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 Oregon virtually assured itself a berth in the four-team national
championship playoff by squashing the No. 7 Arizona Wildcats 51-13
on Friday in the Pac-12 championship game at Levi's Stadium.
The Ducks (12-1) dominated the game, outgaining Arizona 640-224 and
avenging their only loss of the season -- a 31-24 Arizona victory in
Eugene, Ore., on Oct. 2.
Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota downplayed the revenge factor,
though.
"We had a lot of motivation to win this game," he said. "We didn't
put much emphasis on (revenge), because that can be a distraction.
We just played better this time."
Oregon scored more than 40 points for the eighth consecutive game,
and Mariota -- voted the game's most outstanding offensive player --
probably improved his Heisman Trophy chances by completing 25 of 38
passes for 303 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. He
also rushed for three touchdowns and has accounted for a
conference-record 53 touchdowns this season.
 "If this guy isn't what the Heisman Trophy is all about, then I'm in
the wrong profession," Oregon coach Mark Helfrich said.
Freshman running back Royce Freeman rushed for 114 yards for Oregon.
The only question for the Ducks is whether they will be ranked No. 1
or No. 2 in the final College Football Playoff rankings. In either
case, Oregon will likely play its semifinal game in the Rose Bowl on
Jan. 1.
Arizona's postseason destination is less certain, especially after
such a one-sided loss.
"Tonight was not a good night," Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez said.
"They played well, we didn't. They outcoached us, outplayed us."
The Wildcats (10-3) used three quarterbacks Friday, but none of them
had much success against Oregon's defense, which is not considered
the team's strength. The Ducks defense held Arizona to seven points
until third-string Wildcats quarterback Jerrard Randall scored on
the game's final play.
"They run an offensive very similar to ours," Helfirch said. "Our
guys did an exceptional job of attacking and not just reading and
reacting."
Arizona redshirt freshman quarterback Anu Solomon played only the
first half before being replaced, and he wore a boot on his right
ankle following the game.
"He's been battling through the injury for a month," Rodriguez said.
"Tonight was not a good night."
Solomon, who was 6-for-12 for just 34 yards and was sacked three
times, said the injury bothered him at times, but added, "I just
didn't execute. If I'm not doing well, it all starts with me."
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The game turned in Oregon's favor. After the Ducks got a field goal
on their first possession, Arizona's Tyrell Johnson fumbled on the
ensuing kickoff. Oregon turned that into another field goal to lead
6-0 after one quarter, then put the game away by scoring 17 points
in the second quarter to take a 23-0 halftime lead. When Oregon
scored on their first possession of the second half to make it 30-0,
the outcome was all but decided.
Arizona had defeated Oregon the past two times the teams met,
including a 41-16 victory last season. The Wildcats had rushed for
512 yards on 120 carries in those two games combined, controlling
the ball for long stretches. But this time, the Wildcats were
limited to minus-9 yards in the first half, when they were outgained
227-18.
Oregon scored on its opening possession, going 64 yards before Aidan
Schneider kicked a 34-yard field goal. Schneider kicked his second
field goal, this one a 22-yarder, after the Johnson fumble to make
it 6-0.
Oregon failed to score after getting to the Arizona 2-inch line in
the second quarter, but the Ducks scored the game's first touchdown
on their next possession. Mariota's 7-yard scoring run completed a
39-yard drive that gave the Ducks a 13-0 lead midway through the
second quarter.
A 74-yard reception by wide receiver Charles Nelson set of the
Ducks' next touchdown, which was scored on Mariota's 4-yard
touchdown run with 1:34 left in the half to make it a 20-0 game.
Schneider added a 23-yard field goal on the final play of the half,
and Oregon wide receiver Devon Allen caught a 4-yard scoring pass on
Oregon's first possession of the second half to make it 30-0.
NOTES: This was the first Pac-12 championship game played at a
neutral site. The previous three title games were played on the home
field of the team with the better Pac-12 record. ... Oregon C
Hroniss Grasu, a three-time all-conference selection, missed his
third straight game with a leg injury. ... Arizona C Steven Gurrola
was ejected for fighting in the second half. He will miss the first
half of whatever bowl game the Wildcats play in. ... The Pac-12
title game is the only conference championship game this year to
feature two top-10 teams.
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