Fresno State flirted with the idea of an upset against the No. 11 Oregon Ducks but late in the fourth quarter, the momentum of the game quickly shifted.
Tied 24-24 with 2:57 left, Oregon was fourth down and two. As the play unfolded, they gained way more than they needed. Ducks senior quarterback Anthony Brown Jr. ran for a 30-yard touchdown to put Oregon up 31-24 late in the game.
The Bulldogs could not respond on their next possession with incomplete passes and starting quarterback Jake Haener getting sacked. Oregon held on to win the game 31-24 in Eugene Saturday afternoon.
The Ducks played in front of their fans for the first time since 2019, and the Bulldogs faced their first-ranked opponent since 2018. At Autzen Stadium, fans were also required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test within three days in order to attend the game.
From the beginning, the Bulldogs quickly felt the difference from their previous match against UConn.
Turnovers plagued the Bulldogs in the start of the game. Oregon’s defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux rocked Haener, forcing a fumble which was immediately recovered by Mase Funa.
Ducks starting running back CJ Verdell continued the momentum with a 2-yard rush to the end zone, scoring the first touchdown of the game with 8:07 left in the first quarter.
On the next offensive drive for the Bulldogs, Oregon linebacker Noah Sewell forced a second Fresno State fumble by tackling running back Ronnie Rivers. This turnover led to another Oregon touchdown later with running back Travis Dye rushing 4 yards to the end zone. The Ducks were off to an early 14-0 lead in the first quarter.
“Just got to take care of the football,” Bulldogs Head Coach Kalen DeBoer said.
After the wake-up call from Oregon, Fresno State started to get into a rhythm ”” led by Haener.
At the end of the first quarter, Haener ignited the offense with a barrage of pass plays – ending with 94 passing yards. This was key for the Bulldogs the rest of the game.
“[Haener] kept battling. He kept fighting,” DeBoer said. “Kept finding guys that were open… He was cool the entire way – really understood the situation.”
Haener’s passing ability helped the Bulldogs make their comeback. Fresno State ended the game going for 375 total yards, 298 of them being through the air.
Abraham Montaño, who stepped in for an injured Cesar Silva, nailed two field goals in the second quarter to cut the Bulldogs’ deficit to 14-6 with 3:31 left in the first half.
The Ducks got on the board one last time before halftime as Brown connected on a 32-yard pass to Johnny Johnson III to increase Oregon’s lead, 21-6.
The Bulldogs went into halftime with momentum. With seven seconds left in the half, Haener threw the Bulldogs’ first touchdown of the game on a 17-yard pass to receiver Jalen Cropper. Now, the Bulldogs were just down 21-14.
Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal saw a much different Fresno State team after the back-to-back turnovers.
“They were very well-coached and they have talent. A lot of respect for them,” Cristobal said. “I believe that in football you respect the game of football by giving credit where credit is due, and credit to them for playing hard, playing well, they’ve got a good football team.”
Thibodeaux, who is projected to be a top NFL draft pick, left the first half with a leg injury.
Fresno State’s running game was not as sharp as last week. The Ducks’ defense, which is under the control of former Fresno State head coach Tim DeRuyter, at one point held Fresno State to -28 yards. Rivers and Jordan Mims combined for 91 total rushing yards Saturday.
But Fresno State kept attacking in the third quarter. A big 45-yard run by Mims set up a 2-yard touchdown rush from Haener to the end zone. Fresno State went for two and converted a pass from Haener to Juan Rodriguez, tying the game at 21.
In the first play of the fourth quarter, Arron Mosby forced his second fumble of the season, which was recovered by Kevin Atkins. The offense orchestrated a drive that ended in Montaño making his third field goal of the day and giving the Bulldogs their first lead of the game, 24-21.
But the Bulldogs struggled once again to hold onto the football. With 10:16 left in the fourth quarter, Haener rushed for 13 yards before losing the ball to Oregon’s Jordan Happle. The Ducks utilized the remaining time they had to take the lead, 31-24.
Defensively, Fresno State couldn’t handle Oregon’s rushing attack after halftime. The Bulldogs defense gave the Ducks 63 rushing yards in the first half but then gave up 126 yards in the second.
“We’re hurting right now, but we’re not down,” DeBoer said. “When I walked out of the locker room, there are guys that are in a good way ”” fired up.”