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Dillon Gabriel throws for 3 TDs as No. 8 Oregon beats UCLA 34-13 in first Big Ten game
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Dillon Gabriel throws for 3 TDs as No. 8 Oregon beats UCLA 34-13 in first Big Ten game

Dillon Gabriel threw three touchdown passes and moved into the NCAA record books as eighth-ranked Oregon rolled to a 34-13 win over UCLA on Saturday night in its first Big Ten game.

Tez Johnson had 11 receptions for 121 yards and two touchdowns as the Ducks (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) earned their 12th win in their least 13 meetings against the Bruins. Jordan James added 103 yards rushing and a touchdown on 20 carries.

Oregon took control when it scored on its first five possessions. The Ducks are undefeated for the second year in a row after four games and third since 2015.

UCLA (1-3, 0-2) has lost three straight in DeShaun Foster’s first season as coach.

Gabriel – who completed 31 of 41 passes for 280 yards – became the fourth Football Bowl Subdivision player to reach 16,000 yards passing for his career and moved into a tie for third with 134 touchdown passes.

The sixth-year has 16,059 yards in 54 games at three different schools. He played parts of three seasons at UCF before transferring to Oklahoma, where he played in 2022 and ’23. Gabriel decided to play his senior year at Oregon because the Hawaii native wanted to play closer to home.

Gabriel’s best pass came midway through the second quarter when he connected with Johnson for a 52-yard touchdown.

Johnson blew past UCLA’s coverage, caught the ball at the 10 and entered the end zone untouched to extend the Ducks’ lead to three touchdowns. Tight end Kenyon Sadiq then lined up at quarterback and threw a pass to Terrance Ferguson for the 2-point conversion to extend Oregon’s lead to 25-3.

Johnson then had a 12-yard grab at the back of the end zone early in the fourth quarter to make it 34-13. It’s the second time this season and sixth time in his career that the senior has had double-digit catches.

Gabriel’s other touchdown pass came on Oregon’s opening possession of Big Ten play when Traeshon Johnson’s reception for 11 yards capped an 11-play, 75-yard run.

Gabriel’s only mistake came late in the second quarter, when Bryan Addison had a 96-yard pick six to put the Bruins up 28-10 at halftime.

On the third goal at the UCLA 6, Gabriel scrambled out of the pocket and threw it as Johnson slipped while making a cut. That allowed Addison, who started his career at Oregon, to easily catch the pass and return it for UCLA’s first interception return for a TD since Jaylin Davies in the 2022 Sun Bowl against Pittsburgh.

Bruins quarterback Ethan Garbers was 12 of 20 for 118 yards and two interceptions. The senior was sacked four times and left the game in the fourth quarter with what appeared to be an ankle injury.

Oregon: While most of the focus is on offense, the defense remains strong. The Ducks have sacked opposing quarterbacks 11 times and are allowing just 154.8 passing yards per game.

UCLA: The Bruins offense under first-year coordinator Eric Bieniemy has gone six quarters since it last reached the end zone.

Oregon should move up at least one spot after Mississippi’s loss to sixth-ranked Kentucky.

Oregon: Welcomes Michigan State on Friday night in the Ducks’ first Big Ten home game.

UCLA: Travels to ninth-ranked Penn State for what will be a 9 a.m. PDT kickoff on Saturday.