Oregon bounces back to defeat Utah 44-21

EUGENE, Ore. — No. 7 Oregon provided a decisive response following a defeat at Stanford that likely dashed its national title aspirations.

The Ducks (9-1, 6-1 Pac-12 North) took command against Utah with three third-quarter touchdowns en route to a 44-21 victory Saturday before a sellout crowd of 56,481 at Autzen Stadium.

Oregon running back De'Anthony Thomas changed the complexion of the game.

Thomas broke loose for an 86-yard kickoff return for a touchdown moments after Utah had cut the lead to 17-14 on the opening drive of the second half. It was the fourth kickoff return for a touchdown in his career.

Matt Wogan missed the extra point and the Ducks led 23-14.

After Oregon forced a punt, the Ducks went 93 yards on eight plays, culminated by a 14-yard touchdown pass from Marcus Mariota to wide open tight end Johnny Mundt.
Oregon wasn't finished.

Byron Marshall's 17-yard touchdown run extended the lead to 37-14 with 32 seconds left in the quarter, and he added a 16-yard scoring run early in the fourth quarter.

Mariota completed 19 of 26 for 288 yards and three touchdowns, and extended his Pac-12 record for pass attempts without an interception to 353 dating back to last season's Stanford game. He has thrown 25 touchdown passes this season.

It was the fourth loss in a row for Utah (4-6, 1-6 Pac-12 South), which was playing without starting quarterback Travis Wilson (concussion).

Utah, which gave Stanford its only loss this season, took the second half kickoff and marched 75 yards on eight plays.

A 48-yard pass from quarterback Adam Schulz to Dominique Hatfield gave the Utes a first and goal at the 4-yard line.

Following a Utah timeout, Schulz ran for a 4-yard touchdown, cutting lead to 17-14 at 10:09 of the third quarter.

But it was all Oregon the rest of the way.

Utah stayed close in the first half.

After the Utes got on the board with a 34-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jake Murphy that cut the lead to 10-7 late in the second quarter, Oregon responded.

A 57-yard catch and run by Bralon Addison set up a 5-yard touchdown pass to Josh Huff, culminating-a three-play, 64-yard scoring drive that took 45 seconds and extended the lead to 17-7 with 2:07 left in the second quarter.

Schulz, a former walk-on who made his first career start, threw an interception on the Utes' opening possession.

Terrance Mitchell's fifth interception of the season gave the Ducks ideal field position at Utah's 38-yard line.

A 28-yard pass to Pharaoh Brown, followed by an 8-yard touchdown pass to Thomas gave Oregon a 7-0 lead.

Wogan added a 31-yard field goal at 2:41 of the opening quarter.

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Gary Horowitz also writes for the Statesman (Ore.) Journal.