Oregon 30, Texas 7
SAN ANTONIO -- Nick Aliotti's retirement party went better than the one for Mack Brown as 10th-ranked Oregon defeated Texas 30-7 Monday night in the Alamo Bowl.
The Ducks stifled Texas' offense behind a defensive game plan devised by Aliotti, Oregon's longtime defensive coordinator who announced he would end his 37-year coaching career after the game. The Ducks even scored twice on defense to outscore the Texas offense.
Oregon's win ruined the finale for Brown, who resigned after 16 seasons as head coach.
Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota got rid of the knee brace that slowed him down during the second half of the season and compiled 386 yards of total offense for the Ducks. He ran 15 times for 133 yards and completed 18-of-26 passes for 253 yards and a touchdown.
Wide receiver Josh Huff set Oregon's single-season record for receiving yards after catching five passes for 104 yards and a touchdown.
Mariota threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Huff just before halftime to put Oregon ahead 20-7 at the break.
Oregon received the opening kickoff of the second half and got a 39-yard field goal by freshman kicker Matt Wogan to put the Ducks ahead 23-7. It was the third field goal of the game for Wogan, who missed a 31-yarder later in the quarter.
Meanwhile, Oregon's defense pitched a shutout in the second half as Texas rotated between senior Case McCoy and freshman Tyrone Swoopes at quarterback.
McCoy threw an interception that linebacker Derrick Malone returned 38 yards for a touchdown that put Oregon ahead 30-7 with 8:55 left in the game. Safety Avery Patterson began the scoring less than two minutes into the game with a 37-yard interception return for the Ducks.
The Ducks advanced to the Texas 8-yard line on their first offensive possession before Wogan kicked a 25-yard field goal to put Oregon ahead 10-0 with 8:36 remaining in the first quarter.
Texas responded with a long scoring drive. McCoy scored on a 1-yard sneak to get the Longhorns within 10-7 with 1:24 remaining in the first quarter. McCoy completed an 8-yard pass to wide receiver Jaxon Shipley on fourth-and-7 to continue the march, which eventually went 79 yards on 16 plays while taking nearly seven minutes off the clock.
Oregon again drove into the red zone but had to settle for another field goal, this time a 32-yarder by Wogan that boosted the lead to 13-7 with 12:30 remaining in the half.
The Ducks added a touchdown to take a 20-7 lead at the break.
Oregon got the ball at its own 12-yard line with 2:08 left in the first half, and Mariota ran for 33 yards on the first play. The Ducks scored on a 16-yard touchdown pass from Mariota to Huff with 44 seconds left in the second quarter.
Mariota shed the knee brace that he wore during the second half of the season and looked healthier than he did in two months. He ran for 132 yards in the first half and completed nine of 13 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown.
Huff, a Texas native, had three catches for 61 yards and a score in the first half.
Texas running back Malcolm Brown, playing in his hometown, had 18 first-half carries for 113 yards.
NOTES: Oregon LT Tyler Johnstone, who started every game this season, injured his knee early in the second quarter and did not return. He was replaced by Everett Benyard. ... Oregon LB Derrick Malone did not start for the first time this season due to an injury suffered in the final game of the regular season against Oregon State, but he entered the game in the first quarter. Joe Walker started in Malone's place. ... Oregon LB Tyson Coleman missed the game due to injury. ... Texas RBs Jalen Overstreet and Daje Johnson and OT Kennedy Estelle were declared academically ineligible before the bowl game. Longhorns OT Desmond Harrison did not travel to the bowl game due to family issues.
