EUGENE, Ore. — On a night when Washington State’s usually high-scoring Air Raid offense did not even convert a third down until the third quarter, the Cougars’ defense and kicker Erik Powell turned out to be the team’s best offensive weapons.

On the road for the first time this season, the 11th-ranked Cougars’ offense struggled to find the end zone for most of evening, and three times, at critical junctures, they called upon Powell to help salvage the situation.

To his credit, Powell cashed in every time he got the opportunity and scored 15 points in the Cougars’ 33-10 victory against Oregon Saturday night to lead WSU to a 6-0 start.

After making three clutch field goals in the victory last weekend over USC, the Cougars’ senior kicker extended his hot streak. Powell hit four field goals Saturday night, including a career-long 52-yarder, to keep his team in the hunt against an Oregon defense that held WSU’s offense largely in check.

Powell, who last week was named Pac-12 special teams player of the week, converted from 25 and 52 yards in the second quarter, banged out a 47-yard field goal in the third, and padded WSU’s lead with a 29-yard kick late in the fourth quarter.

WSU led by only three points at halftime, and the Cougars let the Ducks hang around within two scores until the start of the fourth quarter. That’s when Luke Falk hit Isaiah Johnson-Mack on a 25-yard touchdown strike to put WSU up 30-10 for some breathing room.

That was only the Cougars’ third touchdown of the game, but all three came off big defensive plays.

Marcus Strong’s interception of Oregon quarterback Braxton Burmeister on the first play of the fourth quarter was the turnover that led to Johnson-Mack’s touchdown on the next play.

In his first career start, Burmeister, a true freshman, went 15 of 27 for 145 yards with two interceptions. His only touchdown pass came in the first quarter on a 30-yard reception by tight end Jacob Breeland. That put Oregon up 10-7, but that was the Ducks’ only lead.

WSU started the game with a similar one-play strike. The Cougars’ offense got the ball after the defense stonewalled Ducks’ running back Royce Freeman on a failed fourth-and-one conversion attempt.

The Cougars’ offense then delivered on their first play from scrimmage, with Falk dumping off to Jamal Morrow for a 41-yard catch-and-run touchdown. Then, the offense went dormant and the defense electrified.

Despite two turnovers by their offense and special teams squads — a fumble by Renard Bell, and a fourth quarter punt return boo-boo from Jamal Morrow, who allowed the punt go through his outstretched arms for a muff that Oregon recovered — WSU’s defense kept the Cougars in the hunt.

Alex Grinch’s squad shut out Oregon through the final three quarters of the game, sacked Burmeister four times and had three takeaways.

A forced fumble from Hunter Dale, and interceptions by Strong and Robert Taylor helped give WSU extra offensive opportunities and the Cougars scored 10 points off turnovers.

Falk’s stat line was indicative of the Cougars’ offensive struggles. He finished 24 of 42 for 282 yards, for a 57.1 completion percentage — way under his season average of 74.5 percent. He nonetheless had three touchdowns and did not throw an interception. With 108 total touchdowns, he passed former Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota for second on the Pac-12’s career passing touchdown list.

And that third down conversion in the third quarter? That was one of only two WSU managed all night. The Cougars offense finished 2 of 12 on third downs. Their second conversion did not come until the final 3:18 of the game.

It was an odd first half for both teams. The defenses dominated, and the offenses faltered, but managed to score token touchdowns on one-shot big plays.

WSU’s defense forced three three-and-outs in the first half and held Oregon to one of nine third-down conversions.

More impressively, Grinch’s squad stonewalled Oregon in short yardage fourth-down situations twice before the break. And they did it despite losing mike linebacker Isaac Dotson to an unspecified injury midway through the first quarter, and his replacement, Nate DeRider, to a knee injury in the second quarter.

Dotson, who left last week’s game in the first quarter with an injury, was able to start against Oregon, but he was taken to the locker after the Ducks’ fourth offensive drive and did not return.

DeRider came up favoring his right knee late in the second quarter and was replaced by redshirt freshman Justus Rogers, who paired with fellow redshirt freshman Jahad Woods at will linebacker.

But despite this attrition at mike linebacker, the defense held up its end of the bargain.

With freshman quarterback Burmeister making his starting debut, the Ducks’ opening drive was derailed when the Cougars’ defense held running back Royce Freeman to no gain on fourth-and-1 on the Oregon 41.

WSU’s defense then stopped Oregon again on fourth-and-1 in the second quarter when Jahad Woods and Dale tag teamed Ducks receiver Taj Griffin, holding him to no gain.