Pasadena, Calif – It was an 18-13 game, with Florida State driving down the field on the opening possession of the second half, when linebacker Derrick Malone made a play. He latched onto Seminoles ball carrier Dalvin Cook and swiped the football from him before he hit the ground. Turnover.

Oregon would force four more turnovers on the night and coast to a 59-20 victory over the reigning national champion Seminoles.

Outside linebacker Tyson Coleman caught up with the Emerald in the locker room to talk about the game.

Your defense forced five consecutive turnovers against Florida State: What does that say about your unit?

I think it just says that we’re relentless. Once we started getting going, we knew we had to finish them because they play the whole game. They came back on a bunch of teams so we didn’t want that to happen to us. We made it clear we had to finish.

Knowing that you didn’t want Florida State to come back, how did you do it differently than other teams?

I just think we play a different type of football than other teams. I don’t think there are too many teams as close of a family as we are – especially on the defensive side of the ball. We all joke around. It’s pretty much just like a family and we’re all brothers. There aren’t too many people that don’t get a long and I think that plays a major factor. When you have guys that come together and you all have one common goal, you don’t care who’s the guy (to make a play) you just got to get the pick, or the sack, or the fumble or whatever it is.

So you walk out and there is majority fans and then they’re playing “shout,” did it feel like home a little bit?

Yeah it really did. It was a great feeling because you’re hearing them out there, doing all there chants and seeing all those people out there making our state proud and making the fans proud. They travel all this way, so we have to do something for them.

Your shirts say “Won, but not done”: How long do you enjoy this victory and do you think it’s necessary to get that kind of mindset instilled early?

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

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Following Oregon’s 59-20 win over Florida State in the Rose Bowl – a game that sends the Ducks to the National Championship – players joined fans at the northern end zone to celebrate.

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Pasadena, California –  Safety Erick Dargan was in the stands dancing with the band, wide receiver BJ Kelley was taking a selfie with fans and echoes of “Shout” could be heard from the field, through the tunnel and to the Oregon locker room.

For a single night, the Rose Bowl was home for the Ducks.

“It’s something you definitely remember for the rest of your life,” injured wide receiver Bralon Addison said.

Oregon took a slim halftime lead partnered with five second half Florida State turnovers and turned that into a rout of the defending national champion Seminoles, 59-20.

And with 40 seconds left in the game – a kneel was all that was left to seal an Oregon victory – neon green and yellow Ducks apparel busted from the stands. Any gold and garnet that had taken up residence for the evening had already skipped out of the historic venue.

Throughout the entire game, though, Oregon fans dominated the majority of the stadium. It was something Oregon players noticed when they ran out of the tunnel right before kickoff and heard the cheers from the fans.

“When we came out, all I saw was green and yellow,” said wide receiver Charles Nelson, who finished the game with 54 total yards and a superman-esque leap that left him inches away from a touchdown. “No matter where it was in the stands, that’s all I saw and that’s all I heard.”

“It felt like Autzen from the get-go.”

The band, the chants and the overall high-wired noise from the stands translated into what players believed was a home-field advantage.

“They do a lot,” Dargan said. “They get loud and that leads to our advantage.”

Oregon wide receiver Johnny Loyd added, “We definitely won in all aspects: the football game and the fan game.”

Throughout the week, Addison took notice to the amount of Oregon fans in the Los Angeles area for the game. Wide receiver Byron Marshall had heard from friends and family driving down from Northern California  that the highways were filled with Oregon fans making the trek down the West Coast.

“It was everything Oregon and not much Florida State,” Marshall said. “We knew who was in our corner and we’ve had great support through this entire season. For it to continue (tonight), it was great.”

After Oregon had outscored Florida State 27-7 in the third quarter, Addison joked with teammates that it would be a great time to hear “Shout” by Otis Day and the Knights – an Oregon theme song and the traditional song used at Autzen Stadium to welcome in the fourth quarter.

When “Shout” played after the game and the plethora of fans that had moved to the front of the railing danced like they were in Autzen Stadium, backup quarterback and Eugene native Taylor Alie was taken aback.

“That,” he said, “that made it feel like home.”

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Oregon redshirt freshman wide receiver Devon Allen was taken off the field on a wheelchair during the Ducks’ second drive against Florida State in the Rose Bowl.

Allen came up hobbling after he was tackled low on the first kickoff return of the game. Allen has seven receiving touchdowns this season.

ESPN’s Tom Rinaldi reported Allen had his right knee taped and did not expect Allen to return to the game. 

The Oregonian’s Tyson Alger reports that Devon Allen returned to the field in sweat pants and on crutches. Allen will not be returning to the game.

Follow Joseph Hoyt on Twitter @JoeJHoyt. Kira Hoffelmeyer contributed to this report.

Pasadena, Calif – The Granddaddy of them all is nearly upon us. After weeks of restless anticipation, Oregon and Florida State are only a couple hours away from kicking off at the Rose Bowl. The game will also act as the inaugural unveiling of the College Football Playoff.

Here are some pregame notes for today’s game.

Update

Bralon Addison is suited up and going through warmups with the team. Has yet to play this season. #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/3Xo6MbhT4w

— Rob Moseley (@DuckFootball) January 1, 2015

Oregon wide receiver Bralon Addison was suited up in full pads and warming up at full speed during pregame. Addison, a junior out of Missouri City, Texas, tore his ACL in the spring. He hasn’t played a game this season for Oregon. He caught 61 passes for 890 yards and seven touchdowns last season for the Ducks.

The matchup

Oregon (12-1) is coming off an impressive 51-13 victory over Arizona in the Pac-12 championship game. The Ducks are third in the country in scoring averaging 46.3 per game. Freshman running back Royce Freeman leads the nation’s 21st rushing attack with 1299 yards and 16 touchdowns on the season. Oregon’s defense is allowing 22.5 points per game.

Florida State (13-0) narrowly remained undefeated with a 37-35 win over Georgia Tech in the ACC championship game. The Seminoles are making their second trip to the Rose Bowl in as many years: They defeated Auburn 34-31 in the BCS National Championship game last year. Florida State is averaging 34.8 points per game this year.

Heisman vs. Heisman

A quarterback duel of Heisman trophy winners is set to take place at the Rose Bowl. Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston won the trophy in 2013 and Oregon’s Marcus Mariota won the award less than a month ago. This will be the third time two Heisman trophy winners play against each other.

Injury watch

Oregon is set to have two key players return form injury. All-American center Hroniss Grasu and Thomas Tyner will play against Florida State, according to Oregon Football’s Facebook page. Grasu has missed the last three games for Oregon. Tyner has missed four games in total this year.

Florida State defensive tackle Nile Lawerence-Stample also looks set to return. Lawerence-Stample tore his pectoral muscle against Clemson earlier this year.

Referee watch

For today’s game, the officiating crew will be an eight-men team from the SEC.

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Los Angeles, Calif. – In the week leading up to the 101st Rose Bowl, the buzz word surrounding the Florida State Seminoles has been “perception”. Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston and head coach Jimbo Fisher, as well as the contingent of media at the LA Hotel Downtown, have floated the word around on numerous occasions.

In one year, Florida State has garnered more hatred and speculation than any team in the country. It has been portrayed as the evil to Oregon’s good . They’ve been deemed the underdog – up to eight and a half points, the books say – due to their close margins of victory on the season.

Through it all, however, the Seminoles have accomplished what every college program in the nation aspires to: they’ve won. 29 games in a row, in fact. Focusing on how they’re seen by everyone else is not a concern for Florida State.

“It’s not really my job to try to figure out what everyone thinks about us,” Seminoles wide receiver Rashad Greene said.

Quarterback Jameis Winston added, “Perception is reality like I say. If they say we’re not a good team, okay. We just keep playing and we just love this game so much, we don’t focus on that.”

Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher believes that his group of players are tremendous on the field and as people.

“We’re going to do what we do every day,” he said. “And perception, we can’t help what people think of us. We keep doing what we do. We believe in our system. We believe we have better kids than we have players. I’ve said that all alon.”

And for himself, Winston has reiterated time and again this week that the things he’s done over the course of the last calendar year don’t accurately depict the person he is.

“I know who I am,” Winston claimed. “The guys in the locker room know who I am and people not involved with our family don’t know who I am so like I said, perception is reality.”

In Winston’s case, his immature reality that people perceive has been painted by a streak of events as consistent as Florida State’s comeback calling card this year. He’s been involved in a sexual assault investigation and he’s shouted obscenities on the Florida State campus, to name a few.

While Winston is making as many headlines off the field as he is on it, Fisher describes him as a genuine person.

According to Fisher, when Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota was in New York, culminating his awards tour with the hoisting of the Heisman trophy, Winston was busy playing backyard football with local kids.

“I mean, the guy is such a kindhearted people guy,” Fisher said. “He loves people. He loves to be around people, not from a standpoint of ‘I’m Jameis Winston.’ He generally likes people. He’s fun to be around. He’s genuine. He’s honest. He’s just a good guy. He really is.”

No matter how it’s perceived, this is the team Florida State has been: A headline-grabbing squad allergic to losing.

“We’re going to continue to do things the right way, the Florida State way, and we believe that’s definitely the right way and be good people,” Fisher said. “In time we’ll see.”

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In the days leading up to the 2015 Rose Bowl, the Emerald will take a unit-by-unit look at Oregon and Florida State, determining which team has the edge going into the showdown on Jan. 1 in Pasadena. Today, we’ll look at each team’s special team’s units.

Oregon

In recent history, the kicker position at Oregon has been the subject of uncertainty. This year has been no different. Sophomore Matt Wogan and freshman Aidan Schneider have split time this year place kicking. However, the tandem has been relatively consistent, going a combined 15-for-18 in field goal attempts. Neither of the two have made a field goal from longer than 42 yards.

In his first year handling punting duties, Ian Wheeler has done well. Wheeler has placed nine of his 39 punts inside the 20-yard line and he’s recorded a punt over 50 yards three times on the year.

In the return game, freshman Charles Nelson has been a playmaker. Of his 11 punt returns, Nelson has taken two to the end zone for touchdowns. Nelson also leads the team in kickoff returns, averaging 20.3 yards per return.

Freshman Tanner Carew is the long snapper for the Ducks.

Florida State

Unlike Oregon, the Seminoles have a premier kicker who has been the epitome of consistency over the last two season. Roberto Aquayo, last year’s Lou Groza award winner for the best kicker in college football, is 25-of-27 this season including 3-of-3 on attempts over 50 yards.

Cason Beatty is averaging 41.6 yards per punt attempt for the Seminoles including a long of 67 yards. Of his 44 attempts, he’s dropped 14 inside the opponent’s 20 yard line.

Wide receiver Rashad Greene handles the majority of punt returns for Florida State. He’s averaging 10.7 yards per return. Kermit Whitfield is averaging 20.5 yards per kick return.

Freshman Stephen Gabbard is the long snapper for the Seminoles.

Advantage – Florida State

Aguayo is a weapon for Florida State. A game-changer form the place kicking position, Aguayo nearly never misses. His reliability as a kicker is pivotal for a team that hasn’t lost in over two years. Beatty has also shown the ability to boom a punt and strategically place a kick inside the opponents 20 yard line.

Oregon returner Charles Nelson, however, is a threat to score on every return attempt.

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Los Angeles, Calif – Florida State defensive back PJ Williams was asked on Tuesday morning if he’s seen a team move the ball with a similar speed and tempo that Oregon does. He said Clemson was similar, but not close to the tempo the Ducks can utilize.

“They have a different speed they can go at,” Williams said.

Speed has become a synonymous term with the Oregon offense since former Ducks head coach Chip Kelly took over the program in 2009. When asked to describe the Oregon offense in one word, Williams, defensive end Mario Edwards Jr. and defensive lineman Eddie Goldman labeled the Ducks offense: explosive, athletic and fast, respectively.

Over the course of the last six seasons, the tempo in which Oregon performs has become more than its calling card. It’s become a weapon.

Against what Oregon offensive coordinator Scott Frost calls a defense filled with athletes in Florida State, pressuring the Seminoles with quick, fast-paced plays will be a necessity in the game plan.

“Tempo has always been a big part of what we do,” Frost said. “Since Chip took over the program, we’ve used tempo as a weapon. I think this team’s been great utilizing that. It’s always an important part of our game. So I expect it to be an important part of this game.”

This year, the Ducks averaged 77.1 plays while possessing the ball for an average of 27.37 minutes per game. That translates to approximately 2.85 plays per minute. Jam-packing as many plays in a small amount of time like Oregon does is a challenge Florida State is looking forward to playing against.

“It’s definitely a challenge and we’re looking to match it,” Williams said. “We’ve been working on it all throughout our bowl practices and we’re definitely looking to stop it.”

During the long layoff from each team’s conference championship game victory, both Oregon and Florida State have made the control of tempo a major concern. Oregon is concerned on keeping it. Florida State has been practicing, imitating and working on keeping up with the Ducks.

“Even though we try to imitate that in practice, carrying that over into the game, the game speed obviously is going to be different,” Goldman said.

Along with imitation, the Seminoles have been working on staying in shape for the fast paced matchup.

“(We’ve done) a whole lot of running, practicing, getting back to the ball and competing,” Williams said.

Florida State might be in luck though with this matchup. Because of the stakes and the national television audience expected to tune in on New Years Day, four more media timeouts will be instituted – a situation Frost has seen play out before in big games like the Rose Bowl.

“Playing in these games before, there’s been a lot of standing and waiting for a series to start, which kind of gives both teams more of a chance to rest,” Frost said. “So that will be the biggest difference in this one.”

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Los Angeles, Calif – On the outside, he’s cool, collected and structured. At Rose Bowl media day, he gives a lengthy, detailed assessment of the areas in which he can improve between Thursday’s game and his senior year. He snaps his fingers as he rattles off one facet of his game after another. He notes the need to gain weight and articulately describes the proper spacing required between linebackers and defensive backs to successfully perform a cohesive zone coverage scheme.

But before he ends his self-analysis, Christian French breaks character. The Oregon outside linebacker grits his teeth, clasping his hands as if gravity had forced them together and reveals a direct line of sight to his core.

“I know I can be a monster,” Christian says with the upmost intent.  “I just have to go out there and let it loose.”

This year, Christian has, on occasions, shown what the monster inside of him is capable of. He’s leading Oregon in sacks with 6.5 despite playing behind veterans Tyson Coleman and Tony Washington Jr. His father, Cherokee French, calls it “going into beast mode”, something he’s seen happen on the field with Christian more frequently than it ever has before.

“Everything I have to do is just letting loose,” Christian reiterates. “I have it in me. I just have to continue to get better.”

***

Christian’s first love was on the hardwood. Growing up taller than most kids his age, Christian’s early focus was fixated on becoming a better basketball player. After his freshman year at Kennedy high school, his raw, athletic skills prompted kids on the football team to urge Christian to pick up football.

“Come on Frenchy, you have to come out,” Christian recalls his classmates pleading.

He had played football once before, giving the sport a shot in sixth grade. It wasn’t a fit then. But as a sophomore in high school, Christian decided to give it another chance.

Then Kennedy head coach Tim Lewis knew the talent that Christian possessed on the basketball court. At 6-foot-5 and approximately 200 pounds, it didn’t take a whole lot to see that Christian was big. What Lewis didn’t see coming was the type of speed Christian had. The first thing Lewis had Christian do upon joining the football team was have his 40-yard dash timed. An assistant coach timed the first one at 4.38, according to Lewis.

“I was like there’s no way,” Lewis remembers.

Lewis had Christian run again, but this time, he would time it. The second sprint proved that Christian’s first run wasn’t a fluke. 4.40, it read.

Cherokee wasn’t sure at first how Christian’s skills would translate to football. After watching him take part in a series of drills at practice, Cherokee was convinced that his son had a future in football.

“It really kind of stuck in my head that if he dedicates himself, he could be really good at this,” Cherokee said.

Christian went on to start on varsity from his sophomore season through the duration of his high school career. Soon enough, word hit the Division I ranks that Kennedy high school had a blue-chip prospect in its midst.

Oregon tight ends and special teams coach Tom Osborne was one of many coaches to make the trip to Cedar Rapids. The difference was how invested Osborne was in Christian.

Lewis remembers the first time Osborne visited Kennedy high school. Before seeing Christian, Osborne sat down with Lewis for two hours and interrogated Christian’s high school coach. He asked Lewis every question imaginable as he filled up page upon page of his notebook with notes. He continued that trend over the course of four visits to Cedar Rapids.

“He was always writing stuff down and making sure Christian was doing the stuff that he needed to do in the classroom,” Lewis said about Osborne.

Lewis recalls one of the visits where Osborne planned to watch Christian practice. The problem was Christian was injured at the time. Lewis called up Osborne and told him he might want to push his trip back. Osborne insisted that he still make the trip.

In December of 2010, it had come time for Christian to make a decision. He set a date to decide between Oregon, Iowa and Notre Dame. The problem was, then Oregon head coach Chip Kelly and Osborne wanted to make a final visit to the French’s home before Christian committed. Kelly and Osborne urged the French family to push back the date and they complied with Oregon’s requests.

When they made the stop at the French household, Kelly and Osborne made a presentation that perfectly appealed to Christian and his parent’s liking.

Laid out was a graduation plan. It mapped out what classes Christian would take the upcoming summer all the way through his graduation. For Cherokee, who has always preached to his kids the importance of a good education, the presentation was impressive.

“We could see it right in front of us,” Cherokee said. “You could visualize the classes, the studying and the degree.”

For Christian, who plans on owning his own business someday, the visit hit home with what mattered most to him.

“Football is great, but at the end of the day, we’re student athletes and we have to have something to fall back on,” Christian said.

Still, 1,916 miles was a long way to go for a kid like Christian who cherished his family so much. People speculated if he could do well so far from the friendly confines of Cedar Rapids. Throughout the recruiting process, Cherokee told his son to pick a destination that felt like home. After the meeting, Christian gave his father the assurance that Oregon would be his home for the next four years.

“I’m thinking Oregon because it’s the best place for me to grow and become a man,” Cherokee remembers Christian telling him.

***

Former Oregon defensive line coach Jerry Azzinaro gave Christian a choice. Christian spent his first season at Oregon redshirting, preparing to devote his career to playing tight end. Azzinaro offered Christian the same career path that current Miami Dolphins pass-rusher Dion Jordan had started a couple years before.

“Whenever you’re ready, come over to the defensive side,” Azzinaro told Christian.

Christian decided to follow in Jordan’s footsteps and switch to outside linebacker. He saw how well Jordan had adapted to his new position so he decided he wanted to try and emulate his teammate. Christian was constantly in Jordan’s ear asking questions, trying to figure out the most successful way to make the transition to defense. “I just try to follow in his footsteps,” Christian said.

In his first two active season with Oregon, Christian recorded 23 total tackles. Off the field, Christian was consistently making a positive influence on the entire program.

One time, Lewis called Osborne to see how Christian was doing in Eugene. Osborne told him that Christian had become a favorite amongst the people in the office of the Moshovsky Center due to his uplifting personality.

“He’s really one of those coach’s dreams,” Lewis said. “You always wanted him around because he has that type of personality.”

This year, Christian proved that he’s one of the best pass rushers on the team.

“He’s really developed a lot in the last two years,” Osborne said. “He’s one of those guys that has to feel confident before he cuts it loose.”

One of Christian’s 6.5 sacks really stuck out with his father. Cherokee was watching the third quarter of Oregon’s game against Cal earlier this year. While rushing the passer, Christian was pulled down by an offensive lineman. The old Christian, as Cherokee says, would’ve laid down and ended the play there.

“This Christian here got up and wouldn’t let it hold him back,” Cherokee said.

***

Four years ago, Christian remembers walking into the Rose Bowl and feeling the atmosphere. He was thrilled as he rode the emotional twists and turns of an intense 45-38 victory over Wisconsin. On the sideline, not playing, was bittersweet for Christian, though.

“Your eyes are wide open,” Christian says, flaunting his big, brown eyes for emphasis. “It’s nice the team is doing great, but you’re just watching. You get antsy and wish you could be a part of the action, but everybody’s going to have their time.”

This time around, Christian is expected to have more of an impact on an Oregon defense tasked with corralling former Heisman trophy winner Jameis Winston.

The road to this point wasn’t entirely what Christian saw while growing up in the Midwest. It wasn’t going to be football, it wasn’t going to be the west coast and it wasn’t going to be on defense. But he did plan on being successful. In order for him to be successful on Thursday, he might have to unleash his inner monster on one of the biggest stages in college football.

“I dreamed about this, but never I knew it would happen,” Christian said. “But I’m here.”

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Los Angeles, Calif. – There were 31 current Oregon players on the team in 2012 when No. 4 Oregon beat No. 10 Wisconsin 45-38 in the Rose Bowl. On Thursday, those 31 will try win the Rose Bowl for the second time in their collegiate careers.

Before the Ducks takes the field against Florida State on New Years Day, let’s take a look back at No. 4 Oregon’s 45-38 victory over No. 10 Wisconsin.

First quarter

The first quarter of the Rose Bowl was nothing short of two offenses matching each other jab-for-jab – a sign of more things to come in this game. Badgers quarterback Russell Wilson started the shootout with a seven-play, 77-yard drive that culminated with a 38-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jared Abbrederis.

The Ducks responded with a seven-play touchdown drive of their own. Quarterback Daron Thomas found wide receiver Lavasier Tuinei on a 35-yard pass completion down to the one. LaMichael James plunged in from one yard out to even the game at seven.

Wisconsin running back, and Heisman finalist Montee Ball highlighted the Badgers second drive when he took a pass from Wilson 30-yards to the Oregon four yard line. Wilson finished off the drive with a four-yard scamper to reclaim the lead, 14-7.

Both teams’ defenses took turns forcing the opposition to punt. However, on the final play of the quarter, from its own nine-yard line, Oregon gave the ball to freshman De’Anthony Thomas who sprinted 91 yards for the game tying score.

Second quarter

After Wisconsin scored on its first drive to open the quarter, Thomas found running back Kenjon Barner on a wheel route down the left sideline for a 54-yard touchdown to tie the game at 21.

After the Ducks defense forced a stop, Wisconsin Mike Taylor sacked and forced a fumble on Daron Thomas. Louis Nzegwu picked the ball up and ran 33 yards for a defensive touchdown.

Oregon tied the game up at 28 with 35 seconds left in the first half on a three yard touchdown pass from Thomas to Tuinei.

Third quarter

De’Anthony Thomas struck again on a 64-yard touchdown run on the team’s first possession of the second half. He finished with two carries for 155 yards and two touchdowns. In response, the Badgers drove down the field before kicker Philip Welch hit a 29-yard field goal to make the score 35-31.

With five minutes left in the third, Wilson and the Badgers took a 38-35 lead after he hit wide receiver Nick Toon for an 18-yard score.

Linebacker Kiko Alonso made a spectacular diving interception to halt Wisconsin’s final drive of the quarter.

Fourth quarter

After the Alonso pick, quarterback Daron Thomas fund Tuinei for his second touchdown catch of the game – a 11-yard pass that put Oregon up 42-38.

The Ducks had a 12 play, 76-yard drive that finished with an Alejandro Maldonado 30-yard field goal. More importantly, the field goal gave Oregon a 45-38 lead and took six minutes off the clock.

On their next drive, the Badgers moved into Oregon territory on a 29-yard completion from Wilson to Abbrederis. At the end of the catch and run, Oregon corner Terrance Mitchell forced Abbrederis to fumble. Linebacker Michael Clay recovered and Oregon took over with four minutes left.

The Ducks ran the clock down to 16 seconds as Wisconsin took over on its own 13 yard line. With no timeouts, Wilson competed back-to-back big plays to move the Badgers to Oregon’s 25 yard line. Wilson attempted to spike the ball and stop the clock so the Badgers could make one last attempt at tying the game. Unfortunately for Wilson, he spiked the ball after the clock struck zero and the game was over.

Final – No. 4 Oregon 45, No. 10 Wisconsin 38

Postgame

Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson on the controversial final play of the game:

“They made the call and it is what it is. I think that we could have won the game in a lot of other areas too, though. It would have been nice to have a chance there. Obviously, with one second left, I think we could have capitalized.”

Wisconsin head coach Brett Bielema after the game:

“We won a Big Ten title, and earned a chance to come out here and play a quality football team. Unfortunately (we) came up a little bit short.”

Oregon head coach Chip Kelly after the win over Wisconsin:

“It’s on the line every game we play in, and that formula works for us. We’re 34-6 in the last three years because we take every game like it’s the Super Bowl.”

Oregon running back LaMichael James on fans reaction to offensive lineman Carson York’s injury:

“Especially when the other team was being very disrespectful, and I really felt that way. Why would you do the wave when you know there’s a player down? I didn’t really like that too well. I just wanted to go out there and win that game for our fans and for Carson, he went down with the injury and that was a disrespectful moment.”

Oregon quarterback on wide receiver Lavasier Tuinei being named offensive player of the game:

“(Lavasier Tuinei) has been working hard all year, it’s destined to happen for him. That guy’s been working hard ever since the jump. He’s one of the guys that’s been working through injury all year.”

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