By Garin Turner
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — In a top-10 Big Ten clash that lived up to the hype, No. 6 Oregon outlasted No. 3 Penn State 30-24 in double overtime Saturday. The win keeps the Ducks unbeaten at 5-0 (2-0 Big Ten) while handing the Nittany Lions their first loss of the season, dropping them to 3-1 (1-1 Big Ten).
How It Happened
The first half was a defensive grind. Both teams traded punts throughout the opening quarter, with Penn State breaking through first on a field goal in the second. Oregon later tied the game with a 42-yard kick from Atticus Sappington, sending the contest into halftime knotted at 3-3.
The Ducks finally broke through in the third quarter. Dante Moore connected with Dierre Hill Jr. on an 8-yard touchdown to give Oregon a 10-3 lead. Early in the fourth, Jordon Davison extended the advantage with an 8-yard scoring run, but Penn State answered quickly. The Nittany Lions rallied with two touchdowns to even the score at 17 and force overtime.
In the first extra frame, Penn State struck first with a touchdown, but Oregon answered with a two-yard toss from Moore to Jamari Johnson. The second overtime brought the deciding blows — Moore hit Gary Bryant Jr. on the first play for a 25-yard touchdown, and on Penn State’s possession, Dillon Thieneman intercepted quarterback Drew Allar, sealing the win for the Ducks.
Team Leaders
• Passing: Dante Moore — 29/39, 248 yards, 3 TDs
• Rushing: Dierre Hill Jr. — 10 carries, 82 yards
• Receiving: Dakorien Moore — 7 catches, 89 yards
What’s Next
The Ducks face another ranked opponent in Week Six, traveling to Bloomington to take on No. 11 Indiana on Oct. 11 in a pivotal Big Ten matchup.
