No. 6 Oregon Overpowers Oregon State 41–7

 

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Dante Moore walked off Autzen Stadium’s turf on Saturday with a milestone performance and a reminder that Oregon’s offense can be balanced, explosive, and relentless when it locks into rhythm. The freshman quarterback threw for 305 yards and four touchdowns — the first 300-yard passing game of his young career — as No. 6 Oregon shook off a slow first quarter and buried rival Oregon State 41–7.

The Ducks (4–0, 1–0 Big Ten) piled up 585 total yards, splitting them almost evenly between the pass (305) and the run (280). Moore looked composed throughout, using his legs to extend plays and adding 53 rushing yards. His poise set the tone for a team that began sluggishly but ultimately outscored the Beavers 34–0 after the first quarter.

The tone seemed set on the opening drive. Sophomore running back Jayden Limar ripped through the line for a 22-yard gain on the first snap. Two plays later, receiver Dakorien Moore showed why he’s quickly building a reputation as a generational talent. The freshman elevated over a defender for a contested catch, tapped down with control, and lunged across the goal line for a 22-yard touchdown to complete a 75-yard drive in just 2:50.

Oregon State (0–4) answered in the way underdogs must — by extending possessions and capitalizing on miscues. After Oregon was stuffed on a fourth down near midfield, the Beavers strung together a 13-play, 64-yard march that chewed up nearly eight minutes. Anthony Hankerson finished it with a 1-yard dive to tie the game at 7–7.

For a moment, the rivalry’s edge was visible. The Ducks had penalties that stalled drives, and their defense — ranked in the top ten nationally — again looked vulnerable against the run. Linebacker Jerry Mixon, one of the breakout players of the early season, made several open-field stops to slow Oregon State’s push, but lapses in gap integrity allowed a handful of chunk plays that kept the Beavers in it.

From there, Moore and the offense found their footing. Tight end Kenyon Sadiq, another rising freshman target, slipped out of the backfield on a wheel route for a 23-yard touchdown late in the second quarter. On the final drive of the half, Moore showed maturity beyond his years, scrambling for 28 yards, then delivering a pinpoint back-shoulder throw to Dakorien Moore inside the five. Freshman Jordon Davison — running behind a traditional I-formation look — punched in a two-yard touchdown with 25 seconds left to push Oregon ahead 21–7.

By halftime, the Ducks had racked up 297 yards to just 104 for the Beavers, a statistical gap that foreshadowed the rest of the afternoon.

The opening minutes of the third quarter underlined Oregon’s growing dominance. Mixon knocked down a pass on the first play of the half, and the defense stiffened. On offense, Moore engineered an 11-play, 72-yard drive capped by a 13-yard touchdown to Jeremiah McClellan. Later in the quarter, after a drive stalled inside the 10, the Ducks settled for an Atticus Sappington field goal to extend the margin to 31–7.

Moore saved his best throw for the fourth quarter. On first down near midfield, he dropped back and lofted a perfect strike to Gary Bryant Jr. in stride for a 49-yard touchdown. Bryant, who had struggled with punt return jitters earlier in the game, redeemed himself with the explosive play and finished with 106 all-purpose yards.

Dakorien Moore and Malik Benson continued to be reliable downfield threats, combining for over 100 receiving yards. Limar added 70 rushing yards, and Davison chipped in 34 with his first-half score. Freshman Dierre Hill Jr. and Makhi Hughes also flashed depth in the backfield, part of a rotation that averaged more than six yards per carry.

Oregon State never threatened in the second half. Quarterbacks Maalik Murphy and Gabarri Johnson combined to complete just 7 of 22 passes for 80 yards. Hankerson led the Beavers with 38 rushing yards, but the unit finished with only 147 total yards — just eight first downs and a 3.1-yard per play average.

Defensively, Bryce Boettcher led Oregon with 10 tackles, while Mixon contributed on both defense and special teams. The defining moment came midway through the fourth quarter when Bear Alexander fell on a fumbled exchange at the OSU 28-yard line, setting up Sappington’s second field goal to complete the rout.

Key Takeaways

• Slow start, late surge: Oregon lacked urgency early, committing drive-killing penalties and surrendering a game-tying touchdown. But the Ducks outscored the Beavers 34–0 after the first quarter.

• Defense flashes, but flaws remain: Oregon allowed a few chunk runs and missed assignments early, echoing concerns about run defense heading into next week’s trip to Penn State.

• Offensive balance: With 305 passing yards and 280 rushing yards, the Ducks showed their line of scrimmage dominance. Still, receivers at times struggled to separate, raising questions about route creativity against elite defenses.

• Special teams: Gary Bryant Jr. looked unsettled on early punt returns, though he later delivered a 49-yard touchdown reception and finished with 106 all-purpose yards. 

Looking Ahead

For Oregon, the win was as much about recalibration as it was about dominance. The Ducks struggled with penalties and self-inflicted wounds in the second half, and their receivers often failed to separate against a defense that will not resemble what they see in next week’s showdown at No. 2 Penn State.

Still, with Moore’s four touchdown passes, the continued growth of young playmakers, and a defense that forced key stops after a shaky start, the Ducks left Autzen with momentum and a 4–0 record.

Oregon State, meanwhile, is left searching for answers after its fourth straight loss to open the season. The Beavers return home to face the Houston Cougars next Friday, hoping to salvage confidence in a year already slipping away.