Oregon vs. Cal: Game Grades, Analysis for the Ducks

Marcus Mariota and No. 6 University of Oregon (7-1) took care of business in Levi's Stadium Friday night, overwhelming the University of California (4-4) offensively in a 59-41 shootout.

The Ducks piled up 590 total yards of offense, but they also surrendered 560 to the Golden Bears. Mark Helfrich's squad is certainly in the College Football Playoff conversation, but the defense is emerging as a legitimate concern with each passing week.

How did Oregon grade out from its 18-point victory?

Positional Unit	First-Half Grade	Final Grade
Pass Offense	A-	A
Run Offense	A	A
Pass Defense	C	C-
Run Defense	D	D
Special Teams	A+	A+
Coaching	B	B-

Oregon Ducks Grade Analysis

Pass Offense: Mariota threw his first interception of the season when one of his passes was tipped and picked in the end zone, but that was the lone blemish from an outstanding performance for the Heisman Trophy candidate. He finished with 326 passing yards, completing 18 of 30 passes to complement five touchdown passes. Byron Marshall had a big night, recording four catches for 133 yards and a touchdown. 

Run Offense: Like his quarterback, running back Royce Freeman committed a costly turnover late in the second quarter when he was stripped on a short run. Outside of that, though, the freshman was fantastic, pacing a rushing offense that finished with 264 total yards. Freeman had 112 yards on 22 carries, averaging 5.1 yards per rush to complement two touchdowns.

Brian Bahr/Getty Images

Pass Defense: Few teams have had luck stopping Jared Goff and Cal’s high-flying offense. That was no different Friday night when Goff lit up Oregon’s secondary, completing 61.5 percent of his passes for 360 yards and two touchdowns. He spread the wealth, as 10 different receivers hauled in passes against the Ducks.

Run Defense: Cal coach Sonny Dykes added a wrinkle to his run game, having backup quarterback Luke Rubenzer rotate in and mix things up with the zone read. The Golden Bears came into the game with the 105th-ranked rushing offense, but they piled up 193 yards on the Ducks. Cal’s Daniel Lasco broke free multiple times against the Oregon defense and finished with 85 yards and one touchdown on 15 carries.

Special Teams: Field-goal kicking has been an adventure for Oregon this season, but Aidan Schneider was called on just once, connecting on a 23-yard attempt in the second quarter. The special teams' play of the game came from Charles Nelson in the second quarter, when he fielded a punt and weaved his way through the Cal defense for a 58-yard touchdown return. Oregon also came up with a fumble recovery when Cal returner Bryce Treggs muffed a punt in the fourth quarter.

Coaching: There isn't much you can criticize the offensive staff about after the Ducks torched the Golden Bears defense. But Oregon defensive coordinator Don Pellum allowed Cal to eclipse its rushing average by more than 70 yards, failing to adjust to the Golden Bears' misdirection. With the high-powered offenses in the Pac-12, the Ducks will need to figure things out defensively to maintain their status as a legitimate playoff contender.