The Oregon Ducks escaped Kinnick Stadium with an 18-16 win over the Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday night, surviving a defensive slugfest that looked nothing like their usual highlight-reel performances. Head coach Dan Lanning summed it up perfectly in his postgame interview, calling it an “old-school Big Ten game” that tested his team's toughness in ways they hadn't faced before.
When linebacker Bryce Boettcher spoke after the game, his words showed exactly why this win mattered for Oregon's transition to the Big Ten.
“Oregon's always been the team of the flashy uniforms and fast spread offense, explosive,” Boettcher said, via Adam Rittenberg of ESPN. “Coming to the Big Ten, I get it, Iowa's been a classic team running the ball, I-formation, and we did it better than them tonight, which is pretty cool to see.”
That statement hit at the heart of what the Ducks proved in the Iowa rain. Oregon didn't win with tempo or explosiveness. They won by grinding out 261 rushing yards at 7.3 yards per carry, rotating three different backs and letting quarterback Dante Moore pick up yards on the ground. Running back Noah Whittington led the way with 118 yards in conditions that turned the game into a physical test.
Boettcher made sure Oregon's defense passed that test. The senior inside linebacker leads the Ducks with 71 tackles this season and added crucial stops throughout Saturday's win. He's been a Butkus Award semifinalist for good reason, anchoring a unit that held the Hawkeyes to just 239 total yards and 2.3 yards per rush.
The defensive performance was even more impressive, considering Oregon played without its top receiver, Dakorien Moore, and tight end Kenyon Sadiq. The offense had to rely on the run game, and Boettcher's defense ensured those limited possessions were enough. Kicker Atticus Sappington delivered the final blow with a 39-yard field goal with three seconds left after Moore led a clutch 10-play drive.
Oregon improved to 8-1 and 5-1 in Big Ten play, sitting at No. 9 in the College Football Playoff rankings. The Ducks face Minnesota next Saturday before closing against USC and Washington.
