It may not have been pretty, but the Oregon Ducks emerged out of their Week 7 matchup against the pesky Nebraska Cornhuskers with a 17-14 win, providing just a bit more oxygen to their College Football Playoff hopes. At 4-2, they'll still likely need to run the table to make the 12-team field, but a win is a win, and that's what the Ducks gained late in Eugene on Saturday night.
For the second straight week, the defense put together a lights out performance, covering for a subpar offense for much of the game. Oregon's highly touted defensive line is finally catching their stride, proving to be a menace to opposing offenses especially in the backfield, recording 15 tackles for loss in the last two games as opposed to just nine in the first three
games against FBS teams.
Meanwhile, the offense lagged behind for three quarters yet again. But this time, it was Dylan Raiola replacing Brock Thomas and igniting the offense in the final stanza as opposed to the vice versa against the UCLA Bruins. There was a different result this time too, as Raiola managed to lead two scoring drives to push the Ducks over the top for the victory.
There were many highs and many lows for Oregon in Week 7, resulting in an interesting set of grades in this week's report card. We'll start with the quarterbacks, where the Ducks' passers put together two very different outings.
Quarterbacks
Grade: C
Considering that three quarters of the game consisted of what seemed like scared, uber conservative quarterback play, this grade simply can't be high despite Raiola's relief showing. Thomas didn't necessarily look unprepared, and Dan Lanning said afterwards that he did what was asked of him, but the game plan just didn't come together well in creating either sustained drives or explosive plays. That changed once Raiola entered, especially with keeping drives alive. The former Nebraska starter orchestrated a 17-play, 69-yard drive that ended in a field goal and a monster 20-play, 82-yard game-winning drive capped off with a nifty touchdown pass to tight end Jamari Johnson. Ultimately, the quarterback play was why the Ducks had only six points through three quarters and why they won it in the end, so a "C" feels like a requisite overall mark.
Running Backs
Grade: C+
The offensive line's struggles to open up holes continued once again, limiting the impact that the running backs could make. Despite that, Jordon Davison churned out multiple first downs on short-yardage situations while Dierre Hill Jr. had some success in carrying the ball 14 times for 67 yards. True freshman Brandon Smith also had some nice moments, adding six carries for 29 yards in his first action in a competitive game. Can't be too hard on this unit, and considering how tough it's been to get the ground game going this season, this should be marked down as a slight step forward — though it's still nowhere near what we thought of this running core coming into the year. Davison fumbling away a scoring opportunity in the first half knocks this grade down a bit as well.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Grade: B
Also difficult to evaluate with two very different quarterback performances, the pass catchers did just about what they could do when Thomas was behind center and finally scratched their potential once Raiola entered. Dakorien Moore feasted on short routes as the leading receiver (seven catches, 36 yards) while Jamari Johnson showed up after Lanning said he needed more targets (five catches, 35 yards and the game-winning touchdown). Jalen Lott, Messiah Hampton and even Hudson Lewis (two-point conversion) got in the action with key plays late in the game.
Offensive Line
Grade: C
The offensive line kept the quarterbacks clean, which is to be expected but hasn't always been the reality this year. Ducks quarterbacks were sacked just once. But there were simply too many negative plays that the line allowed due to penetration, surrendering 11 tackles for loss. It's somewhat impressive that Oregon still finished with 129 rush yards considering the 11 losses. Shifting to another starting group once again, it's probably worth running this group back or with limited substitutions for another week.
Defensive Line
Grade: A
Though Oregon totaled three sacks, a bit of a disappointing mark considering the amount of pressure they put on Nebraska, quarterback Anthony Colandrea is very slippery and gets out sacks against every team. In the run, the Ducks' defensive line was tremendous led by defensive tackle Bear Alexander's seven tackles and edge rusher Teitum Tuioti's five tackles and two sacks. The Cornhuskers couldn't get much of anything going on the ground, rushing for just 78 yards on 2.4 yards per carry, having to rely on the pass game for much of their yardage.
Linebackers
Grade: B+
The front four made the linebacking core's job relatively easy for the second straight game, providing penetration and giving the linebackers opportunities to clean up. Devon Jackson led the group with six tackles, including three solo takedowns while Dylan Williams added five tackles. There's still no Bryce Boettcher-esque flying around from this group, but they're getting job done behind one of the top defensive lines in the nation.
Secondary
Grade: B+
Ify Obidegwu nearly got the Oregon scoring started with an interception in which he read Colandrea's eyes, giving the Ducks the ball in the red zone. But, they fumbled on the very next play, giving up that chance. Continuously, Oregon's secondary stayed sticky in pass coverage, even when Colandrea escaped the pocket and looked downfield. Brandon Finney Jr. had one of the best run sticks you'll ever see in snuffing out a reverse, adding to the impact from the secondy.
Special Teams
Grade: A
The punt-athon that the first half turned out to be was a Bailey Ettridge show, as he finished the game with seven boots for 305 yards, coming out to an average of 43.6 yards per punt with one downed inside the 20-yard line. Kicker Gage Hurych provided the only scoring for Oregon until the final two minutes, proving reliable in knocking in three field goals. When called upon, the special teams unit have answered the call for the most part in 2026.
Coaching
Grade: C
Yet again, the Ducks came out slow, scoring zero points in the first half. At that point, with Thomas clearly not able to move the ball, Raiola should've been inserted into the game. Why they waited until the fourth quarter may not truly be understood, but Lanning is sure happy that he did as Raiola was on his game — though it was very nearly too late. The game plan for Thomas was conservative, as I mentioned, almost seeming like a just "don't mess up" style of play that just doesn't work to move the ball. The defense was outstanding again, but the offense still faces major questions in the bigger picture and within this game.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Week 7 Report Card: Ducks receive middling grades despite victory
