The Ducks entered looking to improve after a 4-3 start. With Northwestern visiting Autzen Stadium for the first time in program history, Oregon hoped the home crowd would help slow down a high-powered Northwestern offense that had few hiccups this season.
After the loss to Illinois, Oregon parted ways with offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer, giving the Ducks their first three-loss start before November since 2018. Jay Johnson took over play-calling for the rest of the season, and he began his tenure against No. 20 Northwestern, a team led by head coach David Braun and, more notably, offensive coordinator and former Oregon head coach Chip Kelly.
Oregon started on defense on a cold, foggy Saturday afternoon, and Kelly’s offense moved down the field quickly and kicked a field goal to go up 3-0. Oregon’s first possession ended in a three-and-out, and the crowd booed after not seeing the offense improve quickly. On Northwestern’s second play from scrimmage after receiving the punt, quarterback Aidan Chiles threw a 64-yard touchdown pass to put Northwestern up 10-0. The Wildcats added a touchdown and a field goal while Oregon kicked two field goals, and Northwestern led 20-6 with just under two minutes left in the half.
Oregon, with little time, looked to cut into the 14-point deficit. Dylan Raiola led the drive with help from receivers Evan Stewart and Dakorien Moore. Stewart had a 37-yard catch, which set up a 10-yard touchdown reception by Moore a couple of plays later. The score made it a one-possession game, and with Oregon set to receive the second-half kickoff, the momentum was crucial.
After receiving the kickoff, Oregon faced a third-and-long at its own 28-yard line when Moore caught a 21-yard pass and fumbled at midfield. The fumble cost Oregon much of the momentum it had gained before halftime, but the defense stepped up when it mattered most, allowing only one first down before Northwestern settled for a field goal.
With starting running backs Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr. both going down with injuries in the first half (Davison with a leg injury, Hill with an undisclosed one), Oregon leaned on freshman running back Brandon Smith, who showed up big with 82 yards on eight carries and a touchdown, including a 35-yard explosive play. Halfway through the third quarter, after that run, Oregon ran some tempo offense that moved the ball to the Wildcats’ 17-yard line before Raiola threw his second touchdown of the day, to tight end Jamari Johnson, narrowing the deficit to 3 points (23-20).
After a couple of back-and-forth punts, the teams entered the fourth quarter, where the Ducks struck first with a run-heavy drive. Smith scored on a 2-yard run on fourth-and-goal, and Oregon took its first lead of the game, 27-23. Northwestern answered quickly with a 49-yard field goal, making it a one-point game.
On the ensuing possession, Oregon was at its own 25-yard line when Raiola dropped back and took a deep shot to Moore, who took it 75 yards in 11 seconds to extend the lead to eight points (34-26).
Northwestern then put together a five-minute drive, but Oregon’s defense held it to a 42-yard field goal attempt, which missed wide left. After the miss, the Ducks took over at their own 24-yard line, ran three plays that took two minutes off the clock, and punted it back.
Northwestern’s last possession was ineffective against the Ducks defense. Junior defensive lineman D’Antre Robinson sacked the quarterback for a 5-yard loss, a false start penalty cost another 5 yards, and the next pass fell incomplete. Facing fourth down at its own 20-yard line with 1:43 left, Northwestern punted back to the Ducks, who converted a third down before kneeling out the game for the win.
Oregon’s offense had faced plenty of controversy over play-calling this season, but its performance Saturday quieted many of the critics and raised the question of whether a change should have come sooner. With fresh offensive play-calling paired with veteran experience on defense, Oregon played extremely effectively against a good Northwestern team. Even in a down season with multiple losses, Autzen Stadium still gets extremely loud, making it a difficult place for visitors to play.
Under new play-caller Jay Johnson, Oregon topped 20 points for the first time since September. After the game, head coach Dan Lanning praised Johnson, saying, “I think Jay did a great job having a feel for the game.” Lanning also called it the Ducks’ most complete performance of the season, with the offense, defense, and special teams all working well. He said that not huddling up and finding an offensive rhythm helped Oregon take shots down the field and go for it on fourth down.
This was Chip Kelly’s fifth time on the opposing sideline since he left his head coaching job at Oregon after the 2012 season. In five games as a visiting coach for UCLA, Ohio State, and Northwestern, he remains winless as a visitor.
Oregon looks to keep the momentum going next week at No. 11 Ohio State in Columbus, with kickoff at 12:30 p.m. ET on CBS. Lanning’s final answer in his postgame press conference looked ahead to the matchup: “They responded today, we’ll see how they respond next week.”
Oregon’s playoff hopes are slim, but a win over the Buckeyes plus help from other Big Ten results could keep a conference title game appearance, and the playoff berth that could come with it, within reach even with three losses.