Last Saturday, Oregon football became synonymous with the word “perfection.”

There are many numbers that could jump off the page from the 49-21 win over Washington (6-6, 4-5 Big Ten). For instance, the Ducks are 12-0 for just the second time in program history. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel threw for 209 yards on 16/23 passing and tied Bo Nix for most FBS starts with 61. Jordan James tied Marcus Mariota for sixth all-time in program history in rushing touchdowns while recording a rushing score in his 10th different game this season. It was truly a historic day. 

But, perhaps the most dominant stat came from the Oregon defensive unit. The defense did something that no Ducks defense had done in 20 years: record double-digit sacks. 

The Oregon defensive line should be charged rent for how much time it spent in the Washington backfield. Along with the 10 sacks, Oregon recorded 16 tackles for losses, one QB hurry and forced a fumble that led directly to points. 

Jordan Burch led the defense with 2.5 sacks, bringing his season total up to 8.5. Matayo Uiagalelei was right behind him with two sacks of his own, getting up to 10.5 on the season: a milestone for the sophomore.

“He’s pretty good, isn’t he,” Oregon head coach Dan Lanning said of Uiagalelei. “I think the guy plays with relentless effort, and that’s one of the pieces that we talked about developing: that killer instinct. Matayo is showing that killer instinct right now. He’s become one of the hardest guys in college football to block.”

Teitum Tuioti had a career-high 1.5 sacks while Eugene native Bryce Boettcher also showed out on Senior Day with a team-high 11 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. 

“I’m extremely proud of Bryce,” Lanning said. “One of my favorite guys I’ve ever got to coach just because of how he attacks each day.”

With the fumble, Oregon’s defensive unit has now forced a turnover in eight of its last nine games. Washington was held to a measly 4/12 on 3rd down and tallied 222 punting yards compared to its 244 total yards. 

“We talked about taking advantage of the moments we did get,”Lanning said. “I think once the score became one-sided, I think that created more opportunities for us so I’m proud of those guys for taking advantage of those opportunities.”

“One-sided” is a kind way to say it. The Oregon defense worked the Washington offense from start to finish. The Ducks recorded more sack yardage (49 yards) than they allowed rushing yards (43). 

“Coming into the game, we didn’t think we’d have that many opportunities to be able to actually rush the passer,” Lanning said. “We were anticipating some screen game and runs.”

But Washington’s passing game didn’t have quite the night it wanted to either. Demond Williams Jr. had an accurate night, completing 17 of his 20 attempts, but only mustered 201 passing yards, 63 of which came in “garbage time” against the Ducks’ backups in the fourth quarter. 

The narrative of the Ducks being 0-3 against Washington quickly turned to being 12-0 for the first time since 2010. 

“I think it meant a lot,” Lanning said about beating Washington. “I go to bed every night thinking about them and wake up every morning thinking about them. So it’s nice to be able to think about a win, too.”

Lanning finally has his signature win over the Huskies, and he’s got his stout defense to thank for it. 

There’s no place like home.

After an 0-2 performance in Hawaii last week, the Ducks (7-2) responded in a big way on Wednesday with an 85-70 win over the Washington State Cougars (4-5) in front of a thin home crowd.

Oregon jumped out to an early 22-17 lead thanks to eight first-quarter points from Amina Muhammad and nine first-quarter points from Phillipina Kyei. The Cougars, however, wouldn’t go away, and fought back in the second half to knot the game at 34 at the break.

On Wednesday, Wazzu shot 50.8% from the field, 33.3% from 3-point range and 66.67% from the free-throw line. The Cougars’ 70 points were the most they’ve scored in a loss so far in the young season.

The second half belong solely to the Ducks, and specifically to Peyton Scott. She rattled off a season-high 23 points on Wednesday, 19 of them coming in the final two quarters of play. Muhammad finished right behind her with 22 points while Kyei tallied another double-double to her collegiate resume.

Oregon shot 50% from the field, 33.3% from 3-point range and 75% from the line. Oregon’s 85-point explosion marks its second-highest tally of the season and largest point total since the season opener.

Oregon outscored the Cougars by 10 points in the third quarter and five in the fourth to run away with its seventh win of the season. The Ducks have a huge home matchup on Saturday as the No. 6 USC Trojans come to town. Tip-off is set for 1:00 p.m.

There’s something about a Dana Altman-led team in Vegas tournaments. 

The unranked (for now) Ducks continued their undefeated 8-0 start with their second win over a ranked team of the week. Oregon took down No. 9 Alabama (6-2) to win the Players Era Festival Tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

An incredibly tight game was wire-to-wire from start to finish. Neither team ever led by more than 10 points. With the score tied 39-39 at the half, it was clear that the winner would be decided in the final minutes.That’s exactly how it went down. Nate Bittle hit a jumper with four seconds left to put the Ducks ahead for good.12 points were scored in the final two minutes of play, six by either squad. 

Surprisingly, the game’s leading scorer came off the bench. Keeshawn Barthelemy knocked down a career-high 22 points to help knock off the ranked Tide. Along with Barthelemy, Supreme Cook had 11 points as the bench tallied 34 points.

Oregon had to work around some foul trouble Brandon Angel (four points) fouled out and TJ Bamba (12 points) had four. 

Bittle had a career game with 19 points, nine rebounds and three assists. He’s making a case to be the main big man on this undefeated roster. 

As a team, the Ducks shot 43.9% (Alabama was 42.2%) from the field, 29.4% (31.6%) from 3-point range and 80% (75%) from the free-throw line. In a game where every point mattered, both teams missed five three throws, but Oregon went to the line more and knocked down more crucial points. 

Alabama’s Labaron Philon led the Crimson Tide with 15 points while three others tallied 11-point performances. 

The Ducks earn a large sum of NIL money to be divided among the players and go down as one of the week’s big winners.

Oregon now boasts a pair of ranked wins on the season and will take on USC on the road on Wednesday before returning to Matthew Knight Arena on Sunday for a matchup with the Bruins. 

It’s senior day at Autzen Stadium and the Huskies (6-5, 4-4 Big Ten) are in town to play spoiler for No. 1 Oregon’s (11-0, 8-0 Big Ten) perfect season. The Ducks haven’t beaten the Huskies since 2021 and head coach Dan Lanning is looking to beat Oregon’s biggest rival for the first time. Follow along here for live updates presented by The Duck Store! You may have to refresh this page for the latest updates!

FINAL: Oregon took down Washington 49-21 at home on Saturday night. The Ducks are 12-0 for the second time in program history! Thank you for following along. Next up is the Big Ten Championship Game against Penn Sate next Saturday!

Editor’s Note: For what may be the last time, I’m headed down to the field for the conclusion of this blowout. I’ll update with final scores and stats when I get to media. As always, it’s been a pleasure to cover this game with the Daily Emerald. THANK YOU for following along. – Brady Ruth

(Q4 – 9:51 – Washington: 14, Oregon: 42) UW goes 3-and-out. This is a wrap, folks! Oregon takes over on its own 26-yard line.

(Q4 – 11:37 – Washington: 14, Oregon: 42) Oregon records its 10th sack and it’s 2nd-and-14.

(Q4 – 12:19 – Washington: 14, Oregon: 42) Terrance Ferguson is left alone in the endzone (bold strategy) and Gabriel hits him for a TOUCHDOWN. The extra point is GOOD and the Ducks are all OVER the Huskies.

(Q4 – 12:25 – Washington: 14, Oregon: 35) No targeting. 2nd-and-10 from the 16-yard line.

(Q4 – 12:25 – Washington: 14, Oregon: 35) Evan Stewart blown up on an incompletion. We’re getting a targeting review.

(Q4 – 13:30 – Washington: 14, Oregon: 35) Noah Whittington brings in a reception and takes it down to the 28-yard line. 1st down.

(Q4 – 14:55 – Washington: 14, Oregon: 35) Oregon converts on 3rd-and-2 via a Jordan James run to midfield.

(Q3 – 0:00 – Washington: 14, Oregon: 35) Jordan James ends the third quarter with a run. Ducks face 3rd-and-2 out of the break.

(Q3 – 0:42 – Washington: 14, Oregon: 35) Back-to-back sacks bring up 4th-and-23. Oregon is going to get the ball back with a huge lead.

(Q3 – 1:36 – Washington: 14, Oregon: 35) Derrick Harmon with a big sack to bring up 3rd-and-17.

(Q3 – 3:28 – Washington: 14, Oregon: 35) Tez Johnson pulls down a TOUCHDOWN reception. He was wide open in the endzone. Oregon retakes a three-score lead. The extra point is GOOD.

(Q3 – 4:34 – Washington: 14, Oregon: 28) Kenyon Sadiq moves the chains. 1st-and-10 from the 11-yard line.

(Q3 – 5:51 – Washington: 14, Oregon: 28) Oregon faces 3rd-and-1 from the 13-yard line.

(Q3 – 6:51 – Washington: 14, Oregon: 28) Noah Whittington bodies forward for a gain of 22. 1st-and-10 from the 22-yard line.

(Q3 – 7:21 – Washington: 14, Oregon: 28) Dillon Gabriel finds Tez Johnson for his first reception of the night. Oregon is across midfield and down to the UW 44-yard line.

(Q3 – 7:34 – Washington: 14, Oregon: 28) Oregon faces 3rd-and-1 from its own 44-yard line.

(Q3 – 8:49 – Washington: 14, Oregon: 28) A big run from Jordan James earns the Ducks 16 yards and moves the ball to the 36-yard line.

(Q3 – 9:21 – Washington: 14, Oregon: 28) Jordan Burch grabs Dermon Williams Jr. for a massive, eight-yard sack to force a punt. Nice stand from the Ducks, who take over at the 20-yard line.

(Q3 – 11:43 – Washington: 14, Oregon: 28) Dermon Williams Jr. takes off for a 12-yard, 1st-down run.

(Q3 – 12:42 – Washington: 14, Oregon: 28) Jordan Burch gets home for a five-yard sack. 3rd-and-10 upcoming.

(Q3 – 13:53 – Washington: 14, Oregon: 28) Jonah Coleman moves the chains with a reception. Huskies at midfield.

(Q3 – 14:52 – Washington: 14, Oregon: 28) UW returns the kick to the 35-yard line. 1st-and-10 for the Huskies as they look to make this a one-score game.

(Q2 – 0:00 – Washington: 14, Oregon: 28) The kick is NO GOOD (short). Oregon leads 28-14 at the half.

(Q2 – 0:01 – Washington: 14, Oregon: 28) Andrew Boyle is coming on to attempt a 55-yard field goal.

(Q2 – 0:01 – Washington: 14, Oregon: 28) Traeshon Holden hauls in a long pass to the UW 38-yard line with a second left on the clock.

(Q2 – 0:25 – Washington: 14, Oregon: 28) Oregon uses its second timeout with 3rd-and-4 upcoming from its own 30-yard line.

(Q2 – 0:37 – Washington: 14, Oregon: 28) Gabriel’s pass hits Stewart in the hands, but drops to the ground. That’s two tonight that Stewart should have had.

(Q2 – 0:51 – Washington: 14, Oregon: 28) Washington finds the endzone on a Jonah Coleman TOUCHDOWN run. The Huskies strike before the half. The two-point conversion attempt is complete and GOOD.

(Q2 – 0:54 – Washington: 6, Oregon: 28) Oregon calls timeout with UW facing 2nd-and-goal from the 1-yard line. Lanning is likely looking to save some time for a drive before the half.

(Q2 – 1:05 – Washington: 6, Oregon: 28) That’s a really nice catch from UW. 1st-and-goal.

(Q2 – 1:05 – Washington: 6, Oregon: 28) A questionable reception call on the far sideline is under review. If it stands, UW will have the ball at the 3-yard line.

(Q2 – 1:13 – Washington: 6, Oregon: 28) Giles Jackson moves the chains again. A facemask on Kobe Savage moves the ball to the 14-yard line.

(Q2 – 1:21 – Washington: 6, Oregon: 28) UW calls its second timeout with 2-and-11 looming.

(Q2 – 1:37 – Washington: 6, Oregon: 28) A nice throw from Dermon Williams Jr. moves the chains. 1st-and-10 from the Ducks’ 39-yard line.

(Q2 – 2:00 – Washington: 6, Oregon: 28) We’ve reached the two-minute timeout. Oregon still has all three timeouts. A stop here could lead to another scoring drive before halftime.

(Q2 – 2:24 – Washington: 6, Oregon: 28) Dermon Williams Jr. picks up four. 3rd-and-11.

(Q2 – 2:55 – Washington: 6, Oregon: 28) The Huskies get hit with a false start penalty. 2nd-and-14 from the UW 47-yard line.

(Q2 – 3:47 – Washington: 6, Oregon: 28) Washington picks up a big 1st down to Giles Jackson and the Huskies are across midfield.

(Q2 – 5:01 – Washington: 6, Oregon: 28) The call stands and the extra point is GOOD. Dillon Gabriel’s seventh rushing touchdown of the season breaks the game open.

(Q2 – 5:01 – Washington: 6, Oregon: 27) Dillon Gabriel keeps it for an Oregon TOUCHDOWN run. The play is under review.

(Q2 – 5:15 – Washington: 6, Oregon: 21) Terrance Ferguson with a reception at the 4-yard line.

(Q2 – 5:23 – Washington: 6, Oregon: 21) Noah Whittington breaks off a 15-yard run to open the drive and bring the Ducks down to the 25-yard line.

(Q2 – 5:54 – Washington: 6, Oregon: 21) Washington goes 3-and-out. The Huskies have -5 yards in the second quarter. Gary Bryant Jr. returns the punt past midfield. 1st down, Ducks.

(Q2 – 7:23 – Washington: 6, Oregon: 21) One play after absolutely TRUCKING a defender on the goal line, Jordan James punches in his second touchdown in 50 seconds. The two-point attempt is GOOD as Kenyon Sadiq hits Patrick Herbert. Oregon is flagged for ineligible man downfield and kicks the extra point. It’s GOOD. Oregon up big.

(Q2 – 8:02 – Washington: 6, Oregon: 14) A Washington FUMBLE is recovered by Derrick Harmon and the Ducks take over on the UW 19-yard line.

(Q2 – 8:08 – Washington: 6, Oregon: 14) UW starts at its own 26-yard line after the return.

(Q2 – 8:13 – Washington: 6, Oregon: 14) Jordan James punches in an Oregon TOUCHDOWN. The extra point is GOOD. The Ducks go 54 yards in just four plays to extend their lead.

(Q2 – 8:21 – Washington: 6, Oregon: 7) He’s ruled down inside the 1-yard line.

(Q2 – 8:30 – Washington: 6, Oregon: 13) Traeshon Holden with an INCREDIBLE catch-and-run for a 40-yard TOUCHDOWN. He dove and extended and got a piece of the pylon. The play is being reviewed.

(Q2 – 9:14 – Washington: 6, Oregon: 7) Jordan James brings the ball across midfield.

(Q2 – 9:36 – Washington: 6, Oregon: 7) Washington tries a short kick, but Noah Whittington returns it to the Oregon 46-yard line. 1st down, Ducks.

(Q2 – 9:44 – Washington: 6, Oregon: 7) Demon Williams Jr. gets SACKED by DJ Uiagalelei. Grady Gross’s 40-yard field goal attempt is GOOD. The Huskies are within a point after the Whittington fumble.

(Q2 – 11:15 – Washington: 3, Oregon: 7) Oregon sniffs out UW’s trick play and the Huskies lose three.

(Q2 – 11:40 – Washington: 3, Oregon: 7) After further review, Whittington FUMBLES. Washington takes over on Oregon’s 23-yard line.

(Q2 – 11:40 – Washington: 3, Oregon: 7) Noah Whittington’s attempted hurdle comes up well short. 4th down. They are reviewing for a possible fumble.

(Q2 – 12:15 – Washington: 3, Oregon: 7) Gabriel scrambles, overthrows Whittington to bring up 3rd-and-8.

(Q2 – 13:13 – Washington: 3, Oregon: 7) Gabriel scrambles to the 20-yard line for a 1st-down run.

(Q2 – 14:50 – Washington: 3, Oregon: 7) Oregon gets the punt on its own 6-yard line. Not ideal.

(Q1 – 0:00 – Washington: 3, Oregon: 7) Washington’s qb run goes for five on 3rd-and-15. Oregon will get the ball after the break. END OF Q1.

(Q1 – 1:24 – Washington: 3, Oregon: 7) Eugene-native Bryce Boettcher comes up with an eight-yard sack. 2nd-and-18.

(Q1 – 1:42 – Washington: 3, Oregon: 7) Demond Williams takes off for a 1st-down run. The Huskies are approaching midfield.

(Q1 – 2:17 – Washington: 3, Oregon: 7) The loud Autzen crowd forces a UW timeout facing 2nd-and-12.

(Q1 – 3:24 – Washington: 3, Oregon: 7) Demond Williams runs out for a Washington 1st down to the 33-yard line.

(Q1 – 4:12 – Washington: 3, Oregon: 7) Oregon’s Evan Stewart drops a ball that hit his hands on 3rd-and-6. The Ducks’ second drive goes 3-and-out. Washington starts over on its own 20-yard line.

(Q1 – 5:12 – Washington: 3, Oregon: 7) Gabriel’s first incompletion opens the drive.

(Q1 – 5:17 – Washington: 3, Oregon: 7) Kenyon Sadiq returns the kick to the 38-yard line. 1st down.

(Q1 – 5:24 – Washington: 3, Oregon: 7) Grady Gross’s kick is GOOD. Oregon leads 7-3 after both teams get a turn with the ball. Hope you bet the over!

(Q1 – 5:46 – Washington: 0, Oregon: 7) Washington is lining up to attempt a 25-yard field goal.

(Q1 – 6:35 – Washington: 0, Oregon: 7) Demond Williams Jr. scrambles for a gain on a yard. 3rd-and-12 from the 15-yard line.

(Q1 – 8:35 – Washington: 0, Oregon: 7) Demond Williams Jr. with a 1st-down run to the 24-yard line.

(Q1 – 10:05 – Washington: 0, Oregon: 7) Washington’s first play is a long completion from Demond Williams Jr. to Jeremiah Hunter to the Oregon 39-yard line. It looked incomplete, but the Huskies ran another play fast.

(Q1 – 10:35 – Washington: 0, Oregon: 7) Washington returns the kick to the 27-yard line.

(Q1 – 10:35 – Washington: 0, Oregon: 7) Noah Whittington rushes nine yards for an Oregon TOUCHDOWN. The extra point is GOOD. The Ducks collect 49 rushing yards on the opening possession. They go 71 yards in nine plays. Gabriel starts 3/3 and Oregon takes the game’s first lead.

(Q1 – 11:20 – Washington: 0, Oregon: 0) Traeshon Holden moves the chains with a reception to the 22-yard line.

(Q1 – 12:00 – Washington: 0, Oregon: 0) Terrance Ferguson hauls in a nine-yard reception to bring up 2nd-and-6 after a penalty.

(Q1 – 13:30 – Washington: 0, Oregon: 0) Jordan James takes another carry to the Washington 36-yard line.

(Q1 – 14:07 – Washington: 0, Oregon: 0) A Jordan James carry earns Oregon its first 1st down of the contest.

(Q1 – 15:00 – Washington: 0, Oregon: 0) Oregon starts on the 29-yard line. For maybe my last time at Autzen Stadium, LET’S PLAY SOME RIVALY FOOTBALL!

(Q1 – 15:00 – Washington: 0, Oregon: 0) Washington wins the toss and defers. The Ducks will start with the ball.

Oregon’s senior ceremony is underway!

Nearly a season removed from the messy divorce between the Pac-12 Conference and 10 of its members, the deserters’ seasons are coming to varying conclusions. Let’s look around the country (as the Pac-12’s former members now compete in conferences from coast to coast) and reflect on if the move truly was the best move for each program.

Tier I: A season of success — Oregon, Arizona State, Colorado

These three teams have already secured at least an eight-win season, and ASU (9-2, 6-2 Big 12) and CU (8-3, 6-2 Big 12) could still achieve 10-win 2024 resumes. These three teams hit the ground running in their new conferences (Oregon in the Big Ten and the others in the Big 12), and put their new conference opponents on blast. Head coaches Dan Lanning, Kenny Dillingham and Deion Sanders may be building dynasties against their new competition. There’s still a path for each of these three teams to win their new conferences in their first seasons, which would be incredible, comical and impressive. 

Tier II: Getting their feet warm — Washington, California, USC

These teams aren’t competing for conference titles this season, but we will see them in the postseason. Each of these teams has already earned bowl-eligibility in 2024, the general mark of a successful season. California (6-5, 2-5 ACC) was a mild threat in the ACC this season (despite being Florida State’s only conference win) while Washington and USC threw together respectable seasons. 

Washington’s falloff was to be expected, but USC’s decline was somewhat surprising in its first year in the Big Ten. California sits near the bottom of the bucket in the ACC, but wasn’t expected to do much and has overperformed in 2024. 

Tier III: Oh yeah, you guys — Oregon State, Washington State

Be honest, did you actually watch the one conference game these two teams played this year? Me neither. Washington State (8-3, 0-1 Pac-12) had a good time beating up on weak Mountain West schools, but fell short against the Beavers (5-6, 1-0 Pac-12). The Cougars are going bowling, but the Beavers likely aren’t. Nobody paid attention to the depleted remains of a historic conference, but maybe adding all those Mountain West teams can put the Pac-12 back on the map and bring OSU and WSU back to relevancy. 

Tier IV: Low expectations, low results — Stanford, UCLA

The Cardinal (3-8, 2-6 ACC) pulled off an upset win over then-No. 19 Louisville, but that was really the only high point of Stanford’s first season in the ACC. UCLA’s (4-7, 3-6 Big Ten) season got better as it progressed, but earned most of its wins against the weakest teams in the Big Ten. Nobody expected much from these teams, so, in a sense, they delivered. 

Tier V: What happened — Utah, Arizona

Utah (4-7, 2-6 Big 12) was expected by many to win the Big 12 in its first year in the conference. Unsurprisingly, Utes quarterback Cam Rising got hurt again and Utah took a major step in the wrong direction. Key losses to Houston and TCU made the Utes’ season unsalvageable, and they’ll have to adjust to life in the Big 12 quickly. 

Arizona (4-7, 2-6 Big 12) lost its coach to Washington, but retained most of its key offensive components. It didn’t matter. The Wildcats have been incredibly underwhelming, but could end the season on a high note by ruining rival ASU’s season this weekend. 

Next Saturday, the Ducks will take the field at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana for their first ever Big Ten Championship Game. That much is certain. Everything after that remains up in the air, and is highly dependent on the outcome of that championship game. 

If you’re looking into travel plans and buying tickets, it’s important to know the possible paths that Oregon football could take as it searches for its first national title in program history. If there was ever a season for the Ducks to pull it off, this is it, but they have a lot of work and talented programs in their way. 

Scenario 1: Oregon wins out

If the Ducks beat both Washington this weekend and whoever they face in the Big Ten title game (which is more-than-likely going to be a rematch with No. 2 Ohio State), they will enter the College Football Playoff as the No. 1 overall seed and receive a first-round bye.

As the No. 1 seed, Oregon would get its choice in second-round location among the Rose Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl and Sugar Bowl. As the Rose Bowl is in Pasadena, California, it’s expected that Oregon selects that game. This would mean the Ducks won’t play until Jan. 1 of 2025. Oregon would have nearly an entire month off to prepare for a game against either the No. 8 or No. 9 seed. 

With a win, the Ducks would advance to the semifinal round, which takes place on either Jan. 9 or Jan. 10 in the Orange Bowl or the Cotton Bowl. Another win puts Oregon in the National Championship Game in Atlanta on Jan. 20 for all the marbles. 

Scenario 2: Oregon beats UW and loses Big Ten Championship Game

The Ducks would finish 12-1, but be ineligible for a first-round bye. Depending on the severity of the loss in Indianapolis, Oregon would likely be slated as the No. 5 seed in the College Football Playoff. This would set the Ducks up for a first-round home game at Autzen Stadium on either Dec. 20 or 21. Oregon would play the No. 12 seed — which is looking likely to be either the Big 12 Champion or the lowest-ranked team to receive an at-large bid to the playoff party. 

With a win, the Ducks would move on to play the No. 4 seed (likely the Boise State Broncos) at one of the second-round locations. With another win, Oregon would likely face the No. 1 seed in the semifinal before moving on to the National Championship Game in Atlanta. 

A loss in the Big Ten Championship could be detrimental as it would severely hinder Oregon’s rest time, and set the Ducks up to have to play five postseason games (including the Big Ten Championship) to be crowned champions.

Scenario 3: Oregon loses to UW but wins Big Ten Championship

In this unlikely situation, the Ducks would still receive a first-round bye, but may not be the one seed. They would get to choose their second-round game second (and likely would still select the Rose Bowl) and play the winner of the No. 7 vs No. 10 game before likely playing the No. 3 seed in the semifinals.

Scenario 4: Oregon loses out

Let’s not give this one too much thought. But, if this happens, the Ducks would likely make the playoff, but have to go on the road in the first round and be potential underdogs the whole way through the College Football Playoff.

All good things must come to an end.

For the No. 21 Ducks (6-1), it was their undefeated season that was squandered in a 74-58 loss to Georgia Tech (6-0) in their first game of the Hawai’i North Shore Showcase.

The Ducks were outscored in three of the contest’s four quarters, twice by seven points. But the main difference between Oregon and the Yellow Jackets on Monday night was rebounds. Oregon tallied 31 boars, a dozen less than Georgia Tech’s 53, 23 of which came offensively.

As has been a theme in the young season, Deja Kelly led the team in points, but even she was limited to just 10 on the night despite playing 30 minutes.

On the other side of the ball, Georgia Tech’s Ariadna Termis led both teams in scoring with 13 points. Four of the Yellow Jackets’ five starters recorded double-digit performances while Kelly was Oregon’s only player with 10 or more points.

Oregon’s bench outscored Georgia Tech’s 27-20, but it was still far from enough. The Ducks shot just 15.4% from 3-point range in a game they trailed in by as much as 21 points.

The two teams were even when it came to turnovers and personal fouls. Both squads recorded 14 turnovers, and the Ducks had just one more foul than the Yellow Jackets (15 to 16).

Free-throw shooting continued to haunt the Ducks in the early part of the season. Oregon shot just 8-14 (57.1%) from the line on Monday. Ehis Etute (eight points in 16 minutes) was a perfect 4-4 from the line in her season debut, but Sarah Rambus (four points in six minutes) and Amina Muhammad (eight points in 26 minutes) were both 0-2 in foul shooting while Kelly was 0-1.

Despite getting dominated, it’s still only Oregon’s first loss of the season. The Ducks are back in action tomorrow against South Dakota State to wrap up the Hawai’i North Shore Showcase.

No, I’m not even going to mention the game. 

That ugly, brutal, barely-good-enough, eked-out 16-13 victory over a weak Wisconsin team.

Flush it and move forward.

What I will mention and praise is one of the greatest stadiums and environments I’ve ever been in.

I’ve got a cousin who’s a freshman at the University of Wisconsin, and my folks and I were invited out to Madison for the weekend and the game. So, I got to shed the “journalist” part of my typical student-journalist role and be a fan for the night. 

We drove up from Chicago the morning of the contest. A primetime, night game gave us the chance to spend some time on the campus and in the town before the clash. We got the lay of the land from my cousin on a walking tour that morning.The campus is stunning. A healthy combination of old, historic buildings and pristine, state-of-the-art facilities make up one of the most breathtaking campuses I’ve ever stepped foot on. 

Badger fans were out early and often. Each restaurant we passed had a steady line of red out the door. Each patio we passed was standing room only, striped overalls and red-clad hats surrounding the spots of green throughout the town. Walking down frat row, a barrage of taunts and heckles rained down on us — nothing I wouldn’t expect from a passionate Big Ten fanbase. 

A pep rally at the student section gave me my first look at the UW band. Vibrant uniforms and passionate members were welcomed with rousing cheers as they marched into the amphitheater. 

The tubas are a group of their own, running in and out of bars and restaurants playing the fight song hours before the game. 

Camp Randall lives up to all the hype, and then some. 

A massive cathedral — built on history, passion and tradition — resembles the campus: history and renovations combining to create the ideal environment. 

The pregame show on the field again featured the best band I’ve seen all year (sorry, Oregon). The Badgers’ band even played the Oregon fight song while standing in iconic “O” formation. Classy, like 95% of the fans we talked to. 

The oldest stadium in the conference didn’t feel too old — that’s to say, they’ve done a good job maintaining it. Video boards could be found just about anywhere and everywhere I looked. Vibrant colors and entertaining video packages lit up a windy night in the midwest. 

Wisconsin pulled all the stops to get the crowd into the game. Appearances from Melvin Gordon, a Final Four men’s basketball team and other famous alumni had the packed-in student section rowdy and entertained. 

Giveaway hunting caps kept the Badger students warm, and I must admit, I snagged one for myself as a trophy and a momento after the win. 

“Jump Around” is to Camp Randall as “Shout!” is to Autzen Stadium. The Badgers’ fans really got rowdy. Being in the upper deck, it was both thrilling and concerning to feel the concrete below my feet bouncing. 

But, Wisconsin had a handful of other traditions that I was previously unaware of. “Build me up Buttercup” had nearly as much energy as “Jump Around” as students swayed and sang the old-time tune. Their callback to the PA announcer (who is incomparable to Oregon’s Don Essig) of “1st-and-10 Wisconsin” rang joyfully on the moments when the Badgers were finding rare success. 

I’d go back, but if Oregon’s playing there again, I’ll remember some heart medication. A game at Camp Randall was miles above Michigan’s The Big House or Oregon’s Autzen Stadium. Wisconsin has more than earned its reputation as an elite gameday location.

Maryland was on the field, but Oregon was its own worst enemy and biggest opponent on Saturday night in its 39-18 win over the Terrapins. 

Yes, the score would indicate that the No. 1 Ducks dominated the Terps, and they did. But Oregon allowed 95 penalty yards on 12 infractions, dampening the mood of its 10th win of the year.

“Nice to walk away with a victory,” Oregon head coach Dan Lanning said after the win. “That being said, I feel like we can play a whole lot better. I think everyone probably saw moments of that.”

Maryland only conducted three scoring drives in the 60 minutes of play. On two of the three drives, the Ducks’ defense should have gotten off the field, but committed a penalty to keep the drive alive. 

“Yeah, you know, it’s poor, poor, poor performance for us,” Lanning said. “We got to go back and look at the film and figure out how we can eliminate that.”

Maryland’s offense picked up 19 1st downs in the contest, but six of them came automatically on an Oregon infraction. 

“We weren’t focused,” Lanning said. “I feel like our guys had good energy and enthusiasm, but we put ourselves in some bad spots on defense, giving them opportunities for first downs and hurt ourselves with some pre-snap penalties on offense. So, it’s definitely something for us to tackle.”

Penalties plagued the Ducks’ first two games of the season. A pair of wins by a combined 13 points over Idaho and Boise State had fans scratching their heads early in the Ducks’ 2024 campaign. 

In the win over Boise State, Oregon had to rely on special teams and big plays to eke out a 37-34 victory. On Saturday, Lanning and the Ducks again turned to unconventional methods to overcome sloppy play.

Within the span of an eight-play, 85-yard touchdown drive, Oregon ran a 36-yard fake punt to defensive lineman Jordan Burch, a flea flicker, a trick-play passing touchdown to lineman Gernorris Wilson and a two-point conversion run from lineman Josh Conerly. 

“Play to win, you know,” Lanning said. “We’re playing to win.”

Madness.

Perhaps, as a defense, the time in which you’d least expect a trick play is immediately following a trick play. But, Maryland head coach Michael Locksley won’t admit to that. 

“It’s not frustrating because a lot of those things were plays we expected,” Locksley said of the trick plays. “It’s a matter of being lined up. It’s a matter of these are the plays that we talk about. When you watch [The Ducks] on tape, they’re always lined up in formation. They fake punts, they attack on special teams, and we’ve got to do our part.”

Ready or not, Oregon appeared to catch the Terrapins on their heels on arguably its most-important scoring drive of the night. The touchdown and two-point conversion gave Oregon a hearty, 29-10 lead midway through the third quarter. 

Lanning commented after the game that “momentum is real” in a game like that. The Ducks were undeniably able to create some on a wild drive and put Maryland in too big a hole to climb out of. 

So, when things that should be conventional (avoidable penalties) don’t go Oregon’s way, the Ducks can get unconventional to get the job done. It’s just another creative component that makes this Oregon team so lethal. Once they clean up the penalties, the Ducks will be back on track with a few additional tricks up their sleeve.

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If you were to walk from one goal line to the other and back, you’d have traveled 200 yards. That’s a higher tally than the Oregon secondary has allowed through the air in all but two of its games. 

Less than 200 yards? That’s insane. For comparison, Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel is averaging 284 passing yards per game.

Now, Gabriel is orchestrating one of the country’s most elite offenses, but luckily for him, he doesn’t have to face this seasons’ Oregon secondary that’s giving opposing quarterbacks fits week after week. 

The Ducks have been able to play from ahead for most of this season, forcing opposing teams to throw the ball. Because of that, Oregon’s secondary has faced 306 passing attempts this season and yet is only allowing an average of 176.1 passing yards per game. 

Oregon fans have an elite cast of defensive backs to thank. A combination of transfers and guys on their way out the door have gelled to create a bond unlike any team its members have been a part of before. 

“A lot of us are in our last year and this is it for us,” senior defensive back and Washington transfer Jabbar Muhammad said. “So, we just put everything we’ve got into it. We see each other off the field. This is probably the most connected secondary I’ve ever been a part of and that’s just a testament to everything we do off the field.” 

Muhammad has been an undeniably crucial component of the Ducks’ defense. 

He’s only got 16 solo tackles and nine pass breakups on the season because quarterbacks just aren’t throwing the ball his way. He often clamps up the opposition’s top receiver, effectively removing him from the game. 

“I feel like I’ve been playing well,” Muhammad said. “Trying to make the most of the targets that come to me. Obviously, you’re gonna get got sometimes, but [I’ve been] trying to make the most of the targets and make plays.”

Behind Muhammad, senior defensive back and Kansas State University transfer Kobe Savage roams the secondary. 

He’s been a leader of the team both on and off the field, tallying 47 tackles and taking command of the defense. 

“We’re trying to get relentless effort out of everybody,” Savage said. “That’s the main goal for us: relentless effort. And that’s going to lead to takeaways, to turnovers, to tackles and stuff like that.”

The Ducks have forced nine interceptions so far this season. It’s not an overwhelmingly large number for one of the nation’s premier secondaries. Yet, the group is still dangerously effective at limiting opposing scoring. 

“You just gotta do your job at the end of the day,” senior defensive back Nikko Reed said. “You can’t really go try and take [turnovers], you’ve really gotta wait for those plays to come to you. Just do your job and plays will come to you.”Tysheem Johnson, another senior, leads the team with three interceptions. Knowing that Maryland — Oregon’s most recent victim — passes a lot, Reed spoke about the excitement in the secondary for the possibility of a big day. 

The Ducks’ secondary indeed capitalized on the Terrapins’ pass-heavy offense, turning Maryland over thrice and limited Billy Edwards Jr. to 206 yards (his second-lowest total this season) on 44 passing attempts. 

“I always say ‘turnovers come in bunches,’” Lanning said after the win over Maryland. “They came in bunches tonight.

Playing alongside the transfers are a number of returners, including Reed and Dontae Manning, that seem to get better with each passing year they spend in Lanning’s program. 

Reed and Manning, who both saw limited playing time in their early time as Ducks, were also both prone to penalties or big plays. Not this year. They’ve taken massive steps forward, catching the eye of Lanning and his staff.

“Just their mindset,” Lanning said of what stands out from his veterans in the secondary. “The way they put the team first and the way they take care of business when they get their chance.”

Manning has come up with some big plays on special teams while Reed said he gains confidence in his ability with each passing week. 

“Dante had one of his most impressive [against Michigan],” Lanning said. “Especially on special teams. He was a beast. The way he was able to hold those guys up at gunner was really impressive.” 

For a unit that’s never played together to stifle opponents like it has been is exactly the idea behind the transfer portal, something Lanning has nailed down in his tenure in Oregon.

“No matter what happens, we just kind of stick to the plan,” Muhammad said. “We don’t get rattled. Obviously this is an older team. There’s really good leadership on this team and things like that so we just don’t get rattled.”

The Ducks simply do not allow opposing quarterbacks to rack up passing yards. They’ve played an astonishing eight games in which they’ve allowed fewer than 200 passing yards. Against Purdue, Oregon only allowed 93 yards through the air. Insane.

“I feel like it all just comes down to just doing our job and playing with technique and executing every call,” Reed said. “We do it at a high level and we give effort on every play.”

“They play for each other and play together,” Lanning said. “I think that’s an important trait for a defense. They don’t really care who gets the credit, they just want to go out there and have success and get a stop.”

With the season reaching crunch time, the secondary will have to be as sharp as ever. If it keeps limiting opponents to less than 200 passing yards, this Ducks’ defense will be impossible to crack.

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