Oregon didn’t exactly put on a spotless show Saturday afternoon, but the Ducks still handled business in Eugene and kept rolling with a 21-7 lead at halftime before a late 10-point burst finally put the game away. Dan Lanning’s team beat Kyle Whittingham and the Michigan Wolverines, picked up a third straight win, and moved to 7-3 on the season.
The scoreline was comfortable enough by the end, but the Ducks left some meat on the bone. The offense had stretches where it looked sharp and dangerous, then stalled long enough to keep the game from turning into a full blowout until late. Even so, several Oregon players delivered the kind of performances that made the difference.
Dylan Raiola was the engine from the start. After the decision to fire Drew Mehringer and elevate Jay Johnson, Raiola has looked like a different quarterback, and he opened this one with a beautiful anticipation throw to Jeremiah McClellan for a 60-yard touchdown. That kind of start set the tone, and for a third straight game Raiola was the driving force behind an Oregon win.
McClellan’s return from injury against Ohio State was one thing. This game was a full reintroduction.
He showed exactly why his absence hurt the offense so much, racing under that deep ball for the long touchdown and finishing with 4 catches for 105 yards and a score. Oregon suddenly looks even more dangerous with him back in rhythm.
Dierre Hill Jr. kept making life miserable for Michigan in every phase. With Jay Johnson calling plays and Jordon Davison out, Hill has taken his impact to another level, and Saturday was another reminder.
He ran effectively, caught a touchdown pass, and even sparked things in the return game. His line: 98 rushing yards and a 49-yard touchdown reception.
Johnson himself deserves a spot in the winner’s column too. The interim offensive coordinator continues to make a strong case for the full-time job, and Oregon’s first-half output matched the best anyone has done against this defense all season. A missed field goal, a dropped touchdown by Dakorien Moore, and Michigan’s long second-half possession kept this from becoming a 40-plus-point night, but the offense still looked dangerous.
On defense, Matayo Uiagalelei stepped up after Oregon lost half of its pass-rushing duo for the season with Teitum Tuioti’s knee injury. Uiagalelei answered with a pair of sacks and X tackles, continuing to close in on the program’s sacks record. He remains one of the best pass rushers in the country, and he looked the part again.
Jett Washington also earned an honorable mention. His playing time keeps climbing, and in the fourth quarter he came through with a pass breakup on fourth down when Michigan tried to chip away at the lead.
As for the losers, Whittingham took the biggest hit. He made waves this week by calling out how much Oregon pays players, even as his own program has plenty of resources and a quarterback on a record-setting deal.
The Ducks made him pay for the noise. Michigan let Dakorien Moore get behind them for a touchdown, the quarterback situation remains a mess, and the loss only deepens what has already been a miserable season.
It could also make Whittingham a one-and-done in Ann Arbor.
Gage Hurych rounds out the list on the wrong side. He did knock through every extra point, but the field-goal issues are still hanging over Oregon.
His miss from 46 yards won’t inspire much confidence, even if the final kick of the game might give him a little boost. If the Ducks are going to make a real run, they need him to settle back into the automatic form he showed earlier in the season.
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