WATCH: Oregon catches UCLA with surprise onside kick in second quarter
After a 49-yard Bo Nix rainbow to Troy Franklin put Oregon on top of UCLA, 17-10, in a Top 10 showdown, Ducks head coach Dan Lanning decided to go for another body blow.
Lined up for the ensuing kickoff with just more than 10 minutes to go before halftime, Lanning dialed up the onside and junior kicker Andrew Boyle executed it perfectly — from the soft tap to get the ball rolling to recovering it himself.
Oregon cashed in a touchdown shortly after to make it a two-touchdown lead over the Bruins with 6:34 until the half.
The onside is reminiscent of a self-recovered onside that then-Colts kicker Pat McAfee pulled off a number of years ago. Maybe it’s just a coincidence that McAfee was on campus at Oregon today for ESPN’s College GameDay.
The Oregon Duck mascot, Puddles, had some fun at UCLA’s expense
Puddles, the Oregon Ducks mascot, is known for some of the finest mascot antics in college football. From the fairly standard push ups when the Ducks score to riding a motorcycle around, Puddles loves to mix it up.
And on Saturday with Oregon holding a two-score lead over UCLA in the first half in front of a jam-packed Autzen Stadium crowd, Puddles fired a shot at the sparse crowds that have become all too familiar for UCLA football playing in the Rose Bowl.
Puddles wanted to know if UCLA remembered what a crowd was.
With the Ducks going up by even more into the half — Oregon holds a 31-13 lead over the Bruins at the break — maybe Puddles will have more to say.
With a big lead in a Top 10 matchup, why not break out the Twitter fingers — or wings.