Oregon star ejected for targeting, will miss first half of game against Cal

When Oregon takes on Cal on Oct. 15, they will be without their star defensive end for the first half. 

Kayvon Thibodeaux was ejected from the waning moments of the fourth quarter in the Ducks’ games against Stanford for a hit to the head on Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee. McKee left the game but returned to throw two touchdown passes.

Kayvon Thibodeaux was ejected for targeting. He will also miss the first half of next week’s game.

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— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) October 2, 2021

As a result of the call, he must miss the first half of Oregon’s next game, a Friday night contest against the Bears in Eugene.

Thibodeaux is a huge loss, as he is Oregon’s best defender and arguably the best defensive player in the nation, projected to potentially go No. 1 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Cardinal upset Ducks on the Farm

Oregon’s undefeated season came to end on Saturday, as Stanford took down the Ducks 31-24 in overtime in Palo Alto.

The Cardinal took a 17-7 lead, but the Ducks came storming back. Stanford tied the game at 24 on the final play, as Elijah Higgins pulled in a 2-yard touchdown. The score was made possible by a defensive holding call on fourth down as time expired.

McKee threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to John Humphreys in overtime, which ultimately was the only score of the extra time. The Ducks failed to convert on 4th-and-8 from Stanford’s 23-yard line, ending the game.

Quarterback Anthony Brown had a pedestrian day, going 14-for-26 with 186 yards and one interception. Oregon was without offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead on Saturday, who per a school statement, is being treated for a non-COVID-related illness.

On the injury front, Ducks running back CJ Verdell was carted to the locker room after entering the medical tent following a leg injury in the third quarter. The Ducks have been ravaged by injuries this year and are currently without linebackers Dru Mathis and Justin Flowe. Linebacker Noah Sewell was down on the field for a while during the third quarter and went to the sideline holding his wrist. He ultimately returned to the game.

Oregon moves to 4-1 on the season, and with the loss, there are zero remaining undefeated teams in a Pac-12 hoping to make the College Football Playoff for the first time since the 2016 season.

Oregon still holds one of the best wins in college football this year with the victory over Ohio State on Sept. 11, but a loss heavily impacted their chances given their remaining schedule.

Their contest against Cal kicks off at 7:30 p.m. PT on Friday, Oct. 15. Late in the fourth quarter, Cal is down 21-6 to Washington State. Should they lose, they would fall to 1-4 on the season.