EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — The records, the accolades, the ranking — none of that matters to Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
“I’m chasing wins, dude,” he said. “That’s where I’m at.”
Gabriel threw for three touchdowns and ran for another, and top-ranked Oregon routed No. 20 Illinois 38-9 on Saturday to remain undefeated.
Gabriel finished 18-of-26 for 291 yards and Oregon racked up 527 yards of total offense. Tez Johnson caught six of Gabriel’s passes for 102 yards and a score.
Gabriel also surpassed Timmy Chang (17,072) on the NCAA’s career passing yards list and now has 17,236. Case Keenum holds the record with 19,217.
“Each week is important within itself,” said Gabriel, who transferred to Oregon from Oklahoma for his sixth season of eligibility. “I think you’ve got to live that life of being present. It’s very easy to say and hard to do.”
The Ducks (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten) haven’t started a season with eight straight wins since 2013. It was Oregon’s third win over a ranked team this season.
The Fighting Illini (6-2, 3-2) hadn’t faced the top-ranked team in the nation since 2007, when they beat Ohio State 28-21 on the road.