Atticus Sappington made a 39-yard field goal with three seconds left to lift No. 9 Oregon to an 18-16 Big Ten victory over No. 20 Iowa on Saturday afternoon in damp Iowa City.
The Ducks (8-1 overall, 5-1 in Big Ten) never trailed until 1:51 remained in the game — when Iowa quarterback Mark Gronowski ran for a 3-yard score on fourth-and-goal. The Hawkeyes (6-3, 4-2) couldn’t convert their 2-point try and led 16-15 when the Ducks and quarterback Dante Moore got the ball back.
Oregon marched 54 yards in 10 plays to set up Sappington’s game-winner. The key play was Moore’s pinpoint 24-yard completion to Malik Benson that put Oregon at the 27-yard line with 23 seconds to play.
Moore finished 13-for-21 for 112 yards without a touchdown pass in the consistent rain, but the Ducks ran for 261 yards against one of the top defenses in the nation. Noah Whittington led the ground attack with 17 carries for 118 yards.
Gronowski was 10 of 18 for 138 yards and a touchdown pass, but Iowa was held to 140 rushing yards.
The Ducks scored first with their defense. A high snap out of punt formation was batted out of the end zone for an Oregon safety at the 9:55 mark of the first quarter.
Oregon had good field position after the safety and drove close to the red zone, but Deshaun Lee picked off a Moore pass in the end zone.
The Ducks took a 9-0 second-quarter lead on Dierre Hill Jr.’s 19-yard run down the left sideline that capped off an eight-play, 82-yard drive. Iowa answered with a 10-play, 75-yard drive that ended with Gronowski’s 3-yard touchdown pass to DJ Vonnahme.
Sappington made a 46-yard field goal as the first-half clock expired, giving the Ducks a 12-7 halftime lead.
An Iowa fumble by Kaden Wetjen as the Hawkeyes approached the red zone in the third led to another Sappington field goal and a 15-7 lead. Iowa made it 15-10 on Drew Stevens’ 58-yard field goal early in the fourth.
Oregon played without key receivers Dakorien Moore and tight end Kenyon Sadiq and Gary Bryant Jr., another wide receiver, left with an ankle injury in the first half. Offensive lineman Alex Harkey also missed the game for the Ducks.
