Dan Lanning and Oregon were waiting for this one.
The No. 10 Ducks fancy themselves College Football Playoffs hopefuls amid the mire of the Pac-12. Yet, they came into Saturday's clash with Colorado feeling rather overlooked.
Such is the case when Deion Sanders comes to town. But Oregon was a 10-win side just a year ago. Fueled by its own Heisman-caliber hurler, Lanning and Co. wanted to make an imprint on the college football world with a standout showing when the lights were brightest.
That's just what the Ducks did. Propelled by scintillating displays in the trenches — and just that extra dash of elegance from Nix, Troy Franklin, and the tailback triumvirate of Jordan James, Noah Whittington and Bucky Irving, Oregon cruised to a wire-to-wire 42-6 win over the Buffs.
MORE: Deion Sanders makes promise before CU-Oregon clash
Nix was precise, painting pictures with his arm as he tore a weary Colorado defense to shreds. The CFB veteran completed 28-of-33 passes for 276 yards and three touchdowns, taking advantage of the shimmering gashes that popped up across the field.
He wasn't the only one. Oregon piled up 240 yards on the ground, with Nix, James and Whittington all finding the end zone. That's not to mention Franklin, who fed on the Buffs' corners with brutal efficiency.
The only thing more impressive than the Ducks offense was their stout defense. Undaunted by the task of stopping quarterback Shedeur Sanders, Oregon thrashed through Colorado's overmatched front line with relative ease. The younger Sanders is a gifted gunslinger. So Lanning's unit made sure to key in on his ability in the pocket, sending calvary after cavalry to send him crashing towards the canvas.
The result: a mammoth advantage in total yardage, time of possession and, most importantly, the scoreline.
MORE: Watch Colorado vs. Oregon live with Fubo (free trial)
The Sporting News tracked live updates from Colorado vs. Oregon at Autzen Stadium. Scroll below to see how all the action unfolded between two of the Pac-12's biggest sides duel for conference supremacy.
Colorado vs. Oregon score
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | F | |
| Colorado | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| Oregon | 13 | 22 | 7 | 0 | 42 |
Colorado vs. Oregon live updates, highlights from Week 4 game
(All times Eastern)
Team stats
| Colorado | Oregon | |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 13 | 30 |
| Third downs | 5-14 | 3-9 |
| Fourth downs | 1-1 | 3-4 |
| Total yards | 199 | 522 |
| Passing | 23-33, 159 | 30-35, 282 |
| Rushing att-yards | 25-40 | 38-240 |
| Penalties-yards | 12-103 | 9-80 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 24:22 | 35:06 |
End of fourth quarter: Oregon 42, Colorado 6
6:41 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN! Consolation score for Colorado, who marches 93 yards to get its first score of the game. The ensuing PAT is blocked, per usual. However, a nice moment to cap a frustrating affair for the Buffs.
Oregon 42, Colorado 6
6:22 p.m.: Lanning is the one to blink first, with the Oregon skipper pulling Nix at the start of the fourth quarter. Impressive display for Nix, who looked every bit like the Heisman hopeful he was tipped to be heading into the season.
End of third quarter: Oregon 42, Colorado 0
6:04 p.m.: Lanning practicing what he preaches. Went for it on fourth down once more inside the red zone. This one doesn't quite pay off, however.
Gotta wonder when Oregon's boss will take out its starters. Same for Sanders and the Buffaloes, as well.
5:54 p.m.: Sacks galore for Sanders, who has been brought down to the turf with increasing regularity. Are more points on the horizon for the Ducks?
5:50 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN! Oregon goes for it on fourth down and converts! James finds the end zone from short-range. Looks like the Ducks aren't taking their foot off the gas any time soon.
Oregon 42, Colorado 0
5:37 p.m.: Colorado has a proclivity for poorly-timed penalties. Another one wipes out a first down and leads to yet another third and long. It just hasn't been very good for the Buffs thus far. Ball headed back to Oregon.
Team stats
| Colorado | Oregon | |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 22 | 4 |
| Third downs | 2-7 | 3-6 |
| Fourth downs | 0-0 | 2-2 |
| Total yards | 21 | 378 |
| Passing | 10-16, 56 | 22-24, 217 |
| Rushing att-yards | 8- -35 | 23-161 |
| Penalties-yards | 4-23 | 5-45 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 9:12 | 20:48 |
End of second quarter: Oregon 35, Colorado 0
5:08 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN! Nix takes his place in the end zone, racing through the mire for Oregon's fifth score of the game. What a performance for the Ducks on both sides of the ball. An ass-whooping in every sense of the word.
Oregon 35, Colorado 0
5:03 p.m.: The Buffaloes just don't got enough talent in the trenches. Whether it's the offensive or defensive line, Colorado is getting manhandled by a sea of bodies.
Shedeur goes down again and the ball is headed back to the Ducks. A little over a minute left to add to their lead.
4:59 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN! Nix's tosses a feather into Franklin's bread basket for another score! 36 yards in the blink of an eye! This game is getting out of hand.
Oregon 28, Colorado 0
4:55 p.m.: Jordan James bursts through the hole and makes defenders miss en route to a 23-yard gain. These tailbacks are finding cathedrals amidst the mire at present.
4:48 p.m.: The offensive line gives way on two straight plays, leading to back-to-back sacks. Colorado unable to do anything but call a run play through the trenches and send it back via punt.
4:45 p.m.: INTERCEPTION! Jahquez Robinson sneaks underneath to hand Nix his first interception of the season. Big stop for the Buffaloes. Now, they have to create.
4:40 p.m.: Another showcase of defensive excellence by the Ducks, who toss Shedeur aside like some old rags. Another punt is coming, this one from inside the 10-yard line.
4:34 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN! Nix puts one on a plate for Franklin, who leaps over a sea of limps to reel it in. This Colorado defense has been putrid thus far, it must be said. Two point conversion pushes the Ducks' lead to 21 points. Yikes.
Oregon 21, Colorado 0
4:32 p.m.: Irving gets it right back via huge run play. Gaping gashes in Colorado's run defense. Just offering little resistance to Irving and Whittington's ground threat.
4:30 p.m.: This Colorado defense can't stop a nosebleed at the moment. Franklin finds acres of space in the flat. A facemask penalty adds another 15 yards to the gain. Just not good enough from the Buffaloes defense thus far.
4:27 p.m.: What a play by the Ducks! Fake punt turns into a direct snap for lineman Casey Rogers. The former high-level lacrosse prospect scurries 18 yards down the field to move the chains on fourth down! What a call by Lanning and what execution from Rogers and Co.
End of first quarter: Oregon 13, Colorado 0
4:16 p.m.: Another Colorado drive ends prematurely. Shedeur found more success in the air this time around. But when the Buffaloes crossed midfield, they just couldn't get much happening. Two drives, two punts for Colorado.
4:10 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN! Nix fakes the QB draw and hits Casey Kelly for a touchdown as the Ducks continue to assert their dominance over this famished Buffaloes defense. The two point conversion doesn't pay off. But Oregon has firmly found its tenor to start today's game.
Oregon 13, Colorado 0
4:08 p.m.: Trevor Woods makes a great stop on third down, denying Ferguson of the first. But an unnecessary roughness call extends the drive for the Ducks. Just what Coach Prime didn't need.
4:07 p.m.: Big third down here for the Buffs. They desperately need to prove they can make a stop.
4:05 p.m.: Dan Lanning opts to keep his offense on the field on fourth-and-short. His decision proves an inspired one: the Ducks convert on the screen play and appear poised for another score.
4:03 p.m.: This Oregon offense is rolling. Efficient as ever in the early stages of the game. Whittington and Irving looking especially lively in the backfield.
3:58 p.m.: Colorado's first possession is over before it starts. Shedeur unable to find much of anything as the Buffs send the ball hurtling back to Oregon via punt. It wasn't an especially deep punt, either; the Ducks will have good field position to start their next drive as a result.
3:53 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN! The Ducks cap off their first possession of the game in style, tiptoeing into the crib courtesy of a Noah Whittington score from three yards out. This offense is not to be messed with.
Oregon 7, Colorado 0
3:51 p.m.: Nix is spraying the ball about with aplomb. A pair of tosses to Tea Johnson make him 6-for-6 for 59 yards thus far. Oregon is on the cusp of the Garden of Eden.
3:48 p.m.: Oregon already showing off its class in its first possession. Three straight chunk plays — a Bucky Irving scamper followed by two big Troy Franklin catches — has the Ducks rolling just outside Colorado's 30.
3:46 p.m.: The ball is kicked off and away we go! Ducks will start their first offensive drive at the 28-yard line.
3:42 p.m.: The Buffs are out on the field! We're precious few moments away from kickoff! The biggest game of Deion Sanders' coachman career so far. Next on ABC!
3:37 p.m.: Florida State game goes final, with FSU surviving Clemson's upset bid. Buffs-Ducks is slated for a 3:45 p.m. ET kickoff.
3:34 p.m.: Standby on Buffaloes-Ducks; Florida State is attempting to hold off an upstart Clemson squad on ABC. Currently, the game is in overtime. Colorado will take the field after this clash goes final.
3:30 p.m.: Cool moment pregame between Sanders and Nike co-founder Phil Knight, who is a notable Oregon booster. Sanders was a Nike athlete back in the day and still retains his Nike allegiances as a coach, it seems.
3:20 p.m.: It's like Showtime at the Apollo for Colorado. The Buffs have more luminaries sitting in their box, including Pro Football Hall of Famer Terrell Owens. He better have his popcorn ready for this one. We're about 30 minutes out from kickoff.
3:05 p.m.: The Ducks pulled up to Autzen Stadium looking like a million bucks; Oregon's players sported these screeching green and yellow Nikes. That brand sponsorship hits different at times.
2:50 p.m.: All smiles for Sanders and Co. as they step on the field ahead of today's clash. They look undaunted by the challenge of Bo Nix and the Ducks. Easy to be optimistic pregame, however. But a win puts them in position for a major leap up the standings ahead of a primetime matchup with USC next weekend.
2:40 p.m.: Colorado played stomping all over the Ducks logo before warmups. Inject it into my veins!!
How to watch Colorado vs. Oregon
- Date: Saturday, Sept. 23
- Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Autzen Stadium, Eugene, Oregon
- TV channel: ABC
- Live stream: ESPN+, Fubo
Colorado vs. Oregon will be aired on ABC in Week 4. The network will broadcast the game from Autzen Stadium in Eugene beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET (12:30 p.m. local time).
Those seeking a streaming option can turn to ESPN+ or Fubo, which offers a free trial to new users.