Shough, Williams make connection Game of the day

Team for TD, clutch catch in Pac-12 win Oregon 38, UCLA 35

EUGENE, Ore. — Tyler Shough and Devon Williams have found their on-field chemistry.

Shough passed for 334 yards and three touchdowns as No. 11 Oregon held off short-handed UCLA 38-35 on Saturday to remain undefeated.

Williams was Shough’s favorite target, with six catches for 123 yards, including a 19-yard touchdown and a 49-yard reception that helped set up a third-quarter score.

“He’s been such an electric player in practice, and that’s showing in the games,” Shough said about his sophomore receiver who has been challenged over the past two weeks to contribute with receiver Mycah Pittman unavailable.

At 3-0, Oregon solidified its spot atop the Pac-12 North.

UCLA (1-2) had several players out because of COVID-19 protocols and contact tracing, including starting quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, a former Bishop Gorman standout. Redshirt freshman Chase Griffin started.

“I will not have the opportunity to play vs. Oregon today for reasons out of my control. Frustrated I can’t help the team but they will still be great regardless! #GoBruins,” Thompson-Robinson posted to Twitter shortly before the game.

Griffin threw for 195 yards and a touchdown, with two interceptions. Demetric Felton rushed for a career-high 167 yards and two touchdowns, including an 11yard scoring run that got the Bruins within three with 3:43 left.

“I think that was less about Oregon’s defense and more about how our offense was operating,” Griffin said. “All the running backs did a great job and up front, we were phenomenal. And then as far as our playmakers on the outside, I can’t ask for any better effort as quarterback. We came out and played hard today.”

After the late TD by the Bruins, Oregon’s ensuing drive failed and UCLA got the ball back with 1:24 left. A penalty on the Ducks got the Bruins a first down on the Oregon 39. But Oregon stopped the Bruins on fourth and 12 to clinch the victory.

That was way closer than the Ducks would have liked.

“We weren’t our very best today, and we know there are things to improve,” Oregon coach Mario Cristobal said.

Chris Pietsch The Associated Press Oregon’s Devon Williams pulls in Tyler Shough’s pass for a 19-yard touchdown in the first quarter of Saturday’s victory over UCLA in Eugene, Ore.