Exactly a decade ago to date, Oregon traveled to Tucson, Arizona to take on the Arizona Wildcats. Holding an advantage record 14-9 overall against Arizona, Oregon was only 5-8 in Tucson; many (including ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit) were predicting an upset by Arizona. Oregon would go on to prove Herbstreit dead wrong. On a warm Arizona Desert evening, the Ducks came …
Ten Year Fiesta Bowl Season Anniversary: Triumph over Utah State
It was Saturday, September 29, 2001. Slightly over ten years ago to date, Oregon traveled to Logan, Utah to conclude its non-conference portion of their season in only their third-ever match against the Utah State Aggies. Oregon came in as the highest ranked visitor to ever play in the history of Romney Stadium, and the Aggies were ready to prove …
FishWrap Friday Game 5 Preview: Oregon vs. Cal (Part 1: The Cover 0 Scheme)
Last year, against Cal, a team that gave up 48 points to USC, and 52 to Nevada, Oregon, who hadn’t been held under 40 all season scored a mere 15 points, and 8 of those came off of a punt return. It was one of the most painful victories you could possibly watch. To fall from such a high level of …
Refuse to lose: How Oregon won the first Regular Season overtime game in college football history
Overtime rules had existed for decades in professional football, but the collegiate game was slow to come around to extending games beyond regulation. Ties weren’t commonplace, but they did happen. Oregon had in fact played in the final 0-0 tie, the 1983 Civil War game vs. Oregon State, a game so bad it was coined “The Toilet Bowl.” In 1996 …
Note to Pac-12: Ducks are for real again
If you needed any further proof of the thrashing Oregon was dealing Arizona on Saturday night, all you had to do was scan the stands in the second half, where there were more empty seats than not. A school record 288 yards rushing from LaMichael James will do that to foes and their followers. So will ringing up 35 points …
The Michigan series: How Oregon demolished 100 years of the biggest winning tradition in football
“We could tell they were not prepared, they had size but we ran right past them.” -Kwame Agyeman It was the ultimate matchup of new and old. On one side Michigan, the winningest program in college football history, the epitome of success and tradition. On the other side, up-and-comer Oregon, finding great success in recent years but for decades little more than an also-ran. A home-and-home series was agreed to, with the first game being played at Oregon in 2003, and the following year a return trip to Michigan. However, Michigan requested to push the game in Ann Arbor back a few years, to 2007. […]
As LMJ goes, so go the Ducks
They said he was a step slow. They said he had gained too much weight. They said his Heisman chances were virtually nil. Some said — more like whispered — let the freshman sensation get more carries. That was until Saturday. Flashing his burst of old, Oregon’s LaMichael James rambled for 204 yards and three touchdowns against Missouri State in …
Keys to the game, Missouri State at Oregon
Chip Kelly often says the Ducks prepare against a faceless opponent and that their focus each game is competing against the vision of how good they can be. That theory gets the ultimate test today. An occasional laugher or one-sided matchup can be a tonic for a football team in building confidence and developing depth but two of these in …
The De La Salle five: Overwhelming promise, tragic circumstance
Never before had a group of teammates from the same high school been so hyped, and not before or since has a circle of friends playing at the University of Oregon faced more adversity. In 2004, four friends playing football at De La Salle High School all decided to come play at the University of Oregon, with a fifth coming …
Heat, hornets, and there was a football game too…
Saturday brought opening day at Autzen Stadium, a time when the beer flows, the sun bursts, and thousands descend upon our happy little hole in the ground to cheer on our Ducks. It is a day that as Oregon fans we all anticipate from about an hour after the last game ends and the final beer is downed in either …
Ducks scorch Wolf Pack
If you reached into your pack to pull out the sunscreen Saturday at Autzen Stadium, or ran to get another bottle of water at the concession stand, or perhaps spent a few moments cleaning the shades, you really ought not have. Chances are you missed a bunch. Like a touchdown toss from Oregon quarterback Darron Thomas — one of six …
FishWrap Friday Game 2 Preview: Oregon vs. Nevada
After last week’s offensive nightmare, the Ducks will come home to a friendly crowd in Autzen Stadium as the Ducks try to restart, and get ready for the quest for the PAC 12 Championship. Their first challenge will be the Nevada Wolfpack, who have been preparing all spring and summer for their shot at the Ducks (Nevada had no game …
