EUGENE, Oregon — The Oregon American football team needed all four quarters to beat Idaho 24-14, which was just a little bit more than many had expected.

In their first game as a member of the Big Ten Conference, Oregon struggled on offense in a way rarely seen in the Dan Lanning era. Dillon Gabriel completed 41 of 49 passes for 380 yards and two touchdowns, but was sacked four times. Oregon’s offensive line allowed just five sacks last season.

The Ducks led 14–0 at halftime, but the Vandals came back in the second half with touchdowns in the third and fourth quarters to give Oregon a 17–14 lead with 9:45 left. The Ducks offense came out on top when it needed to on the ensuing drive, with Gabriel throwing a touchdown pass to Tez Johnson with under six minutes remaining to cut the lead to 10 points and secure the win. Johnson finished the game with 81 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Jordan James led the Ducks in rushing with 95 yards and a touchdown.

Eugene’s Bryce Boettcher and defensive lineman Derrick Harmon led the Ducks in tackles with five each. Duke transfer Brandon Johnson had a crucial interception in the second quarter that prevented an Idaho touchdown. Oregon finished with 487 yards of total offense and allowed 217 yards on defense. The Ducks had eight penalties compared to the Vandals’ three.

Oregon returns to Autzen Stadium on September 7 when the Ducks host Boise State. The Broncos defeated Georgia Southern 56-45 in their season opener on the road.