Oregon Beat Michigan 31-7 to Keep Playoff Hopes Alive as Pressure Grows on Coach Whittingham
The No. 16 Oregon Ducks beat Michigan 31-7 on Saturday in US college football. The win took Oregon to 7-3, while the loss dropped Michigan to 5-5.
Oregon attacked from the start, scoring touchdowns on two of their first three possessions. Quarterback Dylan Raiola opened the scoring by connecting with wide receiver Jeremiah McClellan on a deep ball for a 60-yard touchdown, putting Oregon up 7-0.
Oregon's second touchdown came in the opening quarter as well. Raiola hit running back Da'Juan Riggs in the flat for his first career receiving touchdown, making it 14-0.
Michigan replied through running back Savion Hiter, whose 70-yard rushing touchdown cut the deficit to 14-7 and briefly suggested Michigan could get back into the game despite Oregon's fast start.
But Michigan had a complete coverage breakdown with seconds remaining in the first half. Raiola scrambled outside the pocket and connected with Dakorien Moore for a 59-yard touchdown after Moore got behind the defensive backs, putting Oregon up 21-7 at the break.
Coming out of the half, Michigan benched quarterback Bryce Underwood for Tommy Carr, looking for a spark. Early in the fourth quarter Michigan reached Oregon's 3-yard line, but the Oregon defence forced a turnover on downs.
With the game out of reach, Oregon added another score, a 49-yard touchdown from Dierre Hill Jr. off a screen pass, for a final score of 31-7. With just over four minutes left, Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham went back to Underwood to end the game.
The loss has grown the noise around Whittingham's job. The report said the possibility of Whittingham being a one-and-done head coach now looks all the more real.
Oregon's next game is against Michigan State, and beating the Spartans is paramount to staying alive in the playoff race. Michigan's next two games are both against ranked opponents.
Michigan play No. 4 UCLA next week and then end their season against No. 20 Ohio State. Losses to either or both of those teams could spur changes in Ann Arbor, the report said.
