INDIANAPOLIS — No. 1 Oregon managed to overcome all the potential pitfalls of a topsy-turvy college football season — even on a wild and wacky championship weekend.

It took the Ducks a little longer than expected to keep their biggest goals intact.

Dillon Gabriel threw four touchdown passes and a late interception helped Oregon outlast No. 3 Penn State 45-37 Saturday night in the Big Ten championship game. The win gives the Ducks a first-round bye and almost certainly the top seed in the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff as they pursue an elusive national championship.

“You live for these moments, you dream of these moments and you want to be there. » Gabriel said after celebrating with his family near one of the tunnels at Lucas Oil Stadium. “I’m just smiling because we’re Big Ten champions.”

He’s certainly taken full advantage of his opportunities since announcing his transfer from Oklahoma to Oregon almost a year ago.

Gabriel and Oregon (13-0, No. 1 CFP) certainly didn’t take the easy route to becoming the last undefeated team in the FBS.

Lanning intentionally put 12 players on the field to help preserve a 32-31 win over Ohio State in mid-October, survived icy conditions to win 16-13 at Wisconsin in mid-November and won Saturday despite abandoning a season record. total points and nearly blew a 15-point lead in the final four minutes.

Yet the Ducks also passed this latest test with flying colors.

They won their first conference crown since winning the Pac-12 in 2019 and 2020, and it happened in their first season of Big Ten play. And unlike No. 2 Texas or No. 8 SMU, they found a way to win a championship title.

Oregon relied on familiar names.

Gabriel, the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, was 22 of 32 with 283 yards. Running back Jordan James carried 20 times for 87 yards and two scores, including the Ducks’ final drive midway through the fourth quarter. Receiver Tez Johnson was named the game’s MVP after catching 11 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown.

Gabriel completed two passes to Kenyon Sadiq and the two scored touchdowns – beating a defender on his first score – in a record-setting first half when the teams combined for 55 points. The previous championship game mark, 52, was in 2012.

“I thought our offense did an incredible job tonight and the confidence in our team never wavered,” coach Dan Lanning said.

Yet the normally high octane required Acrobatic interception by defensive back Nikko Reed in front of the Penn State sideline to close it out.

Penn State (11-2, No. 3 CFP) was playing for its first league title since 2016, but should receive a welcome consolation prize after ending its four-game winning streak: a playoff bid and this which will likely be a first round match at home.

While the Nittany Lions played well and held off a 28-10 first half deficit, coach James Franklin knew it wasn’t the near-perfect performance it would take to upset the best team in the country.

“We played the No. 1 team in the country and had a chance to win at the end,” Franklin said. “We’re going to learn from this.”

Allar had a solid game, going 20 of 39 with 236 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions, the first being converted into an Oregon touchdown.

Penn State was even better on the ground with Kaytron Allen rushing 14 times for 124 yards and a score, and Nicholas Singleton recording 10 carries for 101 yards. Singleton also caught a TD pass and Allen injured his left ankle late in the game.

But the turning point proved to be a failed 2-point conversion attempt early in the fourth quarter, leaving Penn State down 38-30.

On the ensuing 75-yard drive, James scored on a 12-yard run to make it 45-30 with 7:28 remaining.

Allar responded with a nifty 14-yard TD pass to a well-covered Harrison Wallace III to make the score 45-37 with 3:41 left and Allar had one more chance after the defense forced a punt .

The only question now seems to be whether Oregon will find the perfect storyline to cap off a wild and crazy season.

“These guys can go all the way if they keep working hard,” Lanning shouted to the crowd after confetti and streamers littered the field. “I guarantee they will continue to work.”

Takeaways

Oregon: No, it wasn’t a lopsided affair, but the Ducks did what they needed to do Saturday: win. They extended the longest active winning streak in the FBS to 14 and can now focus on their next goal, winning a national championship.

Penn State: Franklin’s team had as much to prove as anyone on Saturday. The biggest criticism leveled at Franklin’s teams was offensive struggles in big games. This time the Nittany Lions scored points and that should give them a big confidence boost.

Highlight Reel

Sadiq’s opening score was the first of several highlights played Saturday.

He set the tone by catching a pass in the flat and hurdles Jalen Kimber at full stride on the way to the goal line.

Then, as Penn State tried to come back late, Allar threw a ball to Wallace, who barely kept the ball in front of a diving defender.

And then Reed’s acrobatic interception might have been the most astonishing play of all.

To be continued

Both teams will eagerly await Sunday’s selection show to find out who, when and where they will play next. ___

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