No.
2 Ducks Move to 8-0 with 70-14 Win over Colorado
EUGENE,
Ore. (AP) -- Kenjon Barner rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns, and No. 2
Oregon easily took care of Colorado 70-14 on Saturday in advance of next
weekend's Pac-12 showdown with 10th-ranked USC.
De'Anthony
Thomas rushed for another score and added a 73-yard punt return for a touchdown
before most of the Ducks' offensive starters were pulled midway through the
second quarter. Redshirt freshman quarterback Marcus Mariota passed for 136
yards and two TDs.
The Ducks
(8-0, 5-0 Pac-12) built a 56-0 lead by halftime and their 70 points were the
most they'd ever scored against a conference opponent. It was Oregon's 11th
straight overall victory dating to a 38-35 loss at home to USC last season.
Christian
Powell rushed for 127 yards and two touchdowns for the Buffaloes (1-7, 1-4),
who lost their fourth straight.
The Ducks
piled up 617 yards in total offense, including 425 on the ground, and the Buffs
simply could not keep up. Colorado went into the game ranked 112th in the
nation on defense, allowing an average of 489 yards. Oregon had 447 by
halftime.
Colorado
has yielded at least 50 points in its last three games, including last
weekend's 50-6 loss to USC.
Oregon
scored twice at the start of the game - on Barner's 1-yard run and Thomas'
9-yard run - before Colorado's offense even got the ball. Mariota added a
5-yard scoring run then hit Bralon Addison with a 16-yard TD all before the
first quarter ended.
Barner
added a 24-yard scoring run before Thomas' stunning 73-yard punt return gave
Oregon a 42-0 lead. Mariota found Daryle Hawkins with a 7-yard touchdown pass
before leaving the game with most of Oregon's other starters.
Backup
Ducks quarterback Bryan Bennett added a touchdown on a 6-yard keeper before the
break and Oregon's 56 points at halftime were its most since scoring 59 on New
Mexico in 2010.
Powell had
a 1-yard scoring run early in the third quarter to avoid the shutout for the
Buffs, then added a 20-yard TD dash to narrow it to 56-14. Bennett answered
with two keepers, from 3 and 17 years out, to put Oregon up 70-14.
Colorado
coach Jon Embree started junior quarterback Jordan Webb before putting in
sophomore Nick Hirschman. Webb completed seven of 11 passes for 31 yards, while
Hirshman finished 7 of 16 for 64 yards.
While
Oregon remained at No. 2 in the AP Top 25 this week, the Ducks dropped to No. 4
in the BCS standings, which prompted coach Chip Kelly to quip that perhaps the
computers were shut down at night before the Ducks played.
A victory
against USC next weekend would go a long way toward proving that Oregon is
worthy of higher standing. The Nov. 3 game at the Coliseum has been touted by
many as the most important Pac-12 game of the season - or at least a preview of
the conference championship game.
Last year
the then-No. 18 Trojans came to Autzen Stadium and won, dropping the Ducks from
No. 4 to No. 9 in the polls and effectively dashing any hopes at a national
title bid. USC is considered Oregon's biggest threat again this season.
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