Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel climbs to record highs in Big Ten debut

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel made a statement as he entered the Rose Bowl and defeated the UCLA Bruins 34-13. Things felt easy at times for Gabriel’s high-octane offense throughout the evening. Gabriel’s performance led the program to its first win in the Big Ten Conference, albeit against a familiar Pac-12 Conference opponent in a historic stadium on the West Coast.

“I thought we had a good game plan. I think if we play aggressively it will obviously help us to stay at the top. I think the run game was good. I think the guys at the top played their butts off.” . The defense put us in a lot of great positions. They really only gave up six points, but also the confidence in them. I think the combination of the O-line up front helping us in the run game and the defense certainly put us in a position to thrive.”

– Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel

Gabriel made personal history when he threw his No. 134 career touchdown pass, ranking third all-time in college football history. He’s 22 more connections away from Houston’s Case Keenum, who currently holds the NCAA all-time high with 155 touchdowns thrown. Gabriel also moved into fourth place all-time with 16,059 passing yards.

Oregon’s man under center finished the game against the Bruins with three touchdowns thrown on 31-for-41 completions and 278 passing yards. A 49-14 win at the Oregon State Beavers just two weeks ago and another road win in Hollywood have Gabriel looking more and more like one of the best quarterbacks in the country. The Heisman Trophy race is becoming increasingly interesting as Gabriel is considered the favorite to win the coveted award.

I’m not trying to break a record, but when you get the ball in the hands of the playmakers, they make plays. The trust is there. The faith is there. But most importantly, the boys excel at what they do. So we’re going to continue to try to do this and be as efficient as possible so we can make it as far as possible.”

– Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel

Oregon wide receiver Tez Johnson was more than a reliable option for Gabriel against UCLA. He caught 11 receptions, which is now the most ever for a Duck against the Bruins. Johnson managed 121 yards and two touchdowns in the confident victory. The tandem between Gabriel and his top receiving option seems to be getting stronger every week. Oregon’s offense is at its best when these two are on the same page.

“Addicted to growth. . . It’s getting better and better. I love the way we continue to “go to the doctor,” as we say. We find ways to get better and we have the right attitude to do so. I appreciate that about the boys. The most important thing is to find ways to win. Unbeatable.”

– Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel

Gabriel still knows he could have done better because he deeply regrets his biggest mistake: his interception right at the end of the first half, which turned into a 96-yard touchdown by former Duck defensive end Bryan Addison was transformed into UCLA.

“I just sometimes felt like I wasn’t helping us. I feel like our perimeter running game went well. When we got the ball into the hands of our playmakers things went well, but when we didn’t, of course things went well. It puts us in bad situations that we can learn from and improve on. It certainly starts with myself.

– Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel

There is always room for improvement with even more challenging opponents on the upcoming Big Ten schedule for Gabriel and his 4-0 Ducks. Next up for the Oregon Ducks is the Michigan State Spartans at Autzen Stadium on Friday, October 4th.