EUGENE, Ore. — Arizona upset Oregon again.
For the second year in a row, the Wildcats stunned the Ducks, with Arizona recording a 31-24 win over the nation’s second-ranked team Thursday night at Autzen Stadium.
One year after posting a 42-16 win over the fifth-ranked Ducks at home, the Wildcats (5-0, 2-0 Pac-12) went on the road to beat Oregon (4-1, 1-1).
Running back Terris Jones-Grigsby scored on a 1-yard run with 2:54 remaining to break a 24-24 tie and give Arizona the winning score. Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota fumbled at the Ducks’ 34-yard line with 2:11 to play, and the Wildcats ran out the clock.
Arizona freshman quarterback Anu Solomon finished 20-for-31 for 287 yards and a touchdown. Jones-Grigsby gained 115 yards on 27 carries, and running back Nick Wilson added 92 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries. Wilson also caught a touchdown pass.
Mariota was 20-for-32 for 276 yards and two touchdown passes, and he made a touchdown reception.
Arizona trailed 7-3 at halftime but scored on its first drive of the second half to take a 10-7 lead. The Wildcats went 80 yards in six plays before Wilson scored on a 3-yard run with 12:52 left in the third quarter.
Oregon had a quick response as Mariota tossed a 6-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Devon Allen to put Oregon ahead 14-10 with 9:58 to play. The Ducks were stopped on third-and-5 at the Arizona 23-yard line during the drive before Arizona safety Jourdon Grandon was called for a taunting penalty that gave Oregon a first down.
Mariota extended his streak of throwing at least one touchdown pass in all 31 games of his career.
Arizona bounced back with a 93-yard drive that was sparked by a 54-yard pass from Solomon to Jones-Grigsby. The drive later was kept alive when Oregon cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu was called for pass interference on an incomplete pass on third-and-goal at the Oregon 5-yard line. On the next play, Wilson scored on a 2-yard run to put the Wildcats ahead 17-14 with 6:27 remaining in the third quarter.
After an Oregon punt, the Wildcats scored again on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Solomon to Wilson to take a 24-14 lead with 1:33 left in the third quarter.
Oregon drove deep in Arizona territory on its next drive. The Ducks faced first-and-goal at the 2-yard line but had to settle for a 21-yard field goal by Matt Wogan, cutting the deficit to 24-17 with 13:26 left to play.
Oregon stopped Arizona on fourth-and-2 at the Oregon 34-yard line to get the ball back with 10:58 to play.
The Ducks faced fourth-and-11 at the Arizona 37-yard line when Mariota threw a 28-yard pass to Allen. Two plays later, Mariota fired a 9-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Keanon Lowe to tie the game 24-24 with 8:21 left in the fourth quarter.
Mariota’s second touchdown pass of the game tied him with John Elway for seventh in conference history with 77.
Arizona’s next drive featured a 23-yard run by Jones-Grigsby on third-and-19 that moved the ball to Oregon’s 9-yard line. On third-and-goal at the 8-yard line, Solomon was sacked by linebacker Tony Washington, but Washington was called for unsportsmanlike conduct on the play to give Arizona a first down at the 2.
Three plays later, Jones-Grigsby scored the decisive touchdown.
The first half was much lower scoring than anyone expected, and the Ducks held a 7-3 lead at the break.
Oregon converted once on fourth down during its opening drive but was stopped on fourth-and-3 at the Arizona 31-yard line when running back Byron Marshall got open but dropped a pass from Mariota.
Arizona took the ball and drove 58 yards before facing a fourth-and-5 at the Oregon 11-yard line. Casey Skowron kicked a 28-yard field goal to put the Wildcats ahead 3-0 with 8:27 left in the first quarter.
Oregon used a trick play to take the lead early in the second quarter. Running back Royce Freeman took a pitch from Mariota and threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Mariota. The quarterback’s second career touchdown reception put the Ducks on top 7-3 with 14:37 left in the first half.
Oregon drove to the Arizona 33-yard line late in the first half before Mariota was hit by defensive tackle Dan Pettinato and fumbled for just the Ducks’ second turnover of the year.
The Wildcats looked ready to take the lead at halftime. They drove to the Oregon 7-yard before a bad handoff between Solomon and running back Terris Jones-Grigsby resulted in a fumble that Ducks linebacker Derrick Malone recovered with 21 seconds left in the half.
Mariota was 9-for-16 for 102 yards before the break, and Oregon had 210 yards of offense.
Solomon was 7-for-13 for 70 yards and also ran for 28 yards in the opening half. Jones-Grigsby rushed for 57 yards, and the Wildcats had 172 yards of offense in the half.
NOTES: Oregon drew its 100th consecutive sellout, a streak that dates back to 1999. … Ducks junior DE Arik Armstead sustained an ankle injury in the second quarter and went to the locker room. . … Oregon starting LT Jake Fisher missed a second game due to a knee injury. He was replaced by Tyrell Crosby, a true freshman making his third consecutive start.