Brandon Finney Jr. intercepted two passes and recovered a fumble and No. 5 Oregon advanced to the College Football Playoff semifinals with a 23-0 victory over No. 4 Texas Tech on Thursday afternoon in the Orange Bowl at Miami Gardens, Fla.
Matayo Uiagalelei had a key strip-sack for the Ducks (13-1), who limited Texas Tech to 215 yards and nine first downs while winning their eighth consecutive game.
Jordon Davison rushed for two touchdowns, Atticus Sappington kicked three field goals and Bryce Boettcher racked up 12 tackles and a forced fumble for Oregon. Dante Moore completed 26 of 33 passes for 234 yards and one interception for the Ducks.
Oregon will face the Rose Bowl winner — either No. 1 Indiana or No. 9 Alabama — on Jan. 9 in the Peach Bowl in Atlanta.
Ben Roberts had 16 tackles and an interception for Texas Tech (12-2), which had a six-game winning streak halted. It marked the program’s first shutout loss since Nov. 20, 2021.
The Red Raiders never got their offense untracked and committed four turnovers. Behren Morton completed 18 of 32 passes for 137 yards and two interceptions.
Morton made a huge mistake when Texas Tech, trailing by 13, reached the Oregon 9-yard line early in the fourth quarter. He made an ill-advised throw into double coverage into the left corner of the end zone and Finney, a true freshman cornerback, easily made the grab for the pick and touchback with 13:48 left in the game.
The Ducks cashed in with Sappington’s 43-yard field goal with 7:53 left to make it 16-0, and Davison added a 1-yard run with 16 seconds left.
Oregon had 309 yards, converted 16 first downs and controlled the ball for nearly 37 1/2 minutes while posting the third 13-win season in program history.
Texas Tech trailed by six when it faced third-and-11 from its own 31 early in the third quarter. Uiagalelei then sacked Morton, stripped and grabbed the ball and returned it 16 yards to the Red Raiders’ 6.
On the next play, Davison ran for a score to give the Ducks a 13-0 lead with 11:20 left in the third quarter.
Oregon controlled the first half and had a 49-23 edge in plays but still led just 6-0 at halftime on two field goals by Sappington.
Sappington booted a 50-yard field goal to cap the Ducks’ game-opening possession.
The Red Raiders didn’t get their initial first down until J’Koby Williams broke loose on a 50-yard run nearly 18 minutes into the game. That set up Texas Tech with a chance to tie the score but Stone Harrington’s 54-yard attempt was wide left with 10:53 remaining in the first half.
Later in the half, Boettcher forced Texas Tech’s Cameron Dickey to fumble and Finney recovered at the Red Raiders’ 29. The takeaway led to Sappington’s 39-yard field goal with 1:33 left.
Finney’s other interception came in the opening minute of the second quarter.
–Field Level Media
