Questions answered? Ducks say so in rivalry rout

CORVALLIS, Ore. — After a week during which Oregon State helped revive the Pac-12 from the ashes of conference realignment, the energy at Reser Stadium on Saturday in the 128th installment of the Oregon–Oregon State rivalry — the first since the Ducks bolted for the Big Ten — was high.

But over the course of 60 minutes, the Ducks deflated the orange-tinted stands to the point of emptying them with a 49-14 win that more accurately corresponded with the high expectations they had coming into the season.

“I love the fact that we got to go in a hostile environment and perform this way, but that’s our standard, that’s our expectation,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said.

Despite beating Idaho and Boise State, nothing about the Ducks’ first two wins felt dominant or representative of the talent they have on both sides of the ball. Even though Lanning continued to reiterate they didn’t care what the outside noise said about them, everyone wearing green and gold knew something was off.

“The first two games, obviously we didn’t play to our standard, whether it’s getting our feet wet, new team, whatever you want to call it,” linebacker Bryce Boettcher said. “But I told the guys, I’m a firm believer in the rule of threes and this third game, this is the game where we’re going to take off. I think everyone bought into that and showed out on the field today.”

While Oregon kept preaching a combination of patience and trust over the last two weeks, quarterback Dillon Gabriel was keen on his team not panicking despite what was happening and the fact the Ducks dropped from third to ninth in the latest AP Top 25 poll.

“We live in a world where if it doesn’t look a certain way, there’s opinions, but there’s also panic, right?,” Gabriel said. “And I just love how everyone in the building has continued to just focus on the process and getting better every single day, and I think that allowed us to just play confident, play and let loose.”

Maybe it was the rivalry setting. Maybe it was the adjustments on the offensive line — Oregon started Iapani Laloulu at center and did not rotate as much as it had in the first two games –or maybe it was simply that Gabriel and the Ducks’ offense needed time to jell. Whatever the case, the Ducks — who had lost their two previous games in Corvallis — let loose.

“I think we answered some [questions],” edge rusher Teitum Tuioti said. “That’s how we expect to play, so I think that’s a good thing. This game was good for us.”

Gabriel completed his first 15 passes and totaled 291 yards as he had ample time to throw and dissect the Beavers’ defense. He was helped by a running game that awoke from its slumber with 240 yards, including four runs of 20 yards or more after having none against Idaho and Boise State.

“We weren’t battling negative plays,” Lanning said, crediting a different approach in practice this past week. “We were able to have more attention to detail. The focus of execution was probably a little bit different this week, and I think our guys realize it’s not just going to happen on accident.”

The defense stepped up, too, holding Oregon State (2-1) scoreless in the second half to turn what was a one-possession game at halftime into a 35-point rout that showcased the sheer talent gap between the two programs.

“I think we have more talent right now than they do,” Lanning said. “That being said, I know how much that game means to them and how much it means to us, but I’m really focused on our team and what we have to do to continue to get better.”

The meaningfulness of this rivalry wasn’t lost on those taking a part in it Saturday. Whether it was a player such as Gabriel (who will play in the game only once and recalled a young version of himself watching fellow Hawaiian Marcus Mariota take part in it), or Tuioti (whose dad Troy has been part of it since 2021 as a coach), or Lanning himself, no one seemed to want the changing landscape of college football to eliminate the matchup.

“I’d love to keep this rivalry alive,” Lanning said. “Personally, I think it’s great for the state of Oregon. I think it’s great for both schools. That’s not something we want to see go away.”

Before the game, Oregon State athletic director Scott Barnes spoke at length about being able to bolster the two-team Pac-12 with the announced additions this week of four Mountain West Conference teams. When asked whether maintaining a game with Oregon was a priority for Barnes and OSU, he was emphatic.

“We’d like to try to play Oregon in as many sports as we can,” Barnes said. “Why? Because it makes good, common sense.”

Though these two teams are scheduled to play next year in Eugene, there are no official plans beyond that in a rivalry that has 128 installments.

“I think any way we can keep rivalry games, I think it’s important not only for the fans but the players as well,” Gabriel said. “Sometimes it’s fun to hear the fans chirp at you.”