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QuickTake:
The Oregon Ducks were never really challenged during the Week 3 game at Northwestern, but still, giving up two touchdowns in the fourth quarter is not how a national championship contender should be finishing games.
With just one minute and 48 seconds to go in Saturday’s game at Northwestern, the Wildcats’ freshman running back Dashun Reeder ran 79 yards down the left sideline for a meaningless touchdown against Oregon.
A 34-7 win suddenly turned into a 34-14 win for the Ducks in Evanston, Illinois, the Big Ten opener for both teams.
Uh-oh, I thought.
Dan Lanning is not going to be happy with that one.
It was meaningless for the outcome of a game the fourth-ranked Ducks led 34-0 with 11:27 remaining in the fourth quarter. But it wasn’t meaningless to a 1-2 Northwestern program that certainly found some hope in that play.
And you can bet it wasn’t meaningless to Oregon’s fourth-year head coach.
“I got a little sour taste in my mouth with the way we ended, right?” Lanning told Fox Sports’ Jenny Taft right after the game. “We’ve got to be able to win the fourth quarter.”
Reeder’s long jaunt would give Northwestern more than 300 yards in total offense and result in the Wildcats outrushing the Ducks 178 to 176 on the day, even if Oregon had more total yards (373 to 313).
The 3-0 Ducks didn’t cover the point spread (27.5) either; just another lesson for gamblers that Las Vegas wasn’t built on winner’s money.
Fifty-one years ago, when Oregon took the field at what was then Northwestern’s Dyche Stadium, led by quarterback and future NFL offensive genius Norv Turner, a 34-14 win over the Wildcats would have made Duck fans’ heads explode — in a good way.
But that was a 1974 Oregon team that went 0-7 in the Pac-8 and 2-9 overall. It lost 14-10 to a Wildcats team that would finish 3-8.
And, yes, the Ducks — winners of 17 of their last 18 games dating back to the 2024 Fiesta Bowl win over Liberty — dominated this Wildcat team more than a half-century later.
The game was never close, never in doubt, and Fox announcers Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt were gushing over Oregon’s 2025 national title possibilities after it outscored Montana State and Oklahoma State by a combined score of 128 to 16 during the first two Saturdays of the season.
“Their backfield is the deepest in America,” Klatt said. “It’s impressive.”
Klatt, who played quarterback at Colorado from 2002 to 2005, added that he expects Dante Moore to be the third straight UO quarterback sitting in New York for the Heisman Trophy presentation come December.
But championship teams don’t give up 79-yard touchdown runs too often, if ever, even late in the fourth quarter when the game has long been decided. It gives the Ducks something to think about as another heavy underdog, Oregon State, comes to Autzen this Saturday, Sept 20.
I texted Paul Neville, a good friend and former Register-Guard colleague, as well as a 1972 graduate of Northwestern, just for fun early in the third quarter, with the Ducks up 17-0.
“When’s your alma mater gonna score?” I poked.
“I think this possession,” he poked back.
The Wildcats were driving to open the second half, senior quarterback Preston Stone throwing to wideout Griffin Wilde for a first down in UO territory, then to Reeder for a 7-yard gain.
That was followed by tough runs by Caleb Komolafe and Joseph Himon II as Northwestern moved inside Oregon’s 30-yard line.
“Ducks need to stop the Wildcats’ run,” texted Neville, who played soccer at Northwestern on Northern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium, right on Lake Michigan, the same field where Saturday’s game was played in front of 12,000 or so fans.
Martin Stadium is the Wildcats’ home this season and next, while a new $800 million stadium is being built nearby.
“I’m a homer for the Ducks, but the Wildcats can play,” Neville added.
But they couldn’t score on that possession, Stone soon getting sacked by Ducks linebacker Teitum Tuioti.
Yes, the Wildcats are better than Montana State and Oklahoma State, but they’ll still finish in the bottom half of the Big Ten.
And you know Lanning has just one goal for these Ducks, a team that, in the end, could prove better than last season’s Big Ten champions.
So, giving up 79-yard touchdown runs is not OK, ever, for these Ducks.
“I thought we lacked a little bit of a killer instinct there at the end, and our standard can’t change,” Lanning said.
“There’s going to be some film for us to be able to go back and really attack.”
The Ducks’ demeanor on the sideline, despite enduring the loudest “false crowd noise” speakers he’s ever heard, was great, the coach said.
The team was focused and attentive.
“But we just didn’t finish the way that I want to finish.”
If Oregon is to finish this season the way Lanning wants, there’s work to do, even after a three-touchdown victory.
Lanning responds to killing of Charlie Kirk
We were all reminded what an insignificant thing football really is during Lanning’s post-game comments when a reporter asked the coach about the Sept. 10 assassination of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk, an avid Oregon football fan.
“I think the U.S. could learn a lot from our locker room,” Lanning said. “I think the people in this world could learn a lot from our locker room.
“You walk into our locker room, you’ve got guys of different races, different backgrounds, different religions, and you’ve got a team that loves each other.
“And I think we’re missing some of that in our country.
“That sort of evil should never exist in our country. Life matters, and I think we’ve lost sight of that. I just wish the world would learn a little something from our locker room, because we’ve got a bunch of people with differences.”
Some will be disappointed he didn’t say enough about the situation, and some will be disappointed he said too much, Lanning said.
“And I really don’t care.
“What I do care about is, if you disagree with me, if you hate me, if you don’t like me, just know this: I love you. I absolutely love you, right?
“And life matters; and there’s no way Charlie should have experienced that, and his family shouldn’t have experienced that.”
Lanning then talked about the issue of school shootings, how some say it’s a mental health problem and some say it’s a gun problem.
“It’s both,” he said.
“Our kids should be the most protected thing in the world. We should have armed guards at every school, because there are sick people. There (are) sick people in this world.
“And sick people need help, and it should be really hard for a sick person to have a gun.
“And if people can’t see that from both sides, how disappointing is that?”
Lanning said there were a lot of things Kirk, who he never met and was surprised to discover was an Oregon fan, had said that he didn’t agree with at all and other things he said that he did agree with.
“But I can respect those differences, and somebody else couldn’t. And they thought they deserved to be God in that moment, and they didn’t, right?”
The team discussed what happened, as did the Ducks’ Bible study group, Lanning said.
And?
“They value life,” Lanning said. “The kids in our locker room value life.
“And, again, very different views on opinion, but respect, enough to respect life.
“That’s the part that some of us are missing.”
Jamari Johnson (9) of the Oregon Ducks hangs onto the ball against Robert Fitzgerald (6) of the Northwestern Wildcats Northwestern Wildcats during the second half of a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Martin Stadium in Evanston, Ill., on Sept. 13, 2025. The Ducks defeated the Wildcats 34-14. 
Atticus Sappington (36) of the Oregon Ducks kicks a field goal during the second half of a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Martin Stadium in Evanston, Ill., on Sept. 13, 2025. The Ducks defeated the Wildcats 34-14. 
Dante Moore (5) of the Oregon Ducks fakes a pass to Makhi Hughes (20) of the Oregon Ducks during the first half of a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Martin Stadium in Evanston, Ill., on Sept. 13, 2025. Dierre Hill Jr. (23) of the Oregon Ducks gets pulled down by Northwestern Wildcats defense during the second half of a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Martin Stadium in Evanston, Ill., on Sept. 13, 2025. The Ducks defeated the Wildcats 34-14. 
Dakorien Moore (1) of the Oregon Ducks catches the ball during the first half of a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Martin Stadium in Evanston, Ill., on Sept. 13, 2025. 
Dierre Hill Jr. (23) of the Oregon Ducks tires to escape Callen Campbell (44) of the Northwestern Wildcats during the second half of a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Martin Stadium in Evanston, Ill., on Sept. 13, 2025. The Ducks defeated the Wildcats 34-14. Credit: Audrey Richardson 
Kyler Kasper (3) of the Oregon Ducks gets pulled down by Northwestern Wildcats defense during the second half of a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Martin Stadium in Evanston, Ill., on Sept. 13, 2025. The Ducks defeated the Wildcats 34-14. 
Kimberly Herder shows her 1982 vintage duck hat while tailgating outside of Martin Stadium before a game against the Northwestern Wildcats in Evanston, Ill., on Sept. 13, 2025. 
A’Mauri Washington (52) of the Oregon Ducks slams into Northwestern defense during the first half of a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Martin Stadium in Evanston, Ill., on Sept. 13, 2025. 
Kenyon Sadiq (18) of the Oregon Ducks celebrates a touchdown during the first half of a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Martin Stadium in Evanston, Ill., on Sept. 13, 2025. Head coach Dan Lanning of the Oregon Ducks comes back to the sidelines during the first half of a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Martin Stadium in Evanston, Ill., on Sept. 13, 2025. 
Jayden Limar (27) of the Oregon Ducks walks into the end zone to score a touchdown during the first half of a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Martin Stadium in Evanston, Ill., on Sept. 13, 2025. 
Isaiah World (76) of the Oregon Ducks lifts up Jayden Limar (27) of the Oregon Ducks after he scored a touchdown during the first half of a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Martin Stadium in Evanston, Ill., on Sept. 13, 2025. 
Head coach Dan Lanning, right, comes onto the sidelines during the first half of a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Martin Stadium in Evanston, Ill., on Sept. 13, 2025. 
Dakorien Moore (1) of the Oregon Ducks escapes Northwestern defense during the first half of a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Martin Stadium in Evanston, Ill., on Sept. 13, 2025. 
Oregon Ducks extra equipment is lined up along the sidelines during the first half of a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Martin Stadium in Evanston, Ill., on Sept. 13, 2025. 
Dante Moore (5) of the Oregon Ducks walks off the field after his helmet was kicked off during the first half of a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Martin Stadium in Evanston, Ill., on Sept. 13, 2025. 
Oregon fans, Stacey Lehl and her daughter, Piper Lehl, 6, tailgate outside of Martin Stadium before a game against the Northwestern Wildcats in Evanston, Ill., on Sept. 13, 2025. Credit: Audrey Richardson 
An Oregon Ducks fan poses in the stands during the first half of a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Martin Stadium in Evanston, Ill., on Sept. 13, 2025. 
People tailgate outside of Martin Stadium before a game against the Northwestern Wildcats in Evanston, Ill., on Sept. 13, 2025. 
Kimberly Herder tailgates outside of Martin Stadium before a game against the Northwestern Wildcats in Evanston, Ill., on Sept. 13, 2025. 
People tailgate outside of Martin Stadium before a game against the Northwestern Wildcats in Evanston, Ill., on Sept. 13, 2025. 
The Oregon Ducks warmup for a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Martin Stadium in Evanston, Ill., on Sept. 13, 2025.
Correction: A previous version of this story misstated the Northwestern’s rushing yardage and the college major of Paul Neville.
