2024-09-01 10:25:02
Third-ranked Oregon opens its 2024 football season at 4:30 p.m. Saturday against Idaho, a Football Championship Subdivision opponent, at Autzen Stadium.
Oregon is coming off its sixth-ever 12-win season and a Fiesta Bowl win against Liberty. Dillon Gabriel, a transfer quarterback from Oklahoma, will make his first start for the Ducks after arriving in Eugene this past offseason.
Idaho reached the FCS national quarterfinals last year. The Vandals will have nine new starters. Idaho has 38 freshmen, 26 redshirt freshmen and nine transfers.
Follow along for live updates from Autzen Stadium.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F | |
| Idaho | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| Oregon | 7 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 24 |
It was a lot closer than most expected, but the Ducks held on to defeat the visiting Vandals in their season-opener.
QB Dillon Gabriel went 41-for-49 for 380 yards and two TDs in his Oregon debut, with both scoring passes going to wide receiver Tez Johnson.
The defense held the Vandals to 217 yards and had four sacks and interceptions by Brandon Miller and Nikko Reed.
Nikko Reed’s pick of Idaho QB Jack Layne with 1:48 to play gave the Ducks the ball at the Idaho 30 and the offense went into victory formation.
Dillon Gabriel and Tez Johnson connected on a scoring play for the second time in the game as the QB threw a TD pass to the wide receiver on fourth-and-2 from the Vandals’ 12-yard line. The score gives Oregon a 24-14 lead with 5:36 to play.
The Vandals are putting the Ducks on upset alert as QB Jack Layne scored on a 4-yard TD run to cut Oregon’s lead to 17-14 with 9:45 to play in the game.
The Ducks scored for the first time in the second half as Atticus Sappington kicked a 26-yard field goal with 12:43 to play in the game. Oregon had third-and-goal at the Idaho 3, but a holding call pushed them backwards and the Ducks had to settle for a field goal.
The Ducks will have the ball at the Vandals’ 19-yard line when the fourth quarter begins.
Jack Layne threw to Jake Cox on the 36-yard flea-flicker for an Idaho touchdown as the Vandals scored for the first time and cut the Ducks’ lead to one score, 14-7.
Idaho got the ball late in the third quarter when the defense stopped Oregon on fourth-and-one as Jordan James was stuffed for no gain at the Vandals’ 36.
Starting safety Tysheem Johnson, who didn’t play in the first half for unknown reasons, was back in the lineup to start the second half. Tyler Turner started in his place and made a team-high three tackles over the first two quarters.
The Ducks are in the lead but have had their struggles scoring against the overmatched FCS Vandals despite outgaining Idaho 296 yards to 113.
Oregon offensive leaders: Passing — Dillon Gabriel 22-for-26, 244 yards 1 TD. Rushing — Jordan James 8 carries, 49 yards, 1 TD. Receiving: Tez Johnson 6 catchesm 43 yards, 1 TD.
Keyshawn James-Newby had a strip-sack of Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel and the Vandals recovered the fumble at their own 31-yard line to end a promising drive by the Ducks. Oregon was at the 22-yard line before the fumble. It was the second of the game allowed by the Ducks offensive line.
Jordan James puts the Ducks up by two touchdowns with a 6-yard scoring run with 7:00 to play in the second quarter. It was the first TD of the season for James, who was tied for the team lead last season with 11 rushing TDs.
The score capped an eight-play, 80-yard drive that began with the Brandon Johnson’s interception in the end zone.
The first takeaway of the season goes to nickel back Brandon Johnson, a first-year transfer from Duke, who intercepted a pass in the end zone with 10:24 to play in the first half.
Atticus Sappington missed a 52-yard field-goal attempt with 12:05 to play in the second quarter. The kick, which would’ve given the Ducks a 10-0 lead, would have also been a career-long for Sappington, the transfer from Oregon State.
The Ducks are in the lead and have a first down near midfield when the second quarter resumes.
Dillon Gabriel took the Ducks 71 yards on 11 plays on their opening drive, topping it off with a 9-yard pass to Tez Johnson for the touchdown. The score came with 8:19 to play in the first quarter. Gabriel was 6-for-7 for 57 yards on the opening drive, his first in an Oregon uniform.
QB — Dillon Gabriel
RB — Jordan James
WR — Tez Johnson, Evan Stewart and Traeshon Holden
TE — Terrance Ferguson
OL — Ajani Cornelius (RT), Iaponi Laloulu (RG), Charles Pickard (C), Marcus Harper II (LG), Josh Conerly Jr. (LT)
DB — Kobe Savage (S), Tyler Turner (S), Jabbar Muhammad (CB) and Dontae Manning (CB)
LB — Jeffrey Bassa, Bryce Boettcher, Teitum Tuioti
DL — Jordan Burch, Derrick Harmon, Jamaree Caldwell and Matayo Uiagalelei
Oregon will start on defense after Idaho wins the opening coin toss and opts to receive. Kickoff is coming up.
Charlie Pickard, a junior from Portland, was taking first-team snaps with quarterback Dillon Gabriel during pregame warmups, giving the appearance that he will make the start at center against Idaho.
The starting center has been in question since right guard Matthew Bedford went down with a knee injury during fall camp, forcing a reshuffling of linemen. Iapani Laloulu, who had been the presumptive favorite to play center, was the top reserve guard last season and appears to be moving back to the position.
Injured right guard Matthew Bedford is questionable for Oregon’s season-opener against Idaho on Saturday.
The Ducks’ first Big Ten-mandated availability report has come out and there are no real surprises other than the upgraded status of Bedford, who hurt his knee three weeks ago and only recently returned to practice.
Ruled out for the game are cornerback Jahlil Florence, defensive backs Dakoda Fields and Ify Obidegwu, offensive lineman Dave iuli, defensive lineman My’Keil Gardner and tight end Travis Brashear.
Also listed as questionable are receiver Gary Bryant Jr. — a 10-game starter in 2023 — and kicker Andrew Boyle.
Oregon football takes on Idaho at 4:30 p.m. at Autzen Stadium. Big Ten Network will carry the game, which can be streamed on Fubo with a free trial.
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