The Huskies won the toss and deferred, putting their defense on the field to try and set the tone for the game.
Shaq Thompson started the game off right with a big stick on the kickoff, and a tackle for no gain on the next play. John Timu dropped what should have been a sure interception and maybe 6 going the other way, but Danny Shelton and Hau'oli Kikaha cleaned up on the next down by combining for a sack and forcing a Duck punt.
The Huskies would start with great field position inside of Duck territory. A couple of plays to Dwayne Washington went nowhere and forced a third and ten. The Dawgs ran a screen to Washington again, and got exactly the 10 yards they needed to convert. John Ross took a carry out of the backfield for 12 yards on the next play to keep the drive moving deep into duck territory. A big loss on the next first down was followed by a pass to Washington for 7 yards and create a 3rd and 8. Miles hit a pass to John Ross for just 6 yards and the Dawgs would attempt a field goal from 33 yards which Cameron Van Winkle banged through.
Marcus Mariota would start UO's next drive with a 28 yard pass to near midfield. Royce Freeman and Marcus Mariota combined to pick up a few chunks and convert a 3rd down, and the Ducks were into UW territory. Freeman would take a run right up the middle untouched for a touchdown to put the Ducks up 7-3.
Cyler Miles opened UW's drive by rolling out and throwing back across the field to Lavon Coleman for a 31 yard completion. A couple plays later Miles threw a dart over the middle to Jaydon Mickens to give the Huskies a 1st down. On a 3rd and 8 Miles threw a perfect pass to Mickens in the end zone, which would have been a touchdown if not for it being dropped. The Huskies again settle for a field goal, this from 40 yards to pull to 7-6.
The Ducks went to work, pickin up a few yards each on their first 3 plays to move the chains, and then repeated the feat on their next 3 plays. A personal foul moved the Ducks back 15 yards, but kept them at 1st and 10. Mariota took a zone read around the edge of UW's defense to pick up a long rush, and Byron Marshall would gash the Dawgs for some big gains on the ground before a holding penalty backed the Ducks back up. The Ducks got the big deficit down to 3rd and 8, and completed a pass to convert that as well. A third down scramble by Mariota was ended when he was tracked down by Travis Feeney.