two games, the first two picks of his career.
Pick Party
The Ducks were all over the Texas Tech passing game in Week 2 with three interceptions, headlined by a lead-extending pick six by JEFFREY BASSA late in the fourth quarter.. The Ducks have now intercepted 14 passes over the last 10 games dating back to last season, when UO tied for 10th nationally with 16 picks. Through just three games in 2023, Alabama transfer KHYREE JACKSON is tied for the Pac-12 lead with two interceptions after picking off his second pass in as many games last week vs. Hawai'i.
The trend is nothing new for Oregon, which has been the best team in the nation over the last decade-plus at coming away with interceptions. UO leads all FBS teams with 210 total interceptions since 2010, 12 more than second-place Iowa and 15 more than Alabama. That impressive run of picking off passes goes back even further, as the Ducks lead the nation with 372 total interceptions since 2000, 14 ahead of Virginia Tech. Since 2018, Oregon is second in the nation with 79 interceptions, behind only Iowa (84).
Popo Getting Back To Business
Oregon's defense has received a boost up front this season with the return of seventh-year defensive lineman Popo Aumavae, who missed all of 2022 due to injury. Aumavae was a big key to the Ducks' defensive success in 2021, receiving first-team all-Pac-12 honors from both the Associated Press and Pro Football Focus after leading all Pac-12 interior defensive linemen with an 81.3 overall defensive grade by PFF. Aumavae has picked up where he left off in 2021 so far this season, recording sacks in each of the Ducks' last two games.
» Three tackles, one solo, in season opener vs. Portland State, his first action since 2021.
» Oregon's second-highest graded defensive starter at Texas Tech with a 73.6 overall grade from PFF; Aumavae recorded five tackles and a 7-yard sack in the game.
» Notched a 13-yard sack against Hawai'i.
» In 41 career games, Aumavae owns 72 total tackles, 10.0 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.
Bassa Leads The Way
Now a junior, inside linebacker Jeffrey Bassa has taken on the leadership role within the Oregon defense. Bassa transitioned from defensive back to inside linebacker early as a freshman in 2021, and is now comfortable in the middle after racking up 119 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and three interceptions over the last two seasons. Bassa is Oregon's leading returning tackler from 2022, when he finished with 62. He had at least five tackles in each of the final four games of 2022, including six tackles and a sack in the Holiday Bowl, and he set a career-high with 10 tackles in Oregon's win at Washington State. Bassa was dominant in the Ducks' comeback victory at Texas Tech on Sept. 9, leading the team with nine tackles while adding a tackle for loss. The defensive leader also had the play of the game when he intercepted a pass and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown with 35 seconds left, extending what was just a one-point Oregon lead and all but sealing the win for the Ducks. Through three games, Bassa is second among Ducks with 16 total tackles.
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
Lewis Chasing All-Time Scoring Record
Kicker Camden Lewis is looking to make history as a fifth-year senior in 2023. He entered his final season just 82 points shy of the Oregon all-time scoring record held by Royce Freeman (384, 2014-17), and now sits 48 points away after making six field goals and 16 PATs through three games this season. Lewis' 43 career field goals are the fourth-most in program history and just eight short of Aidan Schneider's (2014-17) program record of 51. Lewis was an all-Pac-12 honorable mention selection in 2022 after earning second-team honors in 2021.
» 6-for-6 on field goals to begin 2023, with a long of 43 yards coming against Hawai'i last week.
» Made two go-ahead field goals in the fourth quarter at Texas Tech, including a 34-yarder with 1:10 remaining that gave Oregon the lead for good. Tied career-high with three field goals made.
Gotta Go For Two
Oregon has made use of the "swinging gate" formation on extra point attempts this season to catch their opponents off guard after scoring a touchdown. The Ducks have had successful two-point conversions in two of their first three games so far, striking with a rushing attempt in the first quarter against Portland State and a Patrick Herbert-to-Terrance Ferguson passing connection in the first quarter against Texas Tech. The Ducks are one of just four teams in the nation with multiple successful two-point attempts, and are the one of two teams with a perfect conversion percentage on multiple attempts (Northern Illinois; 2-for-2). Going for two is nothing new for UO as the Ducks lead the nation in 2-point conversions since 1996 with 56, nine more than second-place Arizona State (47).
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/ Football2025 Oregon Football Uniform Reveal | Indiana
Wednesday, October 08
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Wednesday, October 08
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Wednesday, October 08
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Wednesday, October 08
