PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — With their 2019 season wrapping up with a Rose Bowl victory, the Oregon Ducks had the best season in nearly five years, finishing with a 12-2 record.
Here is a look back from every game this season:
Auburn
In a rematch of the 2011 BCS National Championship Game — and one of the most anticipated rematches of the college football season — the Ducks came out on fire, dominating the line of scrimmage and held a 21-13 lead heading into the fourth quarter. However, much like the 2011 championship game, the matchup ended as a heartbreaker for Oregon after Auburn tied things up at 21 early in the fourth and freshman quarterback Bo Nix throwing a 26-yard touchdown with nine seconds left in the game to lift the Tigers over the Ducks 27-21.
Nevada
After the heartbreaking loss to Auburn in the season opener, the Ducks came out and wanted to make a statement and they did just that. Senior quarterback Justin Herbert threw for over 300 yards and five touchdowns as the Ducks routed the Nevada Wolfpack 77-6.
Montana
The Ducks wanted to make sure they were prepared and confident going into conference play. Though it didn’t show in the score, the Ducks defense again showed its dominance when they didn’t allow a touchdown and beat FCS powerhouse Montana 35-3.
Stanford
The Stanford Cardinals have always been a tough opponent for the Ducks. Their powerhouse, smash-mouth style of play has given the Ducks fits throughout the years. However, this year’s matchup was different and the Ducks defense showed just how physical they were as they handily dominated Stanford and opened up conference play with a 21-3 win.
California
When the California Bears came into Autzen Stadium, many didn’t expect them to put up the fight that they did. With their starting quarterback Chase Garbers suffering from an injury and keeping him sidelined for the matchup, a back up would have to come in and try to lead the Bears against an elite Ducks defense. The Ducks offense struggled to find its rhythm and the defense was not prepared for the running ability from backup Devon Modster. But, late in the third quarter, the Ducks took a 10-7 lead and when they needed the defense to step up, they did just that by intercepting the ball which led to the offense scoring. This gave the Ducks the 17-7 lead and a win over the Bears.
Colorado
The Buffs came into Autzen Stadium hoping to steal a win like they did in 2015. Led by Senior quarterback and NFL hopeful Steven Montez, the Buffs were not ready for the energy the Ducks brought. The Ducks forced four turnovers and were firing on all cylinders offensively in the 45-3 win. Though the Ducks chalked up another win, they lost senior tight end Jacob Breeland to an ACL injury, Breeland was a major part of the offense and was a huge blow to the team.
Washington
One of the most heated rivalries in college football, the Ducks went north to Seattle to take on a Huskies squad hungry for revenge after last year’s overtime loss in Autzen. The Ducks were down 28-14 in the second half, but the defense made plays to keep the Ducks in the game. After the defense forced multiple stops, the offense finally found its rhythm and took the lead late in the fourth. From there, the defense forced a fourth down as the Huskies tried to march down the field and take the lead but the defense got the stop and the Ducks sealed the game, winning 35-31.
Washington State
The Ducks have had their struggles against Mike Leach and his high-powered Cougars offense, losing the previous four matchups with Washington State. This season’s game went back and forth with multiple questionable officiating calls, but Ducks sophomore running back CJ Verdell had himself a career day with 257 yards on the ground. The Cougars had the lead late in the fourth when the Ducks drove the length of the field and kicker Camden Lewis made a 26-yard field goal as time expired to win it for the Ducks, giving Oregon a 37-35 win.
USC
The Ducks continued to dominate conference play but something felt different when they flew down to Los Angles to take on a USC team that has multiple future NFL players on the roster. The Ducks started off extremely slow and found themselves in a 17-7 hole early in the second quarter. Then, the Ducks showed the nation exactly what they can do when they are firing on all cylinders. They ripped off 35 straight points and dominated the Trojans 56-24.
Arizona
In the 2018 season, the Ducks went down to Tuscon to take on the Wildcats and were blown out 44-15 as Arizona running back JJ Taylor rushed for over 200 yards on the Oregon defense. This season was much different: the Ducks wanted revenge and were prepared for anything Arizona threw at them. From the start, the Ducks controlled the clock and pounded the rock early in order to open up the passing game. From there, quarterback Justin Herbert was able to show off his arm strength and accuracy as he threw for over 300 yards and four touchdowns in the 34-6 win. This extended the Ducks win streak to nine games.
Arizona State
All good things must come to an end. The Ducks were looking for their 10th straight win of the season, but the Arizona State Sun Devils had different plans. The game started as they usually do, the Ducks coming out dominating the line of scrimmage and making plays on both sides of the ball, but the offense fell out of rhythm until the fourth quarter; unfortunately, it wasn’t enough for the Ducks to overcome the first-half slumps, with the Sun Devils snapping their win streak 31-28.
Oregon State
The Civil War, for the most part, is a very high energy, high-intensity game. This year’s showing was highlighted by a poor performance from the Ducks offense, which repeatedly had the ball on the Beavers’ side of the field and could not come away with any points. Fortunately for the Ducks, when the offense can’t get going, either the defense or special teams will step up and make the plays needed, and they did just that. Freshman defensive back Mykael Wright had a huge 98-yard kickoff return to the house, which brought life back into the Ducks; meanwhile, the defense continually stopped the Beavers offense from doing anything. Late in the fourth when the Beavers had a chance to tie things up, the defense came up big with a forced fumble which led to a Ducks touchdown and sealed the 24-10 win for the Ducks.
Utah
This was a matchup that many expected in the conference championship game, as both Oregon and Utah made it through conference play with only one loss. All season long, there was the debate of who was the better team, although most experts picked Utah to win this game by a large margin. When the ball finally kicked off, it was apparent that the Ducks were playing with a big chip on their shoulder. After hearing all season long that the Utes were the best team in the conference, the Ducks came out and dominated Utah in the trenches. The Ducks walked out of this game commanding a 37-15 win and being crowned conference champions.
Wisconsin
Where to start? For the second time in the “Granddaddy of Them All,” the Ducks faced off against a very tough and physical Wisconsin Badgers team. The Badgers were led by Jonathan Taylor, the Doak Walker award winner, which is given to the nation’s best running back. The game started off exactly how the Ducks wanted, a commanding and dominate 70-yard touchdown drive that had a variety of well-executed plays, and the drive resulted in a touchdown where the Ducks took a 7-0 lead. The momentum that the Ducks had didn’t last long, though, since on that next kickoff Wisconsin returned it 95 yards for a touchdown, tying the game up. For much of the game, it was a back-and-forth, with Wisconsin continually getting the upper hand on Oregon. It wasn’t until the fourth quarter, when Ducks safety Brady Breezy forced a fumble his teammates recovered, that Oregon regained the momentum. The very next play, Herbert took the ball 35 yards for the touchdown, giving the Ducks the 28-27 lead late in the game and ultimately sealing the team’s Rose Bowl victory.