Oregon survives Penn State’s rally to claim first-ever Big Ten Title

INDIANAPOLIS — The Ducks put on a show full of offensive fireworks at Lucas Oil Stadium Saturday night, and now they can call themselves Big Ten Champions.

Oregon took care of business with a 45-37 win over Penn State, captured its’ first-ever, Big Ten Title and accomplished that feat in front of 67,469 fans. Coach Dan Lanning had the Ducks ready for the spotlight, and they made a statement against the No. 3 team in the nation.

Now Oregon is 13-0 for the first time in school history, and will be the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoffs, which takes place later this month. Although Lanning and his Ducks are enjoying postseason glory, the Nittany Lions didn’t go down without a fight. After all, Penn State (11-2) traded blows with Oregon like it was a heavyweight bout, and the game quickly turned into a shootout.

However, it was the Ducks that drew first blood. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel led Oregon on a nine-play, 84-yard touchdown drive on its’ initial possession. Oregon made it look easy too, especially tight end Kenyon Sadiq, who hurdled a defender after the catch, and ran the ball 28 yards to the house.  At that point the Ducks clearly set the tone, but the Nittany Lions had to respond and didn’t want to get bullied.

Oregon’s tempo on offense was a problem for Penn State’s defense throughout the evening, and that’s how Gabriel and his teammates were able to dictate the flow of the game.

“We’ve talked about moments this year where guys had to put each other on their backs, and I thought the offense tonight did an unbelievable job,” Lanning said. “That offense is really hard to stop, they do an unbelievable job over there.”

After a Penn State field goal, Oregon responded with another impressive touchdown drive, that ended with Gabriel connecting with Sadiq again. The Nittany Lions put together a long touchdown drive of their own, and within a blink of an eye there were 24 points on the scoreboard at the end of the first quarter.

The Ducks were able to build a little cushion in the second quarter, and scored 14 unanswered points. That was until quarterback Drew Allar and Penn State’s offense followed up with two additional touchdowns to pull within four points. Luckily for Lanning, kicker Atticus Sappington nailed a 22-yard field goal to give Oregon a 31-24 lead at halftime. At that point Lanning knew his team was going to be in for a dogfight.

Despite the back and forth momentum, the Ducks never panicked. There really was no reason to anyway, because Gabriel was red hot, and threw for three touchdowns in the first half. The Ducks stuck to their game plan for the second half, and Lanning made his adjustments, particularly on defense after the unit allowed several explosive plays.

“I think our guys do an unbelievable job of understanding the reset button, like the next play is the most important play,” he said. “As emotional as the game of football is, they do an unbelievable job of knowing that the job’s not done until the job’s done, be ready for the next moment, and that’s something we really pride ourselves in.”

Oregon’s offense pretty much picked up where it left off in second half, but the defense also contributed. Penn State went scoreless in the third quarter, while Oregon posted the only touchdown during that span. Gabriel hooked up with speedy wideout Tez Johnson for 48-yard touchdown, and the Ducks led by 14 points heading into the fourth quarter.

That’s when the Nittany Lions made it very interesting. Although Penn State scored another touchdown, its’ two-point conversion failed. Still, the Nittany Lions only trailed by eight points midway through the fourth quarter. The Ducks kept their foot on the gas, and Gabriel led the offense on a 12-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, that capped off with running back Jordan James in the end zone.

James Franklin’s squad still refused to lay down and surrender. Allar and the offense scored one last time to pull within eight points again, but that’s when the production stopped. The Nittany Lions had an opportunity to tie the game up with under two minutes left, but the Ducks’ defense delivered in the clutch and Allar was intercepted by defensive back Nikko Reed.

Gabriel and the offense took care of the rest, and ran out the clock. The Ducks were in victory formation as Gabriel took a knee, and the rest of the team rushed the field in celebration. Green and yellow confetti came down from the ceiling, the players got to hoist the Big Ten Championship Trophy with their new hats and t-shirts on, and Lanning loved every minute of it.

“They accomplished this, I didn’t have anything to do with it, I just get to keep the train on the tracks,” the 38-year old coach said. “We have unbelievable leadership, unbelievable coaching staff, the Big Ten is tough, and I think tonight’s game is a great example of that.”

Penn State led Oregon in total offense, first downs and yards per play. The Ducks led in plays, time of possession, and their defense forced two turnovers, which was the difference in the contest. Gabriel completed 22 of his 32 passes for 283 yards and four touchdowns. He left a lasting impression, which should be good enough to make him a Heisman finalist in New York.

James generated two rushing scores. Johnson finished with a game-high, 11 catches for 181 yards and a touchdown. The wide receiver was also named the MVP of the game for his heroics. Tight end Terrance Ferguson also had a touchdown reception, and Sadiq recorded two receiving scores.

Defensive back Tysheem Johnson racked up a team-high, nine tackles. Devin Jackson, Kobe Savage and Bryce Boettcher each contributed seven stops. Defensive lineman Derrick Harmon put Allar to the turf. Reed and Donate Manning tallied an interception apiece.

There’s no denying the Ducks are flying high now, and spreading their wings in the Big Ten, considering they’re champions in the first season in the league. Lanning understands that there’s more work to do, and with the Playoffs looming, the party is just getting started in his mind. Oregon is eager to win its’ first National Title, so the Playoffs can’t get here fast enough.

Regardless, Lanning is going to enjoy this monumental victory with his players, staff, alumni and fans, knowing that the best is yet to come from his Ducks.

“When you get to be a part of games like this, I think you start to think intrinsically about the journey you’ve been on and being there, but what brings me joy is the people that you love that get to enjoy the journey with you.”