In desperate need of a win, the Oregon Ducks used a strong second half to defeat the No. 20 Northwestern Wildcats 34-26 on Saturday, spoiling former Oregon coach Chip Kelly's return to Autzen Stadium once again.
In their first game without former offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer, the Ducks, with new offensive play-caller Jay Johnson, used a few explosive plays against the Wildcats' defense to beat Northwestern.
Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola, center, and Oregon wide receiver Dakorien Moore celebrate a touchdown as the Oregon Ducks host the Northwestern Wildcats on Oct. 31, 2026, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Entering the game, Ducks wide receiver Dakorien Moore promised more explosive plays from Oregon's offense, and they did just that, as his 75-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter was the difference-maker in the win over the Wildcats.
As for the Wildcats, they fall for the second time this season on the road against a ranked opponent in what has been a tremendous fourth season under coach David Braun. Here's what Braun had to say after the Wildcats' loss to the Ducks on Saturday.
"The learning opportunity comes when you have a team on the ropes, on their heels. I'm not saying Oregon is a team that can easily be put away, but there were opportunities for us to get stops on defense when we were up by two scores, really keep the momentum and hold onto it. There were opportunities in the third quarter to get a stop and get the ball back to our offense after a long drive that resulted in a field goal," Braun said.
"We could have given our offense the ball back, let them carry that momentum and go get a touchdown. You could feel the game was at a point where momentum was important, and it felt like we didn't have the ability to keep our foot on the gas," Braun continued.
"Yeah, no, I felt really confident that they would be committed to running the football and pushing the ball downfield with the talented athletes they have on the perimeter. You saw that on the last touchdown with the short play off the play action," Braun said.
"There were some little wrinkles that we certainly had to adjust to. You've got to give their coaching staff a lot of credit for having a good plan. Defensively, I also feel like we'll walk away from this game knowing we missed opportunities," Braun continued.
Oct 31, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Northwestern Wildcats quarterback Aidan Chiles (0) throws a pass during the first half against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
"As a coach, you can get caught up in making really obvious statements, like, 'We need to start fast.' Well, yeah, of course that's what we want. Where I give our guys a lot of credit is that we don't necessarily control whether we're going to start fast or not," Braun said.
"What we can control is our urgency, our focus, the way we carry ourselves, and our understanding that if we start fast, it doesn't mean the rest of the day is automatically going well. Today was a perfect example of that. On the other hand, if we don't start fast, it doesn't mean the rest of the day is going to go poorly."
"What we can control is our urgency, our communication, our demeanor, our level of focus and execution. It'll be good to go back and look at the film to see if there are things in the second and third quarters where we're not communicating or executing the techniques we've been taught. Those are things we can control."
"All credit to Oregon. I think the world of Coach Lanning, but I feel like we're coming out of here with a missed opportunity. Let's put that edge and frustration into our preparation for our next opportunity," Braun continued.
Oct 31, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning during the first half in a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
With the win, the Ducks improve to 5-3, and while their College Football Playoff goals may be out of reach, there are still plenty of opportunities for Oregon to earn more signature wins on their schedule.
The Ducks' win over the Wildcats on Saturday was their third win this season against a ranked opponent. Oregon gets the opportunity to have a third as they'll face the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/oregon as Northwestern Coach David Braun Names Frustrations With Oregon Loss .
