Mariota and Freeman Power Oregon Ducks Past Colorado

The Oregon Ducks closed out the regular season at home on Senior Day on Saturday. Oregon Seniors playing their final home game included Kenny Bassett, Erick Dargan, Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Jake Fisher, Hroniss Grasu, Troy Hill, Keanon Lowe, Johnathan Loyd, Derrick Malone, Dior Mathis, Hamani Stevens, and Tony Washington. The weather was somewhat dreary. Fifty degrees with a light breeze at the start. In pregame announcements Hamani Stevens was announced as the Starting Center over Doug Brenner.

Oregon won the ball to start the game, or so they thought. As Colorado kick off, it was an onside kick that was recovered by Nelson Spruce giving the Buffaloes the ball to start. On the first drive the rain started pouring into Autzen. Oregon forced a punt.

Oregon worked their way down the field with a mix of Mariota’s legs and passing. Royce Freeman took it in from twenty yards out to pick up his sixteenth score of the season giving the Oregon Ducks a 6-0 lead. On the drive Mariota became the fifth player in FBS History with 9000 passing yards and two thousand rushing yards in his career. Colorado would have a chance to counter.

The Buffs would work their way down the field ending with a Joe Walker sack leaving the score at 6-0 Oregon. The Ducks would take over with 5:08 remaining in the first half. Oregon would start quickly.

Mariota went back to work with pass completions to Keanon Lowe and Devon Allen but would be sacked by Jimmy Gilbert to end the second Oregon drive of the game. Oregon would punt from midfield and the ball would be fair caught by Nelson Spruce at the ten yard line.

Colorado would be shutout in the first quarter, but with twenty second left Oregon Quarterback Marcus Mariota would run forty-six yards to give Oregon a 13-0 lead before the end of the quarter.

On the next drive started by Royce Freeman the Oregon Freshman would score his sixteenth touchdown following a ninety-four yard drive giving Oregon a 20-0 lead with 10:06 left in the first half. The game was quicky getting away from Colorado. Will Oliver kicked a twenty-two yard field goal to end the ensuing drive by Colorado that was helped by two penalties on the Oregon Defense putting the Buffs on the board with three points.

The Buffs would again try an onside kick and this time Oregon would get the ball. Oregon would add another touchdown to Charles Nelson on a four play drive. Nelson would go twenty one yards for the score making it 27-3 Ducks. On the drive Running Back Royce Freeman became the first true Freshman running back to rush for one-thousand yards in a season. Colorado gave up a sack by Armstead leading to a punt on the next drive. The Buffs would punt forty seven yards as Oregon took over.

On the next drive Wide Receiver Darren Carrington would have the catch of the game as the ball bounced off of him, into the air and he caught it as it came down at the ten yard line. Matt Wogan would kick a field goal for the Ducks giving them a 30-3 lead into the break. Colorado would start with the ball in the second half and go no where going for it on fourth down and coming up just short giving Oregon the ball at the thirty-nine yard line.

Royce Freeman would run it down to within the Oregon Ducks twenty. Mariota would take to fourth down and an incomplete pass to Darren Carrington as Colorado would take over at the four yard line. On the next drive, possibly Mariota’s last as and Oregon Duck a pass to Evan Balis gave Oregon a 37-3 lead over Colorado. The catch was the first touchdown of his career.

Colorado was able to put together a scoring drive and get to the Oregon five yard line on a long run by Christan Powell which set up a five yard pass to Donovan Lee for a touchdown. Colorado found themselves down 37-10. Oregon would close out the third quarter with the ball as Byron Marshall picked up thirty one yards on a pass from Marcus Mariota.

Mariota would throw another touchdown pass before the end of the third quarter setting the single season touchdown pass record – at that point at 42.

Mariota would finish the game with over three-hundred yards passing and three touchdowns in what could be his final appearance at Autzen Stadium, Oregon racked up over five-hundred yards of offense against Colorado.

Asked after the game about next season, Mariota is still undecided, “If this is my last game at Autzen it was truly special. It will be one of those things I will hold close to my heart for the rest of my life. ..I’m not to sure yet but I am very thankful.” Oregon faces Oregon State next weekend in Corvallis before heading to the Pac-12 Championship Game on December 5th.