Nix accounts for six TDs as Oregon routs visiting Cal
Bo Nix threw four touchdown passes and ran for two more scores and No. 6 Oregon pulled away from visiting California in a wild first half in a 63-19 victory Saturday.
Nix completed 29 of 38 passes for 386 yards. Tez Johnson caught 12 passes for 180 yards and two scores for the Ducks (8-1, 4-1 Pac-12, No. 6 CFP).
Jaydn Ott ran for 93 yards and a TD for the Golden Bears (3-6, 1-5). Nohl Williams scored on a fumble return and Mateen Bhaghani made two field goals.
In periodic downpours, the game got off to a wild and slippery start.
Nix's pass was intercepted on the game's first play from scrimmage. Gary Bryant Jr. bobbled Nix's pass and it fell into the hands of Cal safety Patrick McMorris on the Oregon 38.
Bhaghani attempted a 41-yard field goal, but it was blocked by Khyree Jackson and run back to the Cal 10 by Jahlil Florence. The Ducks were ruled offside and hit with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty — putting Cal on the Oregon 9.
Fernando Mendoza's subsequent first-down pass was intercepted by Steve Stephens IV. Penalties again thwarted Oregon, but Nix's second-and-37 pass was caught by Johnson for a 48yard TD.
Oregon went up 14-0 when Mendoza's fumble was scooped up by Taki Taimani, who took it to the goal line before Nix scored on a 1-yard keeper.
After Cal closed the gap on Bhaghani's 43-yard field goal, Nix fumbled following a botched snap and Williams recovered, running seven yards for a TD to make it 14-10. Bhaghani added a 27-yard field goal to pull the Bears closer.
Nix had another 1-yard keeper before a pair of touchdown passes — a 14-yarder to Johnson and a 7-yard TD to Troy Franklin
PAC-12 STANDINGS Conf All W L W L
Washington Oregon USC
Utah Oregon St. UCLA Arizona Stanford Colorado Washington St. Cal Arizona St. 6 0 9 0 5 1 8 1 5 2 7 3 4 2 7 2 3 2 6 2 3 2 6 2 3 2 5 3 2 5 3 6 1 4 4 4 1 5 4 5 1 5 3 6 1 5 2 7
Saturday’s results
Utah 55, Arizona St. 3 Oregon 63, Cal 19 Washington 52, USC 42 Stanford 10, Washington St. 7 Oregon St. at Colorado, late UCLA at Arizona, late
Saturday’s games
USC at Oregon, TBD
Utah at Washington, TBD Arizona at Colorado, 11a.m. Washington St. at Cal, 1p.m. Stanford at Oregon St., 2:30p.m. Arizona St. at UCLA, 6p.m.
— to push the Ducks' lead to 35-13 at halftime.
NO. 18 UTAH 55, ARIZONA ST. 3 » Bryson Barnes passed for 161 yards and a careerhigh four touchdowns and Ja'Quinden Jackson rushed 13 times for 111 yards to lead the Utes (7-2, 4-2 Pac-12, No. 18 CFP) at home over the Sun Devils.
Barnes threw his last touchdown strike to Landen King with 12:59 left and took the rest of the game off.
Barnes threw scoring passes to Devaughn Vele to cap Utah's first two drives.
Munir McClain made a 20-yard leaping grab for a touchdown to make it 24-3 just before half.
Jackson sprinted for a 54-yard touchdown early in the third quarter but landed awkwardly in the end zone and had to be helped off the field.
The win kept Utah in the race for a third straight Pac12 championship. The loss was Arizona State's worst in its Pac-12 history.
ASU (2-7, 1-5) gained 83 yards of total offense.