Dillon Gabriel led No. 1 Oregon to a commanding 38-9 victory over No. 20 Illinois on Saturday, solidifying the Ducks’ undefeated status this season. Gabriel’s performance was nothing short of stellar, as he threw for three touchdowns and added one on the ground.
Completing 18 of 26 passes for 291 yards, Gabriel showcased his skill while Oregon amassed an impressive 527 total yards. Tez Johnson emerged as a key target, catching six passes for 102 yards and a touchdown.
With this win, the Ducks improved to 8-0 overall and 5-0 in the Big Ten, marking their best start since 2013. Notably, this victory against a ranked opponent marked Oregon’s third such win this season.
The Fighting Illini, now at 6-2 and 3-2 in conference play, faced a top-ranked team for the first time since 2007, when they pulled off an upset against Ohio State.
Luke Altmyer threw for 161 yards for Illinois, who had recently celebrated a 21-7 win over No. 24 Michigan. This victory was the Illini’s third against a Top 25 team this season, their highest tally since 2007.
Oregon’s defense was formidable, having previously shut out Purdue 35-0. Their recent triumph over then-No. 2 Ohio State propelled them forward in their inaugural Big Ten season.
Gabriel is gaining traction in the Heisman race, leading the nation with a remarkable 77% completion rate. He has amassed 18 touchdown passes and five rushing touchdowns this season.
The Ducks struck first, with Gabriel connecting on a 31-yard touchdown pass to Johnson during their opening drive. With minimal pressure from the Illinois defense, Gabriel found his rhythm quickly.
Oregon doubled their score on the next drive when Justius Lowe caught a 34-yard pass from Gabriel, marking Lowe’s first career touchdown.
Illinois managed to score with Davi Olano’s 38-yard field goal, bringing the score to 14-3.
In the first half, Gabriel surpassed Timmy Chang (17,072) to become second on the NCAA’s all-time passing yards list, with only Case Keenum’s 19,217 yards ahead of him.
Gabriel’s 7-yard rushing touchdown extended the lead to 21-3, followed by Noah Whittington’s impressive 18-yard run, which saw him bulldoze through a defender for another score.
Whittington then caught a 2-yard touchdown pass, solidifying a 35-3 lead by halftime.
Illinois threatened to score early in the third quarter, reaching the Oregon 2-yard line, but turned the ball over on downs. Later, Ca’Lil Valentine managed to score a touchdown, bringing the score to 35-9.
Andrew Boyle added a 44-yard field goal for Oregon in the fourth quarter to cap off the scoring.
The last encounter between Oregon and Illinois was in 1995, during Mike Bellotti’s first home game as Ducks coach, where Oregon triumphed 34-31 after overcoming a halftime deficit.
Takeaways
Illinois faced injuries during the match, with receiver Malik Elzy needing assistance off the field late in the first half but later returning. Defensive back Kaleb Patterson did not return after being helped off before halftime. Starting receiver Pat Bryant also left the game after two hard hits in the fourth quarter, with the nature of his injury remaining unclear.
Oregon’s tight end Terrance Ferguson missed another game due to appendix surgery. Traeshon Holden returned to action after being sidelined against Purdue, following an ejection for unsportsmanlike conduct in the previous game against Ohio State, for which he later apologized on social media.
Up Next
Illinois will host Minnesota next Saturday, looking to bounce back from this defeat.
Oregon will face a challenging matchup against Michigan next Saturday, as they continue their quest for an undefeated season.
