MADISON, Wis. — Dillon Gabriel and the Oregon Ducks showed resilience once again, pulling off a nail-biting 16-13 victory over Wisconsin on Saturday night at Camp Randall Stadium. Gabriel's fourth-down conversion to tight end Terrance Ferguson was crucial in a tight defensive struggle, marking Oregon's third fourth-quarter comeback win of the season.
With 1:54 left in the fourth quarter, Oregon found themselves in a pivotal fourth-and-9 situation inside Wisconsin territory. Gabriel took a snap that looked like it could be the game. Speaking after the game, Gabriel described the moment:
“Yeah, I thought it was zero at first. Ended up going, two-tempo, whatever you want to call it. Didn't like what we had. So had to, you know, create and make a play. But Ferg did a good job, you know, sitting right and kind of honey hole and making a play. So needed it for sure.”
It was this improvisational spark that kept Oregon’s drive alive and helped set up the eventual game-winning field goal by Atticus, who went three-for-three on the night.
Oregon’s defense proved to be the backbone throughout the game, especially in the second half when Wisconsin leaned on their run game and seemed intent on owning the line of scrimmage. Gabriel had nothing but praise for the defensive effort, saying:
“Huge, they played their butt off all night. We put them in some bad spots, but they continued to respond. [We] just can't do that. Have to play complimentary football and help them out so that, you know, we're not in that situation, of course.”
The Ducks defense allowed just one touchdown and kept the Badgers at bay in key moments, including a fourth-down stop late in the game that effectively sealed the victory.
The night wasn’t without its struggles for the Oregon offense, as missed opportunities and inconsistency kept the game closer than expected. Gabriel reflected on the uneven performance:
“I thought we moved the ball really well early. Thought we had some good things going early. And getting the first first, and moving it that way, but just struggled sometimes in third downs and then taking negatives on my end. So all that doesn't help in playing efficient. But I think you look at certain drives when we needed it, I thought we played really well, but yeah, just got to clean that stuff up.”
Oregon’s offense managed only one touchdown—an 11-yard run by Jordan James in the fourth quarter—but Gabriel’s ability to come through in crucial moments made the difference.
This win marked Oregon's third fourth-quarter comeback this season, further demonstrating the team's mental toughness. Gabriel acknowledged the difficulty of winning games like this and credited his teammates for stepping up in crucial moments:
“It's hard to win. And big time plays need to happen in big moments. And I thought a lot of our players did make those things happen, you know, as a fourth down stop by the defense. Atticus with big kicks and being perfect in that situation, and then when we needed it on O, I thought we did a good job of going and getting it. But still, like I said, could help ourselves and set field goals getting, you know, points more than, plus four on that. But I think in general, winning games are hard, and when you have a team that knows how to win and doesn't second guess anything, I think that speaks volume on just the guys we have in our building.”
When asked about the initial option on that critical fourth-and-9 play, Gabriel explained the setup:
“I mean, it was just triple slam play and an inside out. It's just not a great situation going when they zone it off. But, like I said, things not necessarily perfect, you know, making a play out of it. Ferg staying true to it, scramble rules are probably a play within itself. So, you know, find a way to get it, and we did.”
It was Gabriel's ability to adjust on the fly that proved vital, allowing Ferguson to find the soft spot in the defense.
Oregon has shown time and again this season that they don’t shy away from late-game pressure. Gabriel pointed to the experience of the team as a source of confidence:
“Just a bunch of guys who played a bunch of football and know what it takes to win. It's not easy, like I said, being in this situation, one more game, it's just hard to do. But you know, you see guys who continue to fight, continue to get better, and there's things, of course, we can look at this tape and see a bunch to get better. But looking to play here, play there. And it could be a totally different game, obviously, but we got to make those plays in those situations.”
Camp Randall Stadium is known for its raucous atmosphere, and Wisconsin’s "Jump Around" tradition is something most visiting teams find intimidating. Gabriel, however, chose to embrace it:
“Yeah, just embracing the environment and loving every second of it. It's the fun part of college football, which is being able to, you know, play in new environments and be exposed to that. But every school and stuff has its little thing, and you know, we just choose to enjoy it.”
Despite the struggles, Oregon's grit and Gabriel's composure proved enough to escape Madison with a victory. With a record that includes three comeback wins this season, Oregon remains in control of their playoff destiny, though they’ll need more consistent play moving forward.
The Ducks will now turn their attention to cleaning up mistakes, aiming to be sharper offensively as they head deeper into conference play. One thing is for sure: Dillon Gabriel and this Oregon team have shown they can rise to the occasion when the pressure is on.
