No. 10 Oregon survives UCLA comeback, keeps Pac-12's playoff hopes alive

It took a lot more drama than you'd want after leading by 17 points in the fourth quarter, but No. 10 Oregon survived a dangerous trip to the Rose Bowl.

The Ducks beat UCLA, 34-31, on Saturday, avoiding an epic collapse in the final minutes of the game.

UCLA entered the game as the favorite via BetMGM and looked the part early in the game, taking a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. Oregon went to work from there, however, and eventually took the lead on the first drive of the second half. By the start of the fourth quarter, they were up 34-17 after a 43-yard touchdown run from Anthony Brown.

UCLA responded with a 12-play drive capped off by a two-yard touchdown run from Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and then the Ducks were beset by miscues. Interceptions on two straight drives followed, sandwiched around another UCLA touchdown drive.

With 2:55 remaining the fourth quarter, the Bruins got the ball down a field goal. Thompson-Robinson led a drive to midfield, but left the game with an apparent injury. UCLA turned to Ethan Garbers, a redshirt freshman who transferred in from Washington last winter and had seen no action in his career outside of garbage time.

Garbers, a four-star recruit via Rivals, began with some strong passes, but disaster struck after he stared down a receiver on the cusp of field goal range.

Ballgame, Oregon.

The win keeps Oregon's playoff hopes alive, having already suffered a loss to Stanford earlier this month. The Pac-12's hopes for a third-ever College Football Playoff appearance rest solely on Oregon at this point, considering the Ducks are the only team ranked in the AP poll at this point.