35-point outbursts for both Oregon and Oregon State University, with different results

Fans of the University of Oregon Ducks continue to rest assuredly at the fact that, despite starting this season with its third head coach in three seasons, the main thing that fans in Eugene are accustomed to has remained in place: a prolific offense that opponents have a very difficult time stopping.

For the third-straight week, the Ducks scored at least five touchdowns in a game, as the University of Oregon defeated the San Jose State Spartans last Saturday at Autzen Stadium, by a final score of 35-22.

Junior quarterback Justin Herbert completed 16 of 34 passes for 309 yards for Oregon, and while his completion percentage of 47.1 marks the lowest such number during his tenure in Oregon, he did throw for three touchdowns, giving him 12 touchdown passes in three games this season.

Herbert connected twice with sophomore wide receiver Johnny Johnson III for touchdown passes, including a 39-yard touchdown late in the first half, giving the Ducks a 21-6 lead at halftime, and then 22-yard touchdown completion in the opening seconds of the fourth quarter, giving the Ducks a 35-12 lead and effectively sealing the win for Oregon.

Oregon’s ground game got plenty of work, though not with the same efficiency output Ducks’ to which fans are otherwise accustomed. The Ducks ran the ball 49 times on the afternoon, but netted only 134 yards on the ground. Freshman running back CJ Verdell ran the ball 15 times for 42 yards, while senior running back Tony Brooks-James carries it 10 times for 39 yards. Freshman running back Cyrus Habibi-Likio came in as the short-yardage specialist when the Ducks were in the red zone, punching in a three-yard touchdown run for the game’s first score, and a one-yard touchdown run to open up scoring in the second half.

With their third-straight win to start the season, the Ducks will start off competition in the Pac-12 with a tough test, as they host the 7^th-ranked Stanford University Cardinal next Saturday, in a primetime matchup on ABC.

For the Oregon State University Beavers, who put up a 35-point performance of their own, they battled back from a 30-7 deficit to cut the University of Nevada Wolfpack’s lead to only two points with less than five minutes to go in the fourth quarter. However, the Beavers couldn’t muster up much past that, and ultimately lost by a 37-35 score, failing to give new head coach Jonathan Smith back-to-back wins.

Freshman running back Jermar Johnson of Oregon State carried the ball 25 times for 106 yards against Nevada, and his two touchdown runs – from two yards and one yard out – late in the third quarter and early in the fourth quarter cut Nevada’s lead down to 30-28. But Nevada scored on the ensuing drive, giving them a 37-28 lead, and effectively representing the nail in the coffin for the Beavers.

Like their counterparts in Eugene, the Beavers will open up play in the Pac-12 on Saturday, when they take on the University of Arizona Wildcats, who’ll travel to Corvallis.