Prukop passes for 3 TDs and Ducks beat Virginia 44-26

By foxsports
Published

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) Dakota Prukop threw for 331 yards and three touchdowns, Royce Freeman ran for 207 yards and two scores, and No. 24 Oregon defeated Virginia 44-26 on Saturday night.

Olympic hurdler Devon Allen caught four passes for 141 yards and a touchdown, which he celebrated by pretending to clear hurdles in the endzone, and the Ducks got their second win to start the season before next Saturday's game against Nebraska at Memorial Stadium.

Oregon was coming off a 53-28 victory over UC Davis in its opener, Prukop's debut. The graduate transfer showed creativity in the first half against Virginia, escaping from the Ducks' own 1-yard line with a 9-yard run and a pitch to Dwayne Stanford, who scampered 14 yards to get the ball out to the 24.

On the same drive, Prukop hit Allen with a 55-yard pass and the Ducks went on to score on a 2-yard pass to Stanford for a 20-6 lead. Prukop found Allen with a 77-yard pass for a touchdown in the third quarter that put the Ducks up 37-13.

Allen finished fifth in the 110-meter hurdles last month in the Rio Games, becoming just the fourth active college player in the modern era to compete in the Olympics.

Albert Reid rushed for 126 yards and a touchdown for Virginia. The Cavaliers fell 37-20 to Richmond in the team's opener last weekend, spoiling Bronco Mendenhall's debut as coach.

THE TAKEAWAY

Virginia: The Cavaliers again struggled with mistakes. Mendenhall said last week the rebuilding project would take time, ''Lots and lots of work ahead, steep learning curve still to come.''

Oregon: The Ducks are seeing mixed results in the new 4-3 defense installed by coordinator Brady Hoke, the former Michigan coach. Last week the Ducks gave up 392 yards and four touchdowns to lower-tier UC Davis. The Ducks ranked last in the Pac-12 for touchdowns allowed with 37.5 points per game. Virginia also managed four touchdowns.

UP NEXT

Virginia: On the road again next week, this time to face UConn. The Huskies rallied from a 21-point deficit but ultimately fell to Navy 28-24 on Saturday. The series is even at 1-1, with UConn winning the last meeting 45-10 in 2008.

Oregon: Takes to the road for the first time this season to face Nebraska at Memorial Stadium. The Cornhuskers beat Wyoming 52-17 on Saturday.

''Oregon, they're no joke,'' said Nebraska receiver Jordan Westerkamp, who caught a pair of touchdown passes. ''They're a top program in the entire nation. This will be our first big test.''