What has made the first half of the Capital One Orange Bowl between Oregon and Texas Tech a close game is the defensive stops by both teams. Oregon has dominated the time of possession in the first half of the game, possessing the ball for 22:03, netting 6 points. The Ducks’ offense has been in the Red Raiders’ territory 6 times in the first half.
The Ducks’ defensive back Brandon Finney intercepted the Red Raiders’ Behren Morton pass, allowing the Ducks to take that turnover and convert it into points. The Ducks’ offense was inside the 5-yard line, looking to score a touchdown, and went for it on fourth down when Red Raiders David Bailey batted the pass down, forcing the Ducks to turn the ball over on downs.
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The Red Raiders’ offense gained some momentum, driving the ball down the field when Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton completed a pass to Cameron Dickey, who fumbled the ball that was recovered by Ducks defensive back Brandon Finney. The Ducks were able to turn the turnover into 3 points, giving them a 6-0 lead in the game.
The Ducks’ defense has kept the Red Raiders’ offense in check, forcing three consecutive three-and-outs. The Red Raiders’ offense has netted a total of 88 yards in the first half, with a time of possession of 7:57. The Red Raiders’ defense has been able to keep their team in the game due to the multiple offensive mistakes the Ducks had in the first half. The Ducks’ two bad snaps on offense and the quarterback-to-running back fumble exchange, and the penalties. If these mistakes continue in the second half, the Ducks could find themselves playing from behind.
Texas Tech has to find a way to get its offense going to give its defense a chance to rest. The Red Raiders get the ball in the second half, looking to get into an offensive rhythm could be costly in the second half if they don’t fix the issues during halftime.