OREGON DUCKS FOOTBALL THIS YEAR, NOT NEXT

Oregon Ducks football roster includes ninety-nine players, thirty-five transferring in from other schools.

They came to Saturday ranked #3, one spot below their opponent.

They woke up Sunday with a one point win over #2 Ohio State.

And as the new #2. How sweet is that team?

After uprooting and moving from across the country for a  chance to play at Autzen, a place they’ve heard about, winning Saturday had to confirm their decision.

They are finally the Big Boys playing Big Boy football.

That’s what the experts say about the Big 10 and the SEC compared to every other NCAA conference, and they may be right.

Why not let the top team from each play and call the winner the best in the land?

Or just crown the SEC champ best and let everyone else play for #2.

Why not? Because the Big Boys aren’t always big enough, like last night.

Last night Oregon Ducks Football grew up right in front of the nation, in front of me, my dog, and wife.

It helped us bond.

In front of my Oregon Duck son with his wife and baby.

They helped baby get started right.

The Ducks grew up in front of my other son who was at the game, and his Duck wife and daughter who will be a Duck.

It was the opposite of a buzz-kill, whatever that word is.

Ohio State came all the way to Autzen to show their fans a different side of college football.

 

The Autzen Experience

In the early 70’s high school football games in Eugene were played at Autzen Stadium.

We bussed in from North Bend, heading north out of town on Hwy 101 to Reedsport and making a right turn on Hwy 38 alongside the Umpqua River.

It was exciting as a sophomore traveling with the varsity through Scottsburg, Elkton, the Drain tunnel before Drain, and onto I-5.

We were a small town team rolling through smaller towns that played six man football that made our town bigger.

Playing games at Autzen was the closest to Big Boy football I got. I don’t remember winning a game there, but we came close. Once.

Walking the field after the 2003 Tigard Tiger State Championship felt like a dream.

In that dream Autzen was hallowed ground dripping with legacy, imbued with the blood, sweat, and tears that go into a national college championship.

All that was missing was a national championship.

In 2010 Chip Kelly took the Ducks to the top against a dirty Auburn team with illegal players. At least one questionable guy, Cam Newton.

And lost.

Four years later the Ducks faced another dirty team and lost to a third string quarterback.

I call them dirty because it was before NIL was legal and both Auburn and Ohio State were better at gaming the system than upstart Oregon.

I’m not saying Oregon didn’t try. Coach Kelly was accused of using football scouting services, which resulted in a a 3 year NCAA probation after he left for the NFL.

The Ducks had a revolving door of coaches and coordinators before landing on Lanning, one of which is the now the lead man at Top Ten Miami.

 

These Oregon Ducks Feel Different

In the past the Ducks were good, just not good enough. At least that’s the over-riding sense with me.

Good enough to do great things, but missing out by a moment, coming up short by a few seconds.

That’s Oregon Duck great Steve Prefontaine’s finish in the ’72 Olympics’ 5000, his only chance.

Last night’s football game didn’t settle any long standing scores, and the response afterwards may amuse fans of multiple championship programs, but make no mistake, it was an Oregon Moment.

I woke up today with the feeling of a one point game going my way, our way, not the other way.

This time wasn’t about a ‘nice try,’ a ‘good game.’

No ‘better luck next time,’ no, ‘winners win, but you were close, so close.’

A one point win isn’t a shutout, not a defining moment in history, but it shows the Football Gods do have a sense of fairness.

A bobbled ball yanked out on the way to the ground is not an interception? Not good.

A bad hold on an extra point and they sling the ball away? Not good.

A full speed onside kick bounces off a Buckeye and Oregon recovers. Hey now.

The Ohio quarterback can’t find an open man on what would be the second to last play of the game.

He runs, slides, then the kicker drills one between the uprights for the win.

That’s the usual progression, but not this time.

My football expert predicted the last team with the ball would win.

He’s a former player and coach and knows these things. (Hey J)

But I had a feeling I shared with my kid, the one not at the game: Remember the 2006 onside kick against Oklahoma at Autzen?

 

The Ducks scored with 1:07 left to come with 33-27 and then the onside kick that both teams swear up and down they recovered.

It was the referees’ opinion that counts and they said Oregon ball. Oklahoma was stunned and the Ducks took advantage with a touchdown with 45 seconds left.

But it wasn’t over.

Oregon had to block a 44-yard field goal attempt on the last play of the game to preserve the victory, which was the Ducks’ first win over the Sooners in seven tries.

With time running out, Ohio State’s Will Howard had no one open, decided to run, slide, and leave it to the kicker.

Except no kicker. Howard ran and slid a second too long, time expired, game over.

Ducks Win.

The Ducks beat an Ohio State team ranked #2, who had former Duck coach Chip Kelly as their offensive coordinator.

That alone paved the way for a ‘good try, better luck next time ‘ kind of game in Eugene.

Kelly knows how to win in Autzen. He practically re-invented the look of college football with his Oregon Ducks.

Now he knows how to loose at Autzen after a 2000 mile trip out, and 2000 miles back.

When that one point goes the other way, Oregon Ducks Football way, that trip must feel like 4000 miles.

One way.