GO DUCKS!

Halftime Score: Golden Bears 7 - Ducks 0

1ST QUARTER: Oregon started on defense. After the touchback, Devon Modster started the drive with a swing pass to Chris Brown for a short gain. Brown then ran it up the middle to make it 3rd-and-1, but Bryson Young and Jordon Scott were able to bring down the Golden Bears behind the line to force the game’s first three-and-out.

The Ducks served up a healthy dose of CJ Verdell early in their first drive, starting with a short pass that netted 11 yards and following that up with four straight carries. A Cal pass interference call was followed by an offensive holding call on Justin Herbert during a reverse.

In two plays, Travis Dye got the first down despite starting 1st-and-20, but Johnny Johnson III committed an unsportsmanlike penalty and put the Ducks in a bad spot. The drive ended with a late Herbert throw being picked off by Cal’s Ashtyn Davis; it was the senior quarterback’s first interception of the season.

The Golden Bears appeared to be heading for another three-and-out after an incompletion, false start and short run had them at 3-and-10 on their own 37, but a 36-yard pass to Jordan Duncan seemed to spark the Cal offense. A Duck substitution infraction gave the Golden Bears a short distance to the sticks, but the gift wasn’t necessary as Modster connected with Brown for a 22-yard touchdown pass.

Golden Bears 7 - Ducks 0

Cristobal remained committed to the run game, rushing the ball 11 times and throwing it only three times to travel 62 yards before committing another turnover in enemy territory. A quick pass to Jaylon Redd and an extremely rare Herbert keeper got the Ducks in the red zone, but Verdell was taken out of the game after suffering a lower-body injury which meant Dye became the primary back. A short Dye run put the Ducks at 4th-and-1, but in an attempt to reach out for the first down the back fumbled the ball and it was quickly snatched up by Kuony Deng.

2ND QUARTER: The mighty Duck D was able to force another quick three-and-out and on their first play of their third drive Mycah Pittman made an impressive debut catch for 19 yards. However, on the very next play, Trey Turner III forced another Dye fumble; this was Oregon’s third turnover in as many drives, all in Cal territory.

A couple big passing plays to Jake Tonges and Trevon Clark gave Cal a shot at a 32-yard field goal, but kicker Greg Thomas was wide left. Despite another impressive catch by Pittman on 3rd-and-long, Oregon was forced to punt the ball for the first time in the game.

Modster and Deshawn Collins were both able to move the ball for three yards apiece, but on third down Modster was unable to connect with Nikko Remigio resulting in a punt. Oregon once again ran into penalty problems when an offensive holding call on the punt return placed the Ducks at their own 15.

Herbert began airing it out and finding a lot of success - completions to Johnson III, Jacob Breeland and Brenden Schooler went for 11, 20 and 21 yards respectively - but on 3rd-and-8 Johnson III was unable to bring in a potential deep touchdown pass. Cam Lewis missed another field goal attempt, this time from the Cal 27, meaning Oregon has yet to make a field goal this season.

Since the Ducks were out of timeouts, Modster was able to move the ball enough to earn four first downs and run the clock down to just two seconds. The QB attempted a hail mary, but Jevon Holland picked it off and brought it to midfield.

-End of Half-

Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports