Dillon Gabriel leads No. 1 Oregon to a rout of No. 20 Illinois
EUGENE, Ore. — Dillon Gabriel threw for three touchdowns and ran for another, and top-ranked Oregon routed No. 20 Illinois 38-9 on Saturday to remain undefeated.
Gabriel finished 18-of-26 for 291 yards and Oregon racked up 527 yards of total offense. Tez Johnson caught six of Gabriel's passes for 102 yards and a score.
The Ducks (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten) haven't started a season with eight straight wins since 2013. It was Oregon's third win over a ranked team this season.
The Fighting Illini (6-2, 3-2) hadn't faced the top-ranked team in the nation since 2007, when they beat Ohio State 28-21 on the road.
Luke Altmyer threw for 161 yards for Illinois, which was coming off a 21-7 victory over No. 24 Michigan last weekend. That win was the third for the Illini over a Top 25 opponent this season — most for the team since 2007.
Oregon blanked Purdue 35-0 last weekend. But it was a 32-31 victory over then-No. 2 Ohio State the week before that boosted the Ducks in their first season in the Big Ten.
Gabriel, rising in the Heisman conversation, was leading the country with a 77% completion rate. He has 18 passing touchdowns and five rushing scores.
Oregon scored on Gabriel's 31-yard pass to Johnson on the team's opening drive. Facing little defense, Gabriel had plenty of time in the pocket to find Johnson.
Oregon scored on its next series when Justius Lowe caught Gabriel's 34-yard pass and fell into the end zone. It was Lowe's first career TD.
Davi Olano's 38-yard field goal for Illinois made it 14-3.
Gabriel moved in front of Timmy Chang (17,072) during the first half for second on the NCAA's career passing yards list. Case Keenum holds the record with 19,217.
Gabriel scored on a 7-yard keeper to make it 21-3 before Noah Whittington ran up the middle for 18 yards, knocking down a defender in the process, for another score.
Whittington caught 2-yard TD to make it 35-3 at halftime.
Illinois got to the Oregon 2 to open the third quarter but turned the ball over on downs with an incomplete pass. But later in the quarter Ca’Lil Valentine's touchdown run made it 35-9.
Andrew Boyle had a 44-yard field goal in the fourth quarter for the Ducks.
The last time Oregon played Illinois was in 1995, the first home game for then-Ducks coach Mike Bellotti. Ricky Whittle rushed for three touchdowns and Oregon won 34-31 after trailing at the half.
Takeaways
Illinois: Illinois got dinged up in the loss. Receiver Malik Elzy had to be helped off the field by a pair of trainers late in the first half but he remained on the sidelines with his helmet on and eventually returned. Defensive back Kaleb Patterson also had to be helped off before halftime and didn't return. Starting receiver Pat Bryant was hit hard twice in the fourth quarter and went to the locker room but the nature of his injury was unclear.
Oregon: Tight end Terrance Ferguson was sidelined for the second week in a row after appendix surgery. ... Traeshon Holden played against Illinois after sitting out of the Purdue game. Holden was ejected a week earlier against Ohio State for spitting on Buckeyes cornerback Davison Igbinosun. He later apologized on social media.
Up next
Illinois: Hosts Minnesota next Saturday.
Oregon: Visits Michigan next Saturday.