Oregon outlasts Penn State in double overtime thriller, 30–24

 

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Oregon faced Penn State in the 2024 Big Ten Championship Game and showed plenty of offense but not enough defense. The Ducks won that matchup and advanced to the Rose Bowl, but the 297 rushing yards they surrendered shaped much of the narrative heading into 2025. Could Oregon’s rush defense take the next step and make the Ducks a legitimate defensive force, or was that unit still a work in progress?

Saturday night in front of a raucous White Out crowd at Beaver Stadium, the Ducks answered loudly. Oregon controlled the line of scrimmage for long stretches, held Penn State’s rushing attack in check, and survived a furious Nittany Lions rally before pulling out a 30–24 victory in double overtime.

Penn State entered the game undefeated, though questions lingered about whether its offense was deliberately keeping things vanilla or simply struggling to find explosiveness without departed tight end Tyler Warren. By the end of the night, those questions grew louder, as Oregon’s defense bottled up the Nittany Lions until late in the fourth quarter.

First Half Control, Missed Opportunities

Penn State deferred, giving Oregon the ball first. Noah Whittington, returning after missing two games, ripped off a six-yard run to open. Dante Moore looked poised early, converting a fourth-down keeper before a false start and a later turnover on downs stalled the drive.

The Ducks dominated possession early, running 17 plays over their first two drives but failing to score. Penn State’s defense, led by edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton, made timely stops to keep the game scoreless. Oregon’s defense, meanwhile, answered with a three-and-out on the Lions’ opening possession and held them to just 69 total yards in the first half.

Atticus Sappington missed a 46-yard field goal in the second quarter, but he connected from 42 later to tie the game 3–3 before halftime. Despite outgaining Penn State 189–69 and controlling the ball for more than 19 minutes, Oregon entered the locker room tied.

“We felt like we had the game where we wanted it,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said afterward. “We just needed to finish drives.”

Ducks Break Through

Oregon finally found rhythm in the third quarter. Moore hit Kenyon Sadiq on a third-down scramble for 22 yards, then leaned on freshman back Dierre Hill Jr., whose power runs moved the Ducks inside the 10. After a near-disaster when Whittington’s apparent fumble was overturned, Moore hit Hill on a tunnel screen for a touchdown and a 10–3 lead.

The Ducks struck again early in the fourth quarter. Facing fourth-and-1 at the Penn State 9, Lanning kept his offense on the field. Jordon Davison converted the first down and finished the drive with an 8-yard touchdown to put Oregon ahead 17–3.

Penn State finally answered. Drew Allar connected with Devonte Ross for a 35-yard touchdown, slicing the lead to 17–10 with 10:30 left. Oregon’s offense faltered on the next series, and a shanked punt gave the Lions life. Allar used his legs to extend drives and eventually hit Ross again on a shovel pass to tie the game 17–17 with just 30 seconds left.

Double Overtime Finish

After a scoreless final possession, the game moved to overtime. Allar threw his second touchdown pass to Ross in the first extra period, giving Penn State a 24–17 lead. Oregon responded when Moore found Gary Bryant Jr. on third down to tie it 24–24.

In the second OT, Moore wasted no time. On the first play, he hit Bryant again for a 25-yard touchdown. The Ducks failed on the two-point conversion, but safety Dillon Thieneman intercepted Allar on Penn State’s ensuing possession to seal the 30–24 win.

“This was about resilience,” Moore said. “We didn’t play perfect, but we found a way.”

Key Players/Stats

• Dante Moore, QB, Oregon: 29 of 39 passing, 248 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs; 35 rushing yards.

• Gary Bryant Jr., WR, Oregon: 6 catches, 55 yards, 2 TDs, including the game-winner in double OT.

• Dakorein Moore, WR, Oregon: 7 receptions, 89 yards, including a 29-yard grab that set up a score.

• Dierre Hill Jr., RB, Oregon: 10 carries for 82 yards; added a touchdown catch.

• Oregon Defense: Held Penn State to 276 total yards, just 139 on the ground; two sacks and five tackles for loss.

• Drew Allar, QB, Penn State: 14 of 25 passing, 137 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT; 42 rushing yards.

• Devonte Ross, WR, Penn State: 4 catches, 48 yards, 2 TDs.

• Kaytron Allen, RB, Penn State: 12 carries, 54 yards, 1 TD.

Key Takeaways

• Defense steps up: After allowing nearly 300 rushing yards in the Big Ten title game last season, Oregon’s front held Penn State to 139 yards on 35 attempts (4.0 per carry). Matayo Uiagalelei and Teitum Tuioti were disruptive off the edge, while Bear Alexander controlled the interior.

• Moore delivers in big moment: Oregon’s sophomore quarterback looked every bit the five-star prospect, completing 74 percent of his passes and showing poise in hostile conditions. His overtime touchdown throws defined the win.

• Red zone efficiency matters: Oregon finished 2-for-2 in the red zone after struggling early to convert long drives into points. Penn State managed just one red zone trip all game.

• Penn State’s late push: The Nittany Lions found life in the fourth quarter, but their lack of offensive explosiveness for much of the game left too narrow a margin. Allar’s legs extended drives, but Oregon’s defense controlled the night.

• Playoff implications: With Ohio State struggling and USC losing earlier, Oregon’s road win over an unbeaten Penn State positions the Ducks as a serious national title contender.