DALLAS, Texas – After arguably his defense’s best performance of the season in a 59-20 domination of Florida State, defensive backs coach John Neal took a moment to highlight an unheralded group of players.

“Our scout team in practice is phenomenal,” Neal said, slowing down his tone to emphasize the point. “They’re not okay, they’re phenomenal.”

In particular, he highlighted the abilities of freshman running back Tony James and freshman wide receiver Jeff Bieber.

“They keep battling and battling and at times I’m going, ‘You know, these guys are almost as good as what we’re playing,’” Neal said.

Getting acknowledgement for the work they do is something James – a shifty player Neal says is hard to tackle – and Bieber – a player that “just goes up and gets it,” according to multiple teammates – appreciate. In practice, the offensive scout team guys will play around 100 plays. While watching film and learning the game plan for their own offensive positions, they’ll watch defensive film to get a better idea of the opposing offensive players they’re trying to portray for the week.

“It means a lot to be honest,” James said. “It’s big for me to get attention, not only from the offensive staff, but from the defensive staff as well – seeing that I’m an athlete and acknowledging it in practice.”

The benefit is mutual between the defense and the scout team offense. The players get to have reps that they wouldn’t normally participate in while simultaneously giving the defense the look they need in practice.

“We definitely take it as kind of a challenge,” Bieber said. “Half of it is, we’re there to help the defense, but we’re also there to get better and if you go in there with that mentality, then the defense wins and you win.”

Though they aren’t the players scoring touchdowns on game day, their effect can be seen playing out throughout the game.

“We know that everything we do has a direct correlation to the game,” Bieber said. “We don’t necessarily get the glory on game day, I guess, but we know we have a direct impact and that’s what gets us going everyday to come to work.”

And their effect, from the defensive perspective, has been crucial in the team’s recent successes. The hours of extra film work the scout team offense participates in has hit a chord with Neal.

“That scout team may be the biggest reason we’re playing so well on defense because the rehearsal is so well-done,” Neal said.

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DALLAS, Texas – It hasn’t been embroidered on a Nike t-shirt and you can’t find it painted on the walls of Autzen Stadium. But this season, Oregon’s calling card hasn’t been the usual “Win the Day” or “Fast, Hard, Finish” program staples.

Instead, the key phrase for the 2014 Oregon Ducks has been to “trust the process.” Catch an interview with any Oregon football player and you might hear the programmed phrase nonchalantly mixed in a response. It’s an encapsulating phrase used by players that possesses a myriad of different traits, but it boils down to one idea: Work hard at every step of the process.

Simply put, it might be the culture and the identity of an Oregon team that will face Ohio State in the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday night.

“I think this team, this year, has bought into it more than any team that we’ve had at Oregon,” Oregon offensive coordinator Scott Frost said.

“Don’t take any reps off”

Redshirt senior receiver Johnathan Loyd, a four-year basketball player at Oregon, had already decided that he would use his last year of eligibility to play football. He was working out with senior receiver Keanon Lowe and senior running back Kenny Bassett when he picked up on the initial inklings of a special culture with the Oregon football team.

While lifting, Loyd heard Lowe and Bassett yell at him.

“Every rep counts,” Lowe would say, according to Loyd. “Don’t take any reps off in the weight room,” Bassett would shout.

The trivial experience struck a chord with Loyd.

“Listening to these guys talk about this and how they approach it helped have my mind set from the get-go,” Loyd said.

So, when Loyd eventually joined the team, it was an easy transition for him. Getting acclimated to a team with a process that harps optimal performance in every drill and activity was something Lowe and Bassett had readied him for.

“They had a culture built around Oregon football and I came in and I learned that culture right away because I wasn’t going to be the one to try and mess it up or change things just because I came from somewhere else,” Loyd said.

Matt Lubick, Oregon’s wide receivers coach, views trusting the process similarly to Lowe and Bassett. He focuses on one day, one practice and one rep at a time.

“Today in practice, we weren’t focusing on the game,” Lubick said on Tuesday. “We were focusing on what we have to do today to make this practice successful. When I’m doing individual drills, (I tell the players) ‘Let’s do the best we can at this drill and nothing else matters.’ That’s what it means. The process is not looking ahead, and whatever you’re doing (at the time), do the best that you can do with that thing.”

“The fun part”

Freshman running back Tony James was confused. New to the program, James had constantly heard the mantra of “trusting the process” thrown around. However, he had no clue what it meant. What he did know was that he would redshirt his first season and be a scout team player.

He sought out junior receiver Byron Marshall, then Oregon redshirt junior quarterback Marcus Mariota and Lowe for advice. They told him all about the cultural staple of the team. As the year went on, James – who defensive backs coach John Neal called a “phenomenal” player after the Rose Bowl – accepted his role and became a main contributor in practice.

“Honestly, at first, I didn’t really understand what process they were talking about and then as the year has gone on, I see the process they were talking about,” James said.

This mentality transformation is one of Frost’s favorite things to see every year.

“The fun part is to watch the young guys walk in and not really understand our preparation and how we do things,” he said. “Then at the end of the season, seeing the younger kids doing the same things the older ones are doing. That’s really how we keep the culture going throughout the years.”

Learning to trust the process – a process many people involved with the program said began with former head coach Chip Kelly – happens quickly for new players. Redshirt senior linebacker Derrick Malone Jr. recalled being recruited and immediately meeting a group of seniors on the team. He said being thrown right into the nuts and bolts of the process helps players on the team gel faster – a key in keeping the process consistent over the years.

“They already have the culture ready so you’re already introduced in to it and you can keep that lineage going on throughout the years,” Malone said.

“We knew what we had to do”

The word “process” can be defined as a sequence of events that lead to a specific result. For Oregon, this year’s process had to be different from years past. In order for the Ducks to achieve their goals, they needed to get over the hump that was Stanford and Arizona from the previous two seasons.

The process began in the offseason, where many players highlighted the need to get bigger, faster and stronger in order to beat the only two adversaries they’d lost to in the previous two seasons.

“Guys were feeling like we weren’t getting to where we needed to be at the end of the season in previous years,” senior outside linebacker Tony Washington said. “So, we knew what we had to do and I think the mentality just changed this whole offseason. Guys were working harder, pushing each other more to get better.”

Aside from the increased effort to better themselves in the weight room, Malone believes that the team’s attention to detail in practice has been key. He said that the team practices on becoming the best at every little thing, including stretching, eating and team bonding.

“We’re hungry, we’re really humble, we know what we want to accomplish and that’s the gist of why we keep getting better as the year progresses,” Malone said. “Every time we step on the field we’re trying to get better.”

“Obviously it works”

It’s a trickle-down effect, this process for Oregon. It starts at the top with head coach Mark Helfrich. From there, it’s distributed to the assistant coaches, the team physicians, nutritionists, academic advisers and to the captains before culminating with the entire team.

But at the core of the team, trusting the process is based on one thing: winning. Oregon has accumulated seven consecutive 10 win seasons.

“When we do things the way that we do them and we have success, it’s easy for kids to buy in,” Frost said.

One of the basics of Helfrich’s teaching goes back to the idea of attempting to be a better person away from the gridiron, then on it.

“It’s more than just the game. If we are great people on and off the field, then we’re going to have success. It’s the little things with (Helfrich) that has really benefited us on and off the field,” Malone said.

The trust in the process is more meaningful as Oregon gears up to take on Ohio State on Monday. And the process should continue to reap benefits well into the offseason and beyond.

“If somebody tries to change something around here, then they’re crazy,” Loyd said. “You know, obviously it works. As long as these guys do trust the process, then they’re always going to be good.”

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In the days leading up to the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship, the Emerald will take a unit-by-unit look at Oregon and Ohio State, determining which team has the edge going into the showdown on Jan. 12 in Dallas. Today, we’ll look at each team’s starting quarterbacks.

The Heisman trophy winner versus the third-string quarterback: On paper, the quarterback matchup couldn’t be more lopsided. Redshirt junior Marcus Mariota has been the epitome of consistency in his time at Oregon. He’s won every postseason game MVP award, he’s thrown for a touchdown in all 40 of his career games and he’s 36-4 in that time.

Ohio State’s sophomore Cardale Jones is making his third career start after beating Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship game and Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. Despite the inexperience, Jones has proven that he’s got a lot of talent built up inside his 6-foot-5, 250 pound frame. his nickname, “12-gauge,” fits perfectly for his powerful, 85-yard throwing arm.

Let’s take a look at the stats and see what each team is saying about their adversary at quarterback.

Marcus Mariota

– Marcus Mariota is the only quarterback in college football history to throw for over thirty touchdowns in his freshman (32), sophomore (31) and junior seasons (40).

– Mariota’s touchdown-to-interception ratio of 103-13 is the best in college football history. Florida’s former Heisman trophy winner Tim Tebow is behind him with a ratio of 88-16.

– Mariota has combined for 12,661 total yards in his career at Oregon.

– Mariota has been critical in starting the Oregon offense off successfully on first down. On first down this season, he’s 134-of-187 passing for 1932 yards, 19 touchdowns and one interception.

What the Buckeyes are saying about Mariota

Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa

“He’s such a dual threat with his legs and his arms. It’s really not one more than the other, we’ll have to limit both to beat them.”

Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones

“His leadership and his decision making is unbelievable.”

Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer

“I think his athleticism is very similar to Braxton Miller. I think he’s a sub 4.4 player that plays extremely fast like Braxton. I think his skill set is a lot like Braxton, so probably Braxton Miller as far as skill set and just taking over a game with athleticism.”

Cardale Jones

– Cardale Jones hasn’t thrown an interception in the second half for the Buckeyes. In his three starts, he’s thrown four touchdowns in the second half.

– Against Wisconsin, the 17th ranked defense in points against, Jones was near-perfect: completing 12 of his 17 passes for 257 yards and three touchdowns.

– Jones has completed 46.7 percent of his passes on third down, his worst percentage of any down.

– Jones has run the ball 51 times this year for 258 yards and zero touchdowns, including 17 carries for just 43 yards against the Crimson Tide.

What the Ducks are saying about Jones

Oregon head coach Mark Helfrich

“He’s a fantastic football player. He’s big, unbelievably fast for his size, very physical runner and then can put the ball on the money. I joked the other day, they’re about 70:30 on 50:50 balls if it’s one on one in the corner and their guy goes up and gets it. There are multiple plays against Alabama, which is arguably the most talented team in college football, and their 1 is beating the other 1 most of the time, and to have that kind of confidence along with a physical power run game element that they have is very difficult to defend.”

Oregon safety Erick Dargan

“He is dangerous. I think he’s more dangerous than a lot of people gave him credit for already. He can run, you know he’s not scared to take off, he’s not really sliding or nothing. He’s going to try and deliver a blow, whether he’s ready to go out of bounds or he’s in the middle. He can throw the ball from hash to hash, and he’s got a deep ball. Anytime you’ve got a quarterback that can throw the ball hash to hash and deliver the ball downfield, you’ve got to watch out for him.”

Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota

“He’s an incredible football player. His ability to step up when his team needs him says a lot about who he is. He’s going to make plays, and he’s an incredible athlete that has a strong arm and somebody that can change the game with his abilities. He’s a special player, and really just an awesome teammate.”

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DALLAS, Texas – Oregon wide receiver Devon Allen was sitting at a table, wearing his white No. 5 jersey, at the Dallas Convention Center on Saturday morning. Ten days earlier, Allen was being rolled out of the Rose Bowl – he was injured on the opening kickoff against Florida State.

Allen will not play in the national championship game on Monday and his immediate track future is unknown.

Despite the recent events to the star wide receiver and hurdler, Allen could still flash his braces-filled smile. He could still laugh. His demeanor was very optimistic.

Allen sat down with the Emerald at the College Football Playoff national championship media day to discuss his injury and where he goes from here.

Being hurt, these probably aren’t the questions you would’ve liked to been asked, but did you ever have people telling you that you shouldn’t play football? Worried that you were doing so well in track and field and football might hurt it?

Yeah. I mean, there are always going to be people that are skeptical, think they know and think they’re giving me the best advice in the world. Sometimes people give me good advice and I have to listen, but I feel like maybe you can get hurt in football and you can get hurt in track. I know people who tore their ACLs, you know, running. They’ll just step weird and it will tear.

All season I’ve been healthy and I’ve been playing the whole year with a whole bunch of guys: Ifo (Ekpre-Olomu), Pharaoh (Brown), Tyler Johnstone, Jake Fisher – those guys have gotten hurt. It’s the same. I guess it just happened to me. It’s unfortunate that it happened and it’s unfortunate that I might have to miss this track season – and miss doing something that I love – but I’ll be fine.

I’m 20 years old. I’m young. I’ll come back from rehab. Everyone I’ve talked to who has had the same injury has come back faster and stronger. So, I’m just looking forward to being faster than I am already.

You’ve probably been asked this about a 1,000 times, but how surreal is it for you to win everything you did in track and field and now to be sitting at media day for the national championship?

It’s pretty cool. I think I’m definitely one of the only people in history – I know Jeff Demps from Florida won the 100 meter dash and then they played in the national championship at Floirda – I think it’s pretty cool to have a team title in track and have the chance for a team title in football. It would mean a lot to me and to the university to be a part of success in both sports.

Not trying to take you back to the injury, but how hard was it on you when you went to bed at night?

Well, I strained my MCL (medial collateral ligament), too. I didn’t have a hard time going to sleep. I was pretty tired by the end of the day so I fell asleep fast. I didn’t really move too much, I just had my leg elevated and I kinda went from there. When I woke up it was difficult to take a shower and get dressed.

You know, I was kind of sad (the next morning). It hadn’t really hit me yet – I’m sure it’ll hit me during track season. You know, I’m sure I’ll cry when I see what I’m missing out on and see everyone else doing track. It might even hit me during the national championship. It hasn’t really hit me yet, but I think I’ve been positive about it and that’s the only way you can take it – be positive because it’s already done. I can’t do anything about it now so I may as well just fix it.

Who was the first person you called?

I didn’t really talk to anyone during the game, but I talked to my dad after the game – he was there at the Rose Bowl. It’s a big deal to me, but in the grand scheme of things, an injury like this isn’t that big of a deal because it happens so much. An injury like Pharaoh’s, that’s a little more complex. An injury like Ifo’s is a little more complex. It’s a little different.

With Darren Carrington being suspended, and you going down, how confident are you in the other receivers?

We have great guys: Keanon Lowe, Dwayne Stanford, Chance Allen, BJ Kelley, Charles Nelson, Byron Marshall and Zac Schuller will step up. Those guys have been stepping up all season in practice and I think it’ll be like we’ve been doing all year. We’ll rotate guys and it’s not going to really affect us. It sucks that (Carrington) is missing the game.

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DALLAS, Texas – It’s the biggest stage in college football and it’s already obvious how much emotion and excitement the game will evoke. On Monday, Oregon will play in the first ever College Football Playoff National Championship versus Ohio State at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

A group of players – from fifth-year seniors to true-freshmen – discussed how it feels to play in the National Championship.

Here’s a look at what they said:

Senior wide receiver Johnathan Loyd:

“It’s a dream come true – straight up. I’ve never played for a national championship so, you know, this is definitely a dream come true.

“We always knew it was right there. (Keanon) Lowe told me it was right there and he told me to come be a part of something special. I believed that man and he said it with all his heart. Words can’t even describe this feeling that I’m having. People are always asking me, ‘What’s it like to play basketball and now for a national championship in football?’ Regardless, you want to be on the biggest stage playing for all the marbles and now we are.”

Freshman quarterback Morgan Mahalak:

“It’s great and it’s a blessing to be on this team and I’m just happy to be a part of it. The guys are all great guys and just to be a part of this team is a great deal. We’re all very excited to be here for sure.

“It’s crazy. It’s a big jump, but I think coach (Mark) Helfrich does a pretty good job of keeping us in the moment. Every game is like the next game and we don’t really think about the big stage. It’s a blessing to be here – like I said – but it’s kind of how it is around here these days.”

Junior wide receiver Zac Schuller:

“It’s pretty bizarre but it’s kind of been a slow ascent towards it. You know we had the Pac-12 Championship, which was kind of a big deal – that was the first one where I was kind of like ‘woah.’ The fireworks and stuff when we came out and Jordin Sparks singing the national anthem and the Rose Bowl obviously was pretty big. This is an even bigger stage – we haven’t gotten used to it – but it’s not as much of a (surprise).

Redshirt senior running back Kenny Bassett:

“I mean it’s just a dream for everybody. You know, being a little kid you watch it and grow up thinking about it, always wanting for it to happen. Then you get here and you realize how hard it is to really get there. We have a great group of guys who worked really hard all year and all offseason. I couldn’t imagine this team being anywhere else after how hard we worked.”

Sophomore tight end Johnny Mundt:

“Wrapping my head around it is difficult…but coming to this, all these events, the media and the crowd, it’s all coming together.”

Junior defensive lineman Tui Talia:

“It’s crazy. Coming from a Juco, their bowl games are nothing compared to this.”

Junior linebacker Joe Walker:

“It’s been unbelievable. I can’t really explain it. I love being around these guys. Two years ago I couldn’t even imagine being here.”

Freshman offensive lineman Tyrell Crosby:

“It’s a lot of fun and I’m trying to enjoy the moment. It’s a whole new experience.”

Redshirt senior defensive back Dior Mathis:

“It’s been so fast, and now we’re in the national championship. I mean as a senior this is the way you want to end your career. This experience has been really great.”

Follow Justin Wise on Twitter @JustinFWise

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In the days leading up to the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship, the Emerald will take a unit-by-unit look at Oregon and Ohio State, determining which team has the edge going into the showdown on Jan. 12 in Dallas. Today, we’ll look at each team’s secondary.

Oregon

No Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, no problem for Oregon against Florida State. Redshirt freshman corner Chris Seisay had six tackles and help limit Heisman winner Jameis Winston and the Florida State offense to 20 points.

Senior corner Troy Hill continued his successful season by shutting down Florida State star receiver Rashad Greene. Greene finished with six receptions for 59 yards, but most of it game after Oregon pulled away against the Seminoles.

Safeties Reggie Daniels and Erick Dargan combined for 17 tackles against Florida State. Dargan also recorded his team-leading seventh interception.

With an aided pass rush, the secondary unit appears to be one of Oregon’s strongest position groups despite the loss of Ekpre-Olomu. Against Ohio State, the secondary will have to come up big against Buckeyes quarterback Cardale Jones, who is making the third start of his career.

Ohio State

As a sophomore, safety Vonn Bell has become the leader in the Buckeyes secondary. Bell is second on the team in tackles (86) and his six interceptions leads the team. He also had a key interception in the fourth quarter of Ohio State’s 42-35 Sugar Bowl win over Alabama.

Fellow safety Tyvis Powell is fourth on the team in tackles and has four interceptions.

All-Big-Ten corner Doran Grant is the captain of the Buckeyes defense. he as five interceptions this year, ioncluding two agaisnt Wisconsin in the Big-Ten title game.

The secondary has 17 of Ohio State’s 24 interceptions.

Advantage – Oregon

Ohio State is going up against Oregon’s high-powered offense and Heisman winner Marcus Mariota. That task is a lot harder for the Buckeyes than going up agianst a quarterback making his third career start. Even though Ohio State’s Cardale Jones has proven to be a skilled quarterback, his experience level is cause for concern.

Ohio State’s best asset in the secondary is their ability to take advantage of mistakes and create turnovers. Against Mariota, who has three on the year, that won’t be easy.

Oregon’s increased pass rush is a good sign for the Ducks secondary. Also, Seisay being able to step in and play is huge for Oregon.

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In a press release Tuesday morning, the College Football Playoff announced that it will “defray the cost of expenses for student-athletes’ parents or guardians to travel to the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship on January 12.”

Reimbursement will cover hotel, travel and food expenses. Total reimbursement will be capped at $1,250 per parent or legal guardian.

“We know how expensive travel can be, so we’re pleased to provide assistance for parents or guardians who want to see their sons play in the first College Football Playoff National Championship,” said Bill Hancock, executive director of the College Football Playoff. “It will make the game even more special for the student-athletes to know that their family members are receiving this benefit.”

Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens released this statement regarding the College Football Playoff’s decision to provide travel assistance for families of players.

“The student-athlete experience at the University of Oregon is paramount,” Mullens said. “We applaud the College Football Playoff and the NCAA for recognizing the importance of the families of student-athletes and will continue to support legislation that benefits student-athlete welfare and opportunities for parents to be a part of these special moments with their children.”

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In the days leading up to the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship, the Emerald will take a unit-by-unit look at Oregon and Ohio State, determining which team has the edge going into the showdown on Jan. 12 in Dallas. Today, we’ll look at each team’s defensive lines.

Oregon

The Ducks three-man front of Arik Armstead, Alex Balducci and DeForest Buckner is big. Really big. Balducci weighs over 300 pounds and both Buckner and Armstead stand above 6-foot-8.

Getting to the quarterback hasn’t been their forte on the year. Combined, the three defensive lineman have 7.5 sacks.

On the ground, the Ducks are giving up an average of 4.2 yards per carry and 156.1 yards per game. Buckner leads Oregon in tackles-for-loss with 12.5 on the season.

Bucker was named a second-team All-Pac-12 representative while Armstead was named honorable mention.

Ohio State

Buckeyes defensive end Joey Bosa was named the Big Ten conference’s defensive player of the year as he led Ohio State in sacks (13.5) and tackles-for-loss (20).

Other than Bosa, the Ohio State defensive line is made up of fellow defensive end Steve Miller and defensive tackles Adolphus Washington and Michael Bennett. The group of four hasn’t missed a game this season for Ohio State.

Bennett, a 6-foot-2, 288 pound senior, is third on the team in both tackles-for-loss (14) and sacks (7).

The Buckeyes defensive line is part of an overall defense that allows 3.9 yards per rush and 142 yards per game.

Advantage – Ohio State

Oregon center Hroniss Grasu said on Monday that Ohio State would be the best defense they played this year. Specifically, he highlighted the ability of the defensive line.

They’re big on the interior and fast on the outside, showing their ability to get to the quarterback and stop the run.

Keeping the combo of Bosa and Miller away from Heisman trophy winner Marcus Mariota will be a concern for the Oregon offensive line.

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Nike unveiled what uniforms Oregon and Ohio State will wear during the College Football Playoff national championship Monday morning.

In a press release to Andrew Grief of the Oregonian, Nike disclosed a standard Ohio State scarlet and gray uniform and an Oregon mixture of silver and white.

In the 2011 BCS national championship game against Auburn, Oregon used a flashy neon trim style on white and gray.

Oregon and Ohio State will play in Arlington, Texas on Jan. 12.

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Los Angeles, California – The celebration was on last night after Oregon’s 59-20 win over Florida State in the Rose Bowl. In one corner, Oregon safety Erick Dargan could be heard yelling, “I’m on top of the world!” On the other, running back Kenny Bassett and wide receiver Byron Marshall were dancing in unison to Wiz Khalifa’s hit soundtrack “We Dem Boyz.”

Then there was Oregon outside linebacker Tyson Coleman, who was busy putting his pads and cleats away – like he would after any other game. He knew that the Rose Bowl victory was a step in the right direction, but the team still has one more mission to accomplish before they can celebrate catching their white whale.

“We enjoy it tonight,” he said, “but when we get back to Eugene, it’s all business.”

It’s uncharted waters for Oregon, but head coach Mark Helfrich said after the game that, “we’ve got a plan.”

During the celebration, Dargan was asked who he’d rather face between Alabama and Ohio State in the national championship. He paused, looked over to the television in the top corner of the room and saw the Crimson Tide had a 7-6 lead over the Buckeyes.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I just want to celebrate with my team and then get back to the drawing board.”

Now Dargan and the rest of teammates know who the drawing board will be centered on. In eleven days, Oregon will meet Ohio State in Arlington, Texas for a date with the Buckeyes in “Jerry’s World.” Ohio State traveled into New Orleans and beat No. 1 ranked Alabama  45-38 in the Sugar Bowl last night.

Based on the celebration t-shirts passed out to players and coaches, the team understands the unique situation their in. For the first time, a Rose Bowl victory isn’t the the closing point on a successful. The season isn’t over, and Oregon’s “won, not done” t-shirts displayed that.

Oregon running back Byron Marshall said they’ll have to be more prepared for Ohio State than they have for any team this season.

“One game down, one more left,” Marshall said. “We can’t let down. We cant ease up. We have to keep grinding and work that much harder.”

Still, the win is something Oregon players feel confident about with only one team left on the road to possibly its first national championship.

“Man it means the world,” Oregon wide receiver Johnny Loyd said. “We’re making history right now. Don’t sleep on us.”

Follow Joseph Hoyt on Twitter @JoeJHoyt