Final thoughts: A quality win holds off the pitchforks

On Anthony Brown Jr. vs. D.J. Uiagalelei, Travis Dye's historic efficiency, a feisty Alex Mirabal and the surging Oregon State Beavers

(Eric Evans/GoDucks.com)

Oregon beat UCLA 34-31 on Saturday to move to 6-1 on the season. Here are five thoughts before the Ducks move on to Colorado.

Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei got benched Saturday.  

As for what that has to do with Oregon, remember the Ducks were the runner-up in the former five-star quarterback’s recruiting sweepstakes.

He was the can’t-miss prospect from St. John Bosco who drew comparisons to Cam Newton. And when he visited during the 2019 Oregon spring game, the Ducks pulled out every trick in the bag to try and secure him. They paraded him around PK Park — he plays baseball, too — and then later Autzen, where he was introduced to Marcus Mariota and Jeremiah Masoli for the first time. 

A week later, Uiagalelei committed to Clemson. 

At the time it felt like a massive blow for the Ducks, who came so close to landing what many thought to be a sure-fire star, and UO has since moved onto its Plan C. Tyler Shough transferred after 2020 and now Anthony Brown Jr. is gritting his way through 2021.

Yet Brown is 6-1. Meanwhile, Clemson is 4-3 and Uiagalelei was pulled in the third quarter of Saturday’s loss to Pittsburgh following a pick-six. 

For comparison’s sake: