Gabriel delivers as Oregon outlasts Ohio State in wild finish

EUGENE, Ore. – After Dillon Gabriel led Oregon on the go-ahead kickoff, he sat on the Ducks' bench with his headset on and could barely look up as the final seconds ticked by and Ohio State gained momentum.

A few minutes later, the Oregon quarterback came dancing out of the Ducks' victorious locker room, getting carried away by the fans who stormed the field. He ended the evening singing during his postgame press conference.

In his first big game since moving to Oregon in the offseason, Gabriel delivered a performance as his third-ranked Ducks cruised to a thrilling 32-31 win over the second-ranked Buckeyes on Saturday.

“We all knew there was going to be a dogfight between two heavyweights,” 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 on Saturday. Gabriel, who previously played for UCF and Oklahoma, opened the season as the Heisman betting favorite. After a slow start to the season, he forcefully put his name back in the Heisman conversation with a sparkling performance in a Big Ten showdown against the Buckeyes.

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

With this result, Gabriel became the first FBS player to pass for 125 touchdowns and catch another pass in his career.

“Every time I looked into his eyes tonight, I saw a man 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 eventually stalled at the Ohio State 1-yard line. But Atticus Sappington hit 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. But freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith was cited for offensive pass interference, forcing the Buckeyes out of field goal range. On the final play of the game, Ohio State University quarterback Will Howard slipped instead of throwing a shot into the end zone as Oregon students and fans streamed onto the field.

“(Gabriel) showed toughness,” said Oregon receiver Tez Johnson, who scored a 48-yard touchdown from Gabriel on third-and-9 late in the second quarter to give the Ducks a 22-21 halftime lead. “He went up against a top-two opponent and beat him. That shows a lot. … The attitude he had the whole game was unbelievable.”

The last time an AP Top Three matchup was decided by a point, according to ESPN Research, was in 1991, when No. 2 Miami beat No. 1 Florida State 17-16. The Hurricanes won 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 race. The Ducks are one of three Big Ten teams that are still undefeated, along with Penn State and Indiana. However, they don't face both in the regular season.

Gabriel pointed out that Oregon still has a lot of season left and still has a long way to go to achieve its goals. But when asked about his journey from Orlando, Florida, to Norman, Oklahoma, to Eugene and whether that win was his most satisfying yet, he began chanting the words “coast to coast” before pausing to answer the rest of the question waited.

“I 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’m at. … I enjoyed every bit of it.”

As Gabriel returned from the locker room to the many fans waiting for him on the field just outside the tunnel, he spread his arms and enjoyed the moment. He grabbed an oversized Oregon hat from a fan and placed 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 initially enjoy it,” Gabriel said. “Winning is fun. It's a lot of fun to win. …But we know it's just a step in the right direction. We have to wake up tomorrow and earn it.”