WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Oregon dominated on both sides of the ball Saturday night, shutting out Purdue 35-0 at Ross-Ade Stadium in a performance that showcased the Ducks' depth, but also highlighted areas in need of improvement. Despite the commanding victory, head coach Dan Lanning was quick to emphasize that Oregon has higher standards to reach.

“This place has a history of being a place that people struggle to come play at, especially coming off highs like last week,” Lanning said. “But I was proud that our guys were able to go out there and get a victory. There’s a lot of things we can still improve on, a lot that we can get better at. But I also want to acknowledge, this is the first shutout for Oregon since 2012, so to accomplish that is something we believe in—it’s the standard we want to uphold.”

The Ducks’ defense set the tone early, stopping Purdue quarterback Ryan Browne and forcing a punt on their opening drive. Oregon’s edge play was solid in key moments, with Matayo Uiagalelei making a big sack on third down, though Lanning noted missed tackles were an issue at times.

“We definitely have to tackle better on defense,” Lanning said. “When you keep a team out of the end zone, that’s a positive. We were able to create some takeaways, but for us to be the team we want to be, we have to tackle better. There were some things in the first half we need to improve on.”

Purdue’s run game found some success, which Lanning acknowledged. Despite holding the Boilermakers to just 93 passing yards, Oregon struggled at times against the run, allowing Reggie Love to find gaps for solid gains.

“I think it can be better,” Lanning said of the rushing defense. “When a team’s not having a lot of success passing, they’re going to run more, and we have to be better at stopping that for us to be what we want to be.”

Offensively, quarterback Dillon Gabriel was sharp early, completing 11 of his first 12 passes, including a deep connection to Evan Stewart that set up Oregon’s first touchdown. Gabriel finished with 290 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception before being replaced late in the game.

“Dillon’s shown what he’s capable of all season,” Lanning said. “You want that takeaway back, obviously, that’s something that can’t happen. But overall, I thought he operated really well within the offense. He made some advantageous checks at times too, which was great to see.”

Oregon’s offense hit a lull in the second half, slowed by adjustments from Purdue’s defense. After opening the game with three straight touchdowns, the Ducks managed just one in the second half, but finished with 448 total yards of offense.

“I think we wanted to do a better job establishing the run in the second half,” Lanning explained. “They did some good things to take away the run game we had planned, but we were able to make adjustments. I just wish we would have found it a little sooner. To finish the game rushing like we did, with some different guys in the game, that’s a positive.”

One notable absence was tight end Terrance Ferguson, who was ruled out after undergoing an emergency appendectomy earlier in the week.

“Terrance is a tough guy,” Lanning said. “He had his appendix removed, but we expect a quick recovery. If it were up to him, he would have been out on the field today, even with stitches in his side. We’re being smart with him, and I think he’ll be back relatively quick.”

Lanning also praised the depth of his team, as several second-string players made critical contributions, particularly on defense, where Kam Kinchens’ interception helped preserve the shutout.

“There are a lot of guys on our team that are ready for their moment when it comes,” Lanning said. “Kam coming up with that pick was huge. You saw some tackles for loss from some of our young defensive linemen. We always talk about next man up, and I thought we saw some of that tonight.”

Browne, who threw for 297 yards and three touchdowns the week prior, was stifled by Oregon’s defense, which kept him in check through the air and on the ground. The Ducks’ edge defenders, including Uiagalelei and Teitum Tuioti, played a crucial role in controlling the line of scrimmage.

“Those guys are edge-setters,” Lanning said of Uiagalelei and Tuioti. “They’ve put on great weight and done a good job in the strength program. When you have edges to your defense, it controls a lot of things. And when you turn that into pass rush, you become every-down players, which those guys have shown they can be.”

The Ducks' secondary also shined, with Purdue completing just eight passes. Oregon cornerbacks Jabbar Muhammad and Evan Stewart, in particular, drew praise from Lanning for their lockdown play.

“I think Evan Stewart continues to take steps in the right direction,” Lanning said. “He’s a weapon we need to utilize. What makes him different is his ability to make contested catches and contort his body in different directions. It’s great to see that showing up in games now.”

Though Oregon’s offensive production slowed in the second half, Gabriel capped his night with a well-placed touchdown pass to running back Noah Whittington, who made an acrobatic catch despite tight coverage.

“Whittington’s touchdown was a perfect throw in the right spot,” Lanning said. “Having a running back make that kind of play against good coverage was impressive.”

Despite the lopsided win, Lanning remained focused on his team’s preparation and growth. Oregon, now 7-0 will need to address some lingering issues—particularly run defense—as they head into the latter part of their season.

“I thought our prep this week was really, really good,” Lanning said. “Our guys came ready to work on Monday. They understand we have to keep improving, and I’m glad the score reflected that. But there’s more for us to attack moving forward.”

With an extra day to prepare, the Ducks will need to regroup quickly as they host Illinois at Autzen next Saturday at 12:30 on CBS.