As promised I am going to just dump the two sets of notes I took during the game: Game Notes and Fifth Quarter notes. These notes are the base for each article and thought it owuld be fun to share because these are what was taken in real time:
OPEN
During the week between Idaho and Boise State there was no shortage of critique for the underwhelming performance of the Oregon football team against the Vandals – and yet what was likely the defining critique of that performance came from Dan Lanning himself. “I am disappointed in the process,” Lanning commented in the locker room to his team.
For the first two seasons of the Lanning era, the process – a standard – was the highlight of everything he did. In those two seasons the team had not yet had a game where they looked ahead and took an opponent for granted. The Idaho game was perhaps the first sign of such a lapse in the approach to a game.
The question in front of Oregon was whether that was a one time flaw or the undercurrent of a more systemic problem with the team.
GAME NOTES
Q1
Ducks win 37-34
Gabriel finished 18-21 for 243 yards with 2 passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown.
Jordan James 17 carries 102 yards
Defense held Madsen to 17 of 40 for 148 yards
OPEN
During the week between Idaho and Boise State there was no shortage of critique for the underwhelming performance of the Oregon football team against the Vandals – and yet what was likely the defining critique of that performance came from Dan Lanning himself. “I am disappointed in the process,” Lanning commented in the locker room to his team.
For the first two seasons of the Lanning era, the process – a standard – was the highlight of everything he did. In those two seasons the team had not yet had a game where they looked ahead and took an opponent for granted. The Idaho game was perhaps the first sign of such a lapse in the approach to a game.
The question in front of Oregon was whether that was a one time flaw or the undercurrent of a more systemic problem with the team.
GAME NOTES
Q1
- Jordan James with 7 yard run on first down, but a sack on second down and pressure on third down left the Ducks punting in their first possession
- Boise State started with excellent field position inside the 50 yard line after a short punt and good return
- After getting to the 25 yard line, Duck defense responded well to a screen pass on left side for no gain and forced Boise State into a 42 yard field goal attempt which was converted to give Boise an early 3-0 lead. In many ways this was a ‘win’ for the defense after giving the Broncos good field position and allowing them some running room early.
- Ducks after two possessions had just 6 plays and 12 total yards,
- Defense had a good second series forcing a three-and-out. Would the offense be able to get some momentum from the defense?
- A change to the offensive line brought life to Oregon with Evan Stewart catching a perfectly placed 67 yard bomb to put Oregon within scoring range. Dillon Gabriel would take it in from the 1-yard line two plays later to give Oregon a 7-3 lead
- After a couple of big passes and solid running by Ashton Jeanty followed by a costly personal foul gave Boise State a first and goal that lead was in jeopardy quickly.
- Could the Ducks aspirations and hopes really rest on a second quarter goal line stand? It sure seemed to feel that way as a season that began with legitimate playoff and national championship aspirations suddenly seemed to be one in which the Ducks would struggle to get successive stops on defense and would struggle at times to move the ball on offense.
- At the end of the first quarter, Boise State outrushed Oregon 51-16, had 5 first downs to 1 for Oregon and yet trailed 7-3
- On third down and goal, Jeanty walked in untouched for the touchdown giving the Broncos a 10-7 lead just 40 seconds into the second quarter.
- Ducks next possession saw two consecutive sacks and a punt
- Defense responded on next series batting down a pass then tackling Jeanty for a two yard loss to force a third and long for the Broncos
- Tez Johnson picked up a short punt near midfield and gave the Ducks their best field position of the night with a return to the Boise State 34
- Self inflicted wounds continued to hurt Oregon. Following a holding on first down that negated a solid pass play, Traeshon Holden committed a personal foul after a catch and run of his own. This left Oregon with 2nd-and-27 at their own 11-yard line. The Ducks were forced to punto following another sack inside the 5-yard line
- Once again, Oregon was defending a short field from their own 30 yard line. Boise State converted a three play, 30-yard drive to take a 17-14 lead with 4:51 left in the first half.
- Now we would see if Oregon head coach Dan Lanning could get his team to a ‘middle eight’ win. That had been the hallmark of his first two seasons and was something missing against Idaho a week ago. Trailing in the second quarter, of Oregon could find a way to piece together scoring drives on offense followed by defensive stops without shooting themselves in the foot, they might find the kind of rhythm that has been missing early in the 2024 season.
- With Boise State set to take the second half kick, not only did it look like Oregon would not get a ‘win’ in the middle eight, they could be looking at a loss. Boise State was getting the ball back with two minutes left in the first half and hoping to extend their lead.
- On the very first play of their next drive three different Duck defenders had a chance to stop Jeanty in the backfield – instead he escaped for a 31-yard gain.
- The Broncos drove 77 yards on 12 plays, but with a goal-to-go, the Ducks were able to hold Boise State to a field goal giving them a 20-14 lead heading into halftime.
- In the first half Gabriel was 9-10-133 yards and a touchdown, but he was also sacked four times in the half and was under pressure for far too much of the first half
- Jordan James had 7 carries for 38 yards in the first half and was close to breaking free on several occasions.
- After giving up a first down on the first possession of the second half, the Oregon defense stiffened up and forced a punt.
- Ducks looked to get some energy after a targeting by Boise State safety Alexander Teubner. Getting up to the 39 with the penalty, he Ducks would score four plays later on a 59 yard catch and run from Gabriel to Traeshon Holden. A missed PAT left the score tied at 20-20, but the Duck fans seemed to have a little more energy. Now it would be up to the defense to make some stops.
- After a near pick six by Jordan Burch, the Ducks forced Boise State to punt on 4th and 12. If the Duck offense could string together a second consecutive scoring drive, they could start to take some semblance of control. An excellent punt left the Duck offense starting from their own 4-yard line. 96 yards away from getting back out in front of the Broncos.
- The Broncos were able to force the Ducks to punt after pinning them Ducks deep.
- After forcing another three-and-out Tez Johnson put on a display that brought a roar from an Oregon crowd that was reminiscent of the ‘The Pick’ when he took the punt at the 15 yard line, jetted to his left, then back to his right and took it the distance to put Oregon up 27-20
- After a promising start to the drive that could have put some distance between Oregon and Boise State, Patrick Herbert fumbled the ball and Boise State recvered on their own 30 yard line. One play later Jeanty was 70 yards into the endzone to tie up the game.
- In a game of inches, a missed PAT by Oregon started to loom large in the fourth quarter.
- A second fumble by Oregon at their own 22 suddenly swung momentum the way of the Broncos who were in the redzone and could suddenly smell a lead after the miscue by Dillon Gabriel
- Oregon led 27-20 with most of the fourth quarter left on a promising drive. Then it all fell apart with the Ducks fumbling the ball twice within the span of three offensive plays. Boise State converted both into touchdowns and a game that once looked like the Ducks would take a 34-20 lead suddenly had the Ducks trailing 34-27 with 10:15 left in the game..
this was gut check time. Those playoff aspirations were no longer what mattered. The Ducks entered this game 0-3 against Boise State since 2008 and were in danger of falling to 0-4 – but most importantly, of losing at home in a pivotal non conference game. - Then – coming back from a devastating knee injury a year ago – Noah Whittington took the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for the tying score. The emotional swing for the fans could be felt from the press box. It was like a surge of positivity wafted from the stands as Whittington crossed the goal line.
- After tying the game up, a big rush on 3rd and long ended with a sack by Jordan Burch forcing Boise State to punt again giving Oregon the ball back at the 24 yard line with 6:56 left in the game.
- The Ducks missed on two open receivers giving the ball back to Boise State with 4:33 left – but forced another three-and-out.
- With just 3:36 left on the clock and a tie game, Dillon Gabriel and the Oregon offense would take the ball at the 32-yard line. A 14-yard pass to Kenyon Sadiq started the drive right for Oregon. Facing a third-and-1 two plays later with 2:00 left in the game the Ducks completed a short pass to Terrance Ferguson for a first down. But they still needed to get at least into field goal range – they did that via a deep pass that resulted in a defensive pass interference putting the ball inside the 30-yard line with 1:30 left in the game. From there Jordan James took over carrying the ball three consecutive times to get the ball to the 8 yard line with 0:43 seconds left in the game.
Ducks win 37-34
Gabriel finished 18-21 for 243 yards with 2 passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown.
Jordan James 17 carries 102 yards
Defense held Madsen to 17 of 40 for 148 yards
