No. 7 Ducks Host Colorado Saturday In Autzen
GAME 8
#7 Oregon vs. Colorado
Saturday, October 30, 2021
FOX | 12:35 p.m. PT
Autzen Stadium | Eugene, Ore.
#7 Oregon Ducks (6-1, 3-1 Pac-12)
AP/Coaches Rank: 7/8
Head Coach: Mario Cristobal (Miami, 1993)
Record at Oregon: 31-11 (4th Season)
Career Record: 58-58 (10th Season)
Colorado Buffaloes (2-5, 1-3 Pac-12)
AP/Coaches Rank: NR/NR
Head Coach: Karl Dorrell (UCLA, 1986)
Record at Colorado: 6-7 (2nd Season)
Career Record: 41-34 (7th Season)
TV - FOX
Play-by-Play: Aaron Goldsmith
Analyst: Brock Huard
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: Joey McMurry
Pre-Game Show: Terry Jonz
Numbers to Know
7 - Kayvon Thibodeaux is one of just seven FBS players this season to have at least nine tackles, four TFLs and two sacks in a game.
+9 - Oregon is No. 8 in the FBS this season with a plus-9 turnover margin, and No. 6 with a 1.29 turnover margin per game.
77.42 - Oregon's offense ranks fourth in the nation this season with TDs on 77.42% of its red zone opportunities (24-of-31).
132 - Johnny Johnson III ranks 11th in Oregon history with 132 career receptions, just two away from cracking the top 10.
3,000 - Travis Dye surpassed 3,000 career yards from scrimmage at UCLA, running his total to 3,058 (2,402 rushing, 656 receiving).
Did You Know?
Travis Dye became the first player in FBS history to rush for a touchdown on four consecutive carries in Oregon's win at UCLA.
Awards This Week
» Verone McKinley III - 2021 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Semifinalist
» Kayvon Thibodeaux - Pac-12 Defensive Player & Defensive Lineman of the Week
» Noah Sewell - Pac-12 Freshman of the Week
» Travis Dye - Rose Bowl Pac-12 Player of the Week
TEAM NOTES
At A Glance
Boasting a 6-1 overall record, No. 7 Oregon returns to Autzen Stadium this Saturday to host Colorado after picking up a huge road win at UCLA last weekend. The Ducks are up three spots in the latest AP poll, earning their seventh consecutive top-10 ranking and representing the Pac-12 as the conference's lone team in the top 25. Oregon is currently tied atop the Pac-12 North standings with a 3-1 mark in conference play.
A Win Would...
» Extend Oregon's home winning streak to 17 games, the third-longest active streak in the FBS.
» Be Oregon's 13th straight Pac-12 victory in Autzen Stadium.
» Improve Oregon to 20-1 at home under head coach Mario Cristobal.
» Be Oregon's seventh in the last eight meetings with Colorado, including six of seven since the Buffaloes joined the Pac-12.
Thriving At Autzen
Oregon enters Saturday's game having won 16 consecutive games at Autzen Stadium, the third-longest active home winning streak in the nation. The Ducks are 19-1 at home under head coach Mario Cristobal since the start of the 2018 season, including a 12-1 record in conference home games. Oregon is 4-0 at Autzen so far in 2021, averaging 36.0 points per game while holding opponents to just 16.8 points per game.
Resilient Ducks Beat UCLA
The Ducks faced a 14-0 deficit through the first quarter at UCLA, but Oregon outscored the Bruins 27-3 in the middle two quarters en route to a 34-31 win at the Rose Bowl. Quarterback Anthony Brown ran for a 43-yard touchdown to give Oregon a 34-17 lead in the fourth quarter and - after UCLA pulled within three points with a pair of touchdowns - cornerback DJ James sealed the win with an interception in the final minute, his second pick of the day. Brown threw for a season-high 296 yards and ran for a team-high 85 yards and a touchdown, one of five for the Ducks on the ground against the Pac-12's top rushing defense. Travis Dye made history in the game, becoming the first FBS player in history to rush for a touchdown on four consecutive carries.
Finishing Strong
Oregon has finished games strong throughout the first half of the season, outscoring opponents 79-45 in the fourth quarter. The Ducks are fourth in the FBS averaging 11.3 points per game in the final quarter while outscoring opponents by an average of 4.9 points per game in the fourth, a number that ranks 11th nationally. Oregon has scored at least 10 points in the fourth quarter of all four home games, winning the final frame in each of those contests.
Taking Advantage
Oregon has been one of the best in the country at capitalizing on takeaways during head coach Mario Cristobal's tenure, averaging the second-most points off turnovers in the FBS since the start of the 2018 season. The Ducks have scored at least 14 points off turnovers 14 times during that span, cashing in for 17 points off of turnovers three times this season (Fresno State, Stony Brook, Arizona).
» Scoring an average of 4.56 points off of each turnover since 2018 (333 points off 73 turnovers).
» Has scored at least 20 points off turnovers eight times since 2018, led by three games with 28 points off takeaways.
» Third in the FBS in points off turnovers differential in 2021, outscoring opponents by 4.8 PPG.
OFFENSIVE NOTES
Ground And Pound
Oregon's offense has been paced by its rushing attack over the first half of the season. The Ducks are averaging 197.6 yards per game on the ground and are tied for second in the Pac-12 with 21 rushing TDs. Travis Dye is third in the Pac-12 in rushing yards per game (80.3) while Anthony Brown is second among QBs in the league in yards per game on the ground (46.7).
» First in the Pac-12 with 398 rushing yards in the fourth quarter.
» Scored five TDs on the ground at UCLA, the most rushing TDs by an Oregon team since Nov. 23, 2018 at Oregon State.
» Ran for 269 yards in a week two win at Ohio State - the most by a team against the Buckeyes in Ohio Stadium since 2014.
Feature Back
Running back Travis Dye is one of the biggest keys to the Oregon offense both on the ground and through the air. Now having to shoulder the bulk of the work after CJ Verdell's season-ending injury, Dye is third in the conference in rushing yards per game and fourth in yards from scrimmage per game while leading the team in both rushing yards and receptions. He has led the team in rushing in four of the last five games while finishing with a team high in receptions twice.
» Rushed for 35 yards and four TDs while adding 36 receiving yards on four catches at UCLA.
» Ran for 145 yards on 19 carries while catching a career-high seven passes for 73 yards vs. California.
» Also set a career-high with 218 all-purpose yards against California.
» Only FBS running back this year and the first Pac-12 player since Christian McCaffrey in 2016 to have at least 140 rushing and 70 receiving yards in a game.
What Can Brown Do For You
Anthony Brown has made big plays through the air and on the ground in his first seven starts as a Duck. Brown is averaging 259.6 yards of total offense per game (212.9 pass, 46.7 rush) and has seven touchdown passes to go along with six rushing TDs. He has set a season-high in passing yards in each of the last two games, throwing for 296, a week after going for 244 through the air against California. Brown also came through with a clutch performance at Ohio State, when he threw for 236 yards and two TDs. He has also proved to be a weapon with his legs, running for more than 50 yards in three games, including a career-high 85 and a score at UCLA the last time out.
» Tied for first among Pac-12 QBs with six rushing touchdowns.
» Tied for second in the FBS with four rushing TDs in the fourth quarter.
» First Oregon QB since Marcus Mariota in 2012 to win his first four starts as a Duck.
» Threw for more than 250 yards and ran for at least 50 yards in a game for the first time in his career with 296 through the air and 85 on the ground at UCLA.
Spreading The Wealth
Oregon has spread the ball around to numerous receivers in the passing game, as 16 different players have a reception and seven players have caught a TD pass. Six of Oregon's pass catchers have at least 10 receptions on the year while a different player has led the team in receiving yards in each of the first seven games. The Ducks have had at least 10 different players catch a pass in a game three times this year, with 11 players coming up with receptions in wins at Ohio State and UCLA.
» RB Travis Dye leads the team in receptions (19), WR Johnny Johnson III is first in yards (245) and WR Jaylon Redd and TE Terrance Ferguson are tied for the lead in TD receptions (2).
» Seven different players have finished at least tied for the team lead in receptions in a game.
» Starting QB Anthony Brown has completions to 14 of the 16 players who have caught a pass.
Pro-Duck-Tive Duo
The receiving duo of Jaylon Redd and Johnny Johnson III are among the most potent scoring combinations in the passing game among active FBS players. The pair have combined for the third most career receiving TDs of any Power 5 duo with 31. Johnson and Redd are also second among Pac-12 duos with 3,251 career receiving yards led by Johnson, whose 1,862 receiving yards is second among active players in the conference.
Climbing The Reception Rankings
Senior wide receivers Jaylon Redd and Johnny Johnson III look to continue climbing Oregon's career receptions list during their final collegiate seasons in 2021. Johnson is currently 11th in school history with 132 catches while Redd is in 13th with 128 career receptions.
» To crack the top 10, Johnson needs two receptions while Redd needs six.
» Johnson is 18 catches away from 150 in his career while Redd is 22 away. Seven WRs in UO history have reached that mark.
Depth In The Tight End Room
Oregon has gotten contributions from nearly everyone in its tight end room. Five of the Ducks' tight ends have caught a pass while six of the seven players listed as tight ends of the roster have gotten playing time. Terrance Ferguson leads the group with nine receptions for 80 yards and a pair of TDs and is one of two Oregon players to have caught multiple touchdown passes. Spencer Webb and Moliki Matavao have both found the end zone while Cam McCormick and DJ Johnson have hauled in first down receptions.
» Ferguson is one of two true freshman tight ends in the FBS with multiple receiving TDs.
» Matavao hauled in his first career TD at Ohio State while Webb found the end zone against Arizona.
» Johnson caught an 11-yard pass on a third down late at Ohio State while also recording a sack on the final play.
DEFENSIVE NOTES
Game Wrecker
Named a first-team preseason All-American by eight different outlets, Kayvon Thibodeaux has wreaked havoc in opposing backfields in his career as a Duck. An FWAA second-team All-American in 2020, Thibodeaux has recorded 16.0 sacks and 31.0 TFLs in 25 career games at Oregon. He leads all Power 5 players in TFLs since the start of 2019 with 31.0 after recording a career-high 4.5 at UCLA. Thibodeaux missed two games due to injury before seeing limited action vs. Arizona.
» Third-highest pass rush grade nationally among edge defenders according to PFF (92.9).
» Third in the Pac-12 with 4.0 sacks and fourth in the league with 7.5 TFLs.
» Set career-highs with nine tackles and 4.5 TFLs while recording two sacks and a forced fumble in the win at UCLA.
» Also finished with 10 quarterback pressures against UCLA according to PFF.
» One of two FBS players with at least 4.0 TFLs, 2.0 sacks and forced fumble in a game.
» First Oregon player since 2007 (Nick Reed) to record at least nine tackles, four TFLs and two sacks in a game.
Superb Sewell
Linebacker Noah Sewell has proved himself as one of the best defensive players in the league this season. Sewell is third in the Pac-12 and fourth nationally among freshmen with a team-high 63 tackles - 20 more than anyone else on the team. He has made 51 tackles over the last five games, including 36 in the last three home games (10 vs. Stony Brook, 14 vs. Arizona, 12 vs. California). He owns the highest grade among Pac-12 linebackers and is eighth in the FBS in pass rushing situations according to PFF (89.5).
» One of seven FBS players with at least 60 tackles and three sacks on the season.
» Has finished at least tied for the team lead in tackles four times, all in the last five games.
» Made at least four stops in all 14 career games, and five-plus in his last 12.
» Set a career-high with 14 stops against Arizona.
» Named to the Butkus Award and Polynesian College Football Player of the Year watch lists.
Back-End Playmaker
A third-year starter in the UO secondary, Verone McKinley III has proven to be one of the best playmakers in the FBS in 2021. He's tied for second nationally with four interceptions after coming away with a pick in three straight games in September. McKinley is also third on the team with 40 tackles. The 2019 FWAA Freshman All-American is tied for sixth among active FBS players with nine career interceptions and is one of just two third-year players with at least nine picks.
» Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist.
» First Oregon player to come away with an interception in three straight games since Erick Dargan in 2012.
» Five of his nine career interceptions have come in the red zone.
» Named the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week following the Ohio State game.
» Earned Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week honors following the Stony Brook win.
Making Stops In Crunch Time
The Oregon defense has made numerous big stops late in games in the six wins. The Ducks have forced six turnovers in the fourth quarter in addition to turning opponents over on downs three times. UO has forced a fourth-quarter turnover in five of the six wins and came up with a fourth-down stop with two seconds remaining in the win over California.
» Forced a fumble and came up with a fourth-down stop in the fourth quarter in the season. opening win vs. Fresno State.
» Sealed wins at Ohio State and UCLA with interceptions in the final two minutes of each game.
» Stopped Cal on fourth-and-goal on the two-yard line with two seconds left.
We'll Take That
Takeaways have been one of the keys to Oregon's success defensively over the first seven games. The Ducks are tied for 10th in the FBS and first in the Pac-12 with 16 turnovers forced over seven games. Oregon has come away with at least three turnovers four times this year while 12 of the 16 takeaways have come in home games.
» Only FBS team to have three players come away with multiple INTs in a game this year.
» The 13 turnovers forced over the first four games were the most by an Oregon team in a four-game stretch since Sept. 28-Oct. 19, 2013 (14 turnovers).
» Verone McKinley III and Bennett Williams are first and tied for second, respectively, in the Pac-12 in interceptions.
The Wright Stuff
A preseason first-team All-Pac-12 selection, Mykael Wright has gotten his third season at Oregon off to a strong start. Wright is second on the team with 43 tackles (31 solo) and also has an INT, two TFLs, a forced fumble and four pass breakups. Wright has recorded five or more tackles in six of the seven games, highlighted by a career-high 10 stops in the win at Ohio State.
» First among Pac-12 cornerbacks and second among all DBs in the league with 43 tackles.
» Came away with second career INT during the Arizona win.
» One of two Pac-12 DBs with at least 40 tackles and three TFLs on the season.
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
Kicking It Into Gear
Sophomore kicker Camden Lewis has made a significant contribution to Oregon's special teams in handling both placekicking and kickoff duties. He is the only Pac-12 kicker with at least five field goal attempts and one of just nine in the FBS still perfect on the season. Lewis has put the ball in the end zone for a touchback on 25 of his 46 kickoff attempts. His seven straight made field goals to start the year is also the longest streak of his career. Lewis' numbers show a drastic improvement from his first two seasons as a Duck, as his touchback percentage of 54.3 percent is more than double what it was from 2019 to 2020 (26 percent).
» Current streak of seven straight made FGs is the longest by an Oregon kicker since Aidan Schneider in 2015 (9 straight).
» 49-yard FG vs. California was the longest by a UO kicker since Matt Evensen hit a 52-yarder on Oct. 25, 2008.
Snee Gives Ducks Defense An Edge
Sophomore punter Tom Snee has proven to be a weapon, giving the Ducks' defense a number of advantages in field position through seven games. The Australia native has pinned 11 of his 24 punts inside the 20 yard-line, and has been named to the Ray Guy Award Ray's 8 list twice this season.
» Each of his last four punts have either gone for more than 50 yards or been pinned inside the 20, highlighted by two kicks of 50-plus yards vs. Caliifornia.
» Boomed a career-long 57-yard punt at Stanford.