EUGENE — Oregon’s offseason-long emphasis on run defense increased even further after a less than stellar performance in the trenches at Northwestern.

The No. 6 Ducks responded by suffocating the rival Beavers on the ground, especially on first downs, in a 41-7 rout Saturday afternoon at Autzen Stadium.

Oregon (4-0) allowed just 19 yards on 19 first down plays, including 15 runs and four incomplete passes. OSU gained only 15 yards on the 11 plays that began its possessions, all of which came from eight runs.

“When you can do that it’s a testament to our D-line and (defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi) getting us in the right call and playing hard,” linebacker Bryce Boettcher said.

After the Beavers (0-4) sustained a 13-play, 64-yard touchdown drive, the Ducks did not allow them to cross m

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