Bo Nix passed for four touchdowns and rushed for two to lead No. 6 Oregon to a solid 63-19 victory over Cal on Saturday in Pac-12 play at Eugene, Ore.
Tez Johnson recorded career bests of 12 receptions for 180 yards and two touchdowns for the Ducks (8-1, 5-1 Pac-12). Troy Franklin, Terrance Ferguson and Traeshon Holden also caught touchdown passes and Bucky Irving and Jordan James added rushing scores.
Jaydn Ott rushed for 93 yards and a touchdown and Nohl Williams returned a fumble for a score for the Golden Bears (3-6, 1-5), who lost their fourth straight game. Fernando Mendoza completed 18 of 34 passes for 177 yards and one interception.
Nix completed 29 of 38 passes for 386 yards and one interception for the Ducks, who won their third straight game. Irving accumulated 117 scrimmage yards (89 rushing, 28 receiving) as Oregon outgained the Golden Bears 597-286.
The Ducks have won 13 of the past 15 meetings between the teams.
Ott scored on a 20-yard run early in the third quarter to cut the Golden Bears’ deficit to 35-19.
Five-plus minutes later, Irving scored from the Cal 6 to push the Oregon lead back to 23.
Later in the quarter, Cal’s Jaivian Thomas fumbled and Oregon’s Evan Williams recovered at his own 1-yard line with 4:05 left in the quarter.
The Ducks then drove 99 yards on 10 plays with Nix tossing a 4-yard touchdown pass to Ferguson to make it 49-19 with 14:11 remaining in the contest.
Four-plus minutes later, James scored on a 16-yard run, and backup quarterback Ty Thompson tossed a 6-yard scoring pass to Holden with 2:26 remaining to complete the scoring.
Johnson had nine receptions for 115 yards and two touchdowns in a first half that ended with the Ducks holding a 35-13 advantage.
His first scoring catch was a 48-yarder from Nix with seven minutes left in the opening quarter. Just over two minutes later, Nix scored on the ground from the 1 to give the Ducks a 14-0 lead.
The Golden Bears answered with 10 points in just seven seconds.
Mateen Bhaghani got Cal on the board with a 43-yard field goal with 1:39 left in the first. On Oregon’s next play, Johnson was running in motion to the right, the shotgun snap hit him and the ball bounded toward the Ducks’ end zone. Nohl Williams then picked it up and scooted 9 yards for the touchdown.
The Golden Bears moved within 14-13 on Bhaghani’s 27-yard field goal with 11:28 left in the first half.
Oregon answered with three touchdowns over the final 5:21 of the half. Nix scored from the 1 and tossed touchdown passes of 14 yards to Johnson and 7 to Franklin for a 22-point halftime lead.
–Field Level Media