Ducks run wild on Huskies

For the third year in a row Washington and it’s fans made the five-hour trip south on Interstate 5 to take on their rival, the Oregon Ducks, and for the third year in a row the Huskies came up short on the scoreboard, losing 34-20 in front of 58-402 green-and-yellow clad fans.

Oregon S Patrick Chung was the big-play man for the Ducks as he returned a punt 59 yards for one score and set up another one with a diving interceptions off a deflected pass.

While Chung supplied the big play, RB Jonathan Stewart was the wrecking ball rushing for 159 yards and two touchdowns and generally being a huge thorn in Washington’s side.

Chung’s punt return put Oregon up 7-0 early, but Washington was able put some points on the board when S C.J. Wallace was able to pick off a Dennis Dixon pass at the Husky 47 and QB Carl Bonnell was able to hit WR Sonny Shackelford on 3rd-and-goal from the Oregon nine to draw even at 7-7.

But that was all the Husky offense could muster in the first half as the receivers repeatedly dropped catchable passes killing any momentum they could muster.

The Ducks were also able to take advantage of the sieve-like Husky defense to rush for 94 yards on a 13-play drive to put themselves up 14-7 about halfway through the second quarter.

They added a 43-yard Paul Martinez field goal to take a 17-7 lead into the locker room at halftime.

On Oregon’s first possession of the second half Dixon was intercepted by S Chris Hemphill who returned the ball to the Oregon 16. After two short plays, Bonnell was able to hit a crossing Quintin Daniels and the junior wideout was able to scamper across the goal line seeming giving the Huskies new life by bringing them within three at 17-14.

However, as was the case all day, the defense couldn’t sustain the momentum, allowing an 80-yard, 11 play drive that ended when RB Jeremiah Johnson took the ball over from on-yard out.

For the rest of the game it was more about Washington’s inability to make plays on offense and the Oregon defense’s ability to make the stops when they needed to, whether it was a tipped pass, a turnover or an open-field tackle.

It was also a tale of how the Ducks were able to manhandle the Huskies' defense to put up 316 yards on the ground and 454 total yards.

Oregon added another 80-yard drive, sending Stewart over from three yards out and they added another Martinez field goal to make the final score 34-14.

The Husky offense was anemic at best, only mustering 138 total yards, including 13 yards rushing against a team that normally surrenders 163 yards and ranks 9th in the conference.

The Huskies now head back to Husky Stadium next week as they play host to the winless Stanford Cardinal in the hopes of rejuvenating their bowl hopes with a win heading into the Apple Cup on November 18th.