Gabriel carries Ducks in wild finish vs. Buckeyes

EUGENE, Ore. — After leading Oregon on the go-ahead drive, Dillon Gabriel sat on the Ducks’ bench with his headset on, barely able to look up with the final seconds ticking away and Ohio State driving.

A few minutes later, the Oregon quarterback emerged from the victorious locker room dancing, taking it all in with the fans who stormed the field. He ended the night by singing during his postgame news conference.

In his first big game since transferring to Oregon during the offseason, Gabriel delivered, as his third-ranked Ducks prevailed in Saturday’s thrilling 32-31 victory over the second-ranked Buckeyes.

“We all knew we were getting a dogfight, two heavyweights going at it,” Gabriel said. “That’s what college football is all about.”

Few active players know more about college football than Gabriel, who made his 55th career start Saturday. Gabriel, who previously played for UCF and Oklahoma, opened the season as the Heisman betting favorite. After a slow start, he emphatically reinserted his name into the Heisman conversation with a scintillating performance in a Big Ten showdown against the Buckeyes.

Gabriel completed 23 of 34 passes for 341 yards and two touchdowns. He scored the final touchdown of the game, rushing for 27 yards on a beautiful fake handoff that fooled the Ohio State defense in the fourth quarter.

With that score, Gabriel became the first FBS player to pass for 125 touchdowns and rush for 30 in his career.

“Every time I went and looked at his eyes tonight, I saw a guy who was composed and ready for his next moment,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. “He played really, really well tonight and had some really big moments.”

The biggest moment came on Oregon’s final drive. The Ducks trailed 31-29 with six minutes to play. But Gabriel completed all five of his passes for 41 yards. The drive ultimately stalled at the Ohio State 1-yard line, but Atticus Sappington nailed a 19-yard field goal to give the Ducks the lead with 1:47 to play.

Ohio State had its chance to win the game, marching the ball to the Oregon 28. But freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith was flagged for offensive pass interference, which pushed the Buckeyes out of field goal range. On the final play, Ohio State quarterback Will Howard scrambled down the middle of the field and slid instead of taking a shot into the end zone, as time expired and Oregon students and fans began pouring on the field.

“[Gabriel] showed toughness,” said Oregon wide receiver Tez Johnson, who hauled in a 48-yard touchdown from Gabriel on third-and-9 late in the second quarter, giving the Ducks a 22-21 lead at halftime. “He went out there against a top-two opponent and beat them. That shows a lot right there. … The poise he had the entire game was unbelievable.”

The last time an AP top-three matchup was decided by a point came in 1991, when No. 2 Miami defeated No. 1 Florida State 17-16, according to ESPN Research. The Hurricanes went on to win the national championship that season.

Oregon’s victory over Ohio State put the Ducks (6-0) in pole position in the Big Ten title and playoff races. The Ducks are one of three Big Ten teams to remain undefeated, joining Penn State and Indiana. They don’t face either in the regular season.

Gabriel noted that Oregon still has a lot of season left and a long way to go to meet its goals. But when asked about his journey from Orlando, Florida, to Norman, Oklahoma, to Eugene and whether this win was his most gratifying yet, he began singing the words “coast to coast” before stopping to wait for the rest of the question.

“I’ve learned a lot at each stop and, more importantly, who I am as a person,” he said. “At this point in my career, I just appreciate where I am at the present. … I’ve loved every bit of it.”

As Gabriel came back from the locker room to the horde of fans waiting for him on the field just outside of the tunnel, he spread his arms open, soaking in the moment. He grabbed an oversized Oregon hat from one fan and put it on his head.

Gabriel then turned around and hugged coaches and teammates before slipping back into the locker room, where the celebration continued.

“When you win against a great opponent, you enjoy it for that time,” Gabriel said. “Winning is fun. There’s a lot of joy in winning. … But we know it’s just a step in the right direction. Tomorrow, we’ve got to wake up and go earn it.”