Quarterback Dante Moore completed 16 of 20 passes for 178 yards with a touchdown, helping No. 4 Oregon to a 34-14 win over Northwestern on Saturday afternoon in Evanston, Ill.
Jayden Limar and two other running backs added touchdown runs for the Ducks (3-0). Oregon’s prolific offense was slowed somewhat by the Wildcats’ efforts to run the ball often to try to control the game clock and keep the high-scoring Ducks off the field, but Northwestern (1-2) didn’t get much going on offense until the outcome of the game was no longer in doubt.
The Ducks defense forced two turnovers on downs and had two takeaways on interceptions, one for linebacker Bryce Boettcher that led to Limar’s first quarter touchdown.
Moore found tight end Kenyon Sadiq for a 24-yard touchdown pass seconds before halftime for a 17-0 Ducks lead. Oregon got its offense rolling in the third quarter and put the game out of reach.
Oregon was 6 of 8 on third downs and held Northwestern to 52 yards of total offense in the first half. The Wildcats made some plays on offense in the second half but couldn’t sustain a scoring drive until the fourth quarter.
After the Ducks forced a turnover on downs on the Wildcats’ opening drive of the second half, running back Dierre Hill Jr. took his first carry of the game 66 yards for a touchdown.
Jerry Mixon intercepted Northwestern quarterback Preston Stone late in the third quarter, setting up a two-yard touchdown run for Jordon Davison and a 31-0 Ducks lead.
Northwestern got on the scoreboard with 6:20 to go in the fourth quarter with a one-yard run on fourth-and goal for Caleb Komolafe, then added another touchdown with 1:48 to go when Dashun Reeder found daylight running to his left, turned upfield and raced 79 yards into the end zone.
Stone finished 11 of 21 for 135 yards on the day.
Hill finished with 94 yards on five carries to lead the Ducks, who played without leading rusher Noah Whittington. Whittington was listed as questionable to play going into the game and was on the sideline in uniform.
