Recap: Oregon sees Oregon State erase three-score lead, falls in Corvallis

It wouldn’t be a rivalry game without multiple fourth-down stops, contact after the whistle, controversial officiating, and a wild finish. Saturday's game marked the first between the two Oregon schools with both teams ranked inside the CFP top 25 and it did not disappoint.

Oregon State threw early punches, Oregon took control, and as usual, the Beavers never went away. OSU quarterback Ben Gulbranson only completed six passes, but his low production didn’t matter.

Once Oregon State realized that the ninth-ranked Ducks couldn’t stop the run, the game completely changed.

Five failed fourth-down conversions, multiple special teams miscues, and the inability to hold onto a three-touchdown lead was the demise for Oregon. No. 21 Oregon State (9-3, 6-3 Pac-12) never quit and ran through Oregon (9-3, 7-2 Pac-12) in the second half to pull off the 38-34 upset.

Just like the loss to Washington, Oregon had far too many failed opportunities to pull off the win. On offense, Nix wasn’t himself again. He ended with negative yards on the ground for the second consecutive week, and when he was needed the most, he failed to deliver.

Throwing the ball, he was relatively effective for most of the game. Nix threw for 327 yards and 2 touchdowns but struggled to move the ball consistently late in the game. Oregon’s final drive ended with an incomplete pass to Troy Franklin in the end zone that all but sealed the victory for the Beavers.

Defensively, Oregon all but eliminated the passing attack after intercepting Gulbranson twice. Stopping the run, however, was a different story.

The Beavers inherited great field position on multiple occasions with special teams blunders from Oregon turning out to be costly. The Ducks had a win right in front of them, but will leave Corvallis with a Pac-12 Championship appearance unsecured. If Washington wins the Apple Cup, Oregon is officially eliminated.

First Quarter

10:20, Oregon State: Everett Hayes 50-yard field goal, 3-0 Oregon State

7:57, Oregon: Bo Nix 44-yard pass to Chase Cota (Camden Lewis PAT), 7-3 Oregon

2:33, Oregon State: Ben Gulbranson 1-yard run (Everett Hayes PAT), 10-7 Oregon State

Second Quarter

0:14, Oregon: Bo Nix 9-yard pass to Troy Franklin (Camden Lewis PAT), 14-10 Oregon

Third Quarter

13:47, Oregon: Jordan James 2-yard run (Camden Lewis PAT), 21-10 Oregon

9:02, Oregon: Noah Whittington 5-yard run (Camden Lewis PAT), 28-10 Oregon

4:46, Oregon: Camden Lewis 42-yard field goal, 31-10 Oregon

2:57, Oregon State: Deshaun Fenwick 4-yard run (Everett Hayes PAT), 31-17 Oregon

Fourth Quarter

15:00, Oregon: Camden Lewis 24-yard field goal, 34-17 Oregon

13:24, Oregon State: Isaiah Newell 15-yard run (Everett Hayes PAT), 34-24 Oregon

12:20, Oregon State: Ben Gulbranson 1-yard run (Everett Hayes PAT), 34-31 Oregon

8:11, Oregon State: Isaiah Newell 6-yard run (Everett Hayes PAT), 38-34 Oregon State

Oregon had the victory in the bag heading into the fourth quarter but did everything in its power to allow Oregon State the chance to come back. The turning point was the Ducks’ fourth failed fourth-down attempt of the game. Instead of punting the ball in his own territory, Dan Lanning decided to try and keep the drive alive. That decision, along with the other four fourth-down attempts, did not pan out. The Beavers got the ball back and continued to pound the rock until finally taking back the lead.

After missing nearly a month of football with an injury, receiver Chase Cota returned in the biggest game an Oregonian can play in. The Medford native started off the game with a bang, hauling in a jump-ball 44-yard strike for the Ducks' first score. His career day ended with 9 catches and 136 yards receiving to lead the team.

The Beavers beat the Ducks by simply staying on the ground. Oregon State coach Johnathan Smith knew that it was necessary for his offense to score fast, and throwing the ball wasn’t working. A lot of that was due to Christian Gonzales locking things down in the secondary. His interception in the second quarter, along with Jeffery Bassa’s interception, changed the Beavers' game plan entirely and made them one-dimensional the rest of the way.

Without a doubt, no play was more exciting than Cota’s unreal grab. The ball was barely held onto on the way down, and it was just the start of Cota’s amazing day.

Oregon lost because they allowed Oregon State to hang around. The Beavers never quit, and used the blocked punt, bobbled snap, and multiple fourth-down stops as fuel to keep the upset dreams alive. Momentum was on the Beavers' side well before they reclaimed the lead, and the Ducks' plan of staying risky was not successful.

Passing

Bo Nix: 27-41, 327 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT

Rushing

Noah Whittington: 16 carries, 81 yards, 1 TD

Bucky Irving: 13 carries, 52 yards

Jordan James: 9 carries, 26 yards, 1 TD

Bo Nix: 3 carries, -5 yards

Andrew Bales: 1 carry, -11 yards

Receiving

Chase Cota: 9 receptions, 136 yards, 1 TD

Troy Franklin: 8 receptions, 78 yards, 1 TD

Bucky Irving: 5 receptions, 26 yards

Dont’e Thornton: 2 receptions, 23 yards

Terrance Ferguson: 1 reception, 53 yards

Kris Hutson: 1 reception, 11 yards

Sean Dollars: 1 reception, 0 yards