EUGENE, Ore. -- Senior quarterback Dakota Prukop threw for 309 yards and three scores and junior running back Royce Freeman ran for 207 yards and two scores as No. 24 Oregon defeated Virginia 44-26 on Saturday night at Autzen Stadium.

Prukop was 21 of 31 for 331 yards while also running for 19 yards as the Ducks improved to 2-0. Freeman averaged nearly 10 yards on his 21 carries.

Oregon took a 30-6 lead at halftime, but Virginia scored on its first drive of the third quarter when Taquan Mizzell scored on a 4-yard run to get the Cavaliers within 30-13 with 10:22 left in the quarter.

Oregon answered when Prukop threw a 77-yard touchdown pass to Devon Allen that gave the Ducks a 37-13 lead.

On Oregon's next possession, Freeman went 85 yards for a touchdown as the Ducks stretched the lead to 44-13.

Virginia scored in the final minute of the third quarter when quarterback Kurt Benkert threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Warren Craft to get the Cavs within 44-20.

The Cavaliers added a 6-yard touchdown pass from Benkert to wide receiver Keeon Johnson in the fourth quarter to cut Oregon's lead to get within 44-26, but the two-point conversion attempt failed.

Virginia had a chance to score first when it drove to the Oregon 21-yard line, but on fourth-and-eight, the Cavaliers attempted a fake field goal and punter Dylan Sims was tackled short of a first down.

The Ducks scored on its next possession on Freeman's 2-yard touchdown run. Oregon failed on a two-point conversion and led 6-0.

Virginia drove 75 yards on its next drive before running back Albert Reid scored from 7 yards. The Cavaliers missed the extra point attempt to keep the score tied 6-6 with 3:28 left in the first quarter.

The Ducks went back into the lead on a 7-yard touchdown run by running back Tony Brooks-James.

Oregon faced a third-and-36 in the second quarter when Prukop tossed a 55-yard pass to wide receiver Devon Allen that put the Ducks at the Virginia 6-yard line. Three plays later, Prukop tossed a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Dwayne Stanford.

An 11-yard touchdown pass from Prukop to tight end Pharaoh Brown with 3:05 left in the first half put the Ducks up 27-6.

Oregon kicker Aidan Schneider closed out the first half with a 21-yard field goal to make it 30-6.

Prukop was 13 of 20 for 203 yards and two scores. Freeman had 17 carries for 110 yards and a touchdown in the first half.

NOTES: Oregon RB Royce Freeman had 24 rushing yards in the first quarter to move into third place in school history for rushing, passing Derek Loville, who had 3,296 yards from 1986-89. ... Oregon starting LB Johnny Ragin III did not start because of an unknown injury. He was replaced in the starting lineup by senior De'Quan McDowell. ... Oregon starting LT Tyrell Crosby, who did not play in the opener against UC Davis because of a foot injury, returned against the Cavaliers. ... Virginia has not won a game west of the Mississippi River since a 45-40 victory over BYU in 1999.