GAMEDAY
GAMEDAY, the Daily Emerald’s football edition, is published by Emerald Media Group, Inc., the independent nonprofit news company at the University of Oregon founded in 1900.
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(On The Cover) The Oregon Duck rides out on a motorcycle at the beginning of the game on Oct. 26, 2024. The No. 1 Oregon Ducks defeated the No. 20 Illinois Fighting Illini by 38-9.
(Alex Hernandez/Emerald)
(Left) Doug Koke was the previous UO Football motorcycle rider for 23 years. Koke hung up the handlebars in the 2022 season, with Matt Hogan stepping in full-time in the 2024 season.
(Liam Sherry, Emerald)
WEEK 14 TEAM ROSTERS:
OREGON WASHINGTON
v.s.
OREGON OFFENSE
PLAYER
DILLON GABRIEL
DANTE MOORE
JORDAN JAMES
NOAH WHITTINGTON
TEZ JOHNSON
TRAESHON HOLDEN
EVAN STEWART
KENYON SADIQ
JAYDEN LIMAR
TERRANCE FERGUSON
JOSH CONERLY JR.
MARCUS HARPER II
IAPANI LALOULU
MATTHEW BEDFORD
NISHAD STROTHER
AJANI CORNELIUS
OREGON DEFENSE
PLAYER
JORDAN BURCH
JAMAREE CALDWELL
DERRICK HARMON
KEYON WARE-HUDSON
MATAYO UIAGALELEI
TEITUM TUIOTI
JESTIN JACOBS
BRYCE BOETTCHER
JEFFREY BASSA
DEVON JACKSON
NIKKO REED
TYSHEEM JOHNSON
KOBE SAVAGE
JABBAR MUHAMMAD
BRANDON JOHNSON
DONTAE MANNING
OREGON SPECIAL TEAMS
ROSS
WASHINGTON OFFENSE
RYDER BUMGARNER
JONAH COLEMAN
CAMERON DAVIS
DENZEL BOSTON
JACE BURTON
LUKE GAYTON
JACKSON GIROUARD
OWEN COUTTS
CHARLIE CROWELL
DECKER DEGRAAF
AIDAN ANDERSON
DREW AZZOPARDI
WASHINGTON DEFENSE
PLAYER
JACOB BANDES
BRYCE BUTLER
ANNAS DAVIS
ELINNEUS DAVIS
RUSSELL DAVIS II
OMAR KHAN
SEBASTIAN VALDEZ
CARSON BRUENER
DEVEN BRYANT
DREW FOWLER
KHMORI HOUSE
DARREN BARKINS
LEROY BRYANT
THADDEUS DIXON
RAHSHAWN CLARK
DYSON MCCUTCHEON
THE HUSKIES ARE BACK IN EUGENE
Oregon looks for its first win under Lanning in this historic rivalry
BY MAX KOEBEL Sports Reporter
This Saturday will feature the 117th game in what many consider to be the biggest college football rivalry on the West Coast — the Washington Huskies vs. Oregon Ducks. The two universities in Eugene and Seattle are separated by 285 miles and an approximately five-hour drive.
In the 124 years since the two teams began facing off, Washington has won 63 times, Oregon has won 48 times and they have tied five times. At home, Washington’s all time record in this rivalry is 34-30-4, and Oregon’s home record is 18-28-1.
Their first game in 1900 was played in Eugene, and the Ducks dominated with a 43-0 win. Washington holds the largest blowout in the rivalry with their 66-0 win in 1974, while Oregon holds the largest winning streak which lasted 12 games from 2004 to 2015.
The majority of lifelong Ducks fans would say the most iconic moment in all of Oregon’s rich football history was a play on Oct. 23, 1994 that is known today as “The Pick.”
At the time, the Huskies came into the game ranked at No. 9 in the nation and held a five game winning streak over the Ducks. Unranked Oregon clung to a 24-20 lead with just over a minute remaining in regulation and Washington had the ball in the red zone. Quarterback Damon Huard took a shot towards the endzone and the pass was intercepted at the 3 yardline by defensive back Kenny Wheaton, who ran 97 yards for the game-sealing pick-6.
At the end of the first quarter of every Ducks’ home game, fans get to relive this priceless moment in Mat Kearney’s “Coming Home” video as broadcaster Jerry Allen’s voice echoes throughout Autzen Stadium, “Kenny Wheaton’s gonna score! Kenny Wheaton’s gonna score!” Oregon would go on to make their first Rose Bowl appearance in 37 years.
Unfortunately for the Ducks, it’s been a few years since a game-changing moment went their way. Their last win over the Huskies was in 2021 when they won 26-16 in Seattle during Mario Cristobal’s final season as head coach.
Current head coach Dan Lanning is 0-3 against Washington, and all three games were decided by three points. Lanning has just two losses against other teams during his time in Eugene, and they were both in his first season. Washington is also the only team who has beaten Lanning at Autzen Stadium.
This past summer, both universities embraced a new challenge by joining the Big Ten. Oregon has fit right in and has not lost a game since the Pac-12 Championship Game. For Washington, the transition hasn’t been as smooth.
In addition to losing a lot of their talent from the past couple years to the NFL Draft, head coach Kalen DeBoer accepted a job coaching at the University of Alabama. The coaching job at Washington was taken over by Jedd Fisch, who previously coached Arizona and took them from a one-win team to a 10win team.
Despite his previous success, Fisch has found himself in a serious decline with the reigning National Championship runner-ups.
Washington currently sits at 6-5. Quarterback Will Rogers has thrown for 14 touchdowns and 7 interceptions while being sacked 18 times. Running back Jonah Coleman has rushed for 1,008 yards and 9 touchdowns, while wide receivers Giles Jackson and Denzel Boston have combined for 1,427 receiving yards. It is still a talented team, but it doesn’t compare to last year.
Washington will finish the season undefeated at Husky Stadium, where they haven’t lost since their last loss to Oregon in 2021. On the flip side, they do not have a win on the road or on neutral fields this season.
The No. 1 Ducks are looking to continue that narrative and finish off their first 12-0 regular season since 2010 with some long awaited revenge over the Huskies.
(Right) Casey Rogers (98) rushes the passer. The University of Oregon Ducks football team defeated the University of Washington Huskies in an away match at Husky Stadium in Seattle, on Oct. 14, 2023. (Eric Becker/Emerald)
Noah Whittington: an unsung hero
When the junior running back is at his best, so are the Ducks
BY LILY CRANE Sports Reporter
“Mighty Oregon” rang through Autzen Stadium as Noah Whittington completed a burst into the endzone, trucking over a defender in the process.
The running back’s touchdown run against Illinois on Oct. 26 was 13 months in the making.
Whittington missed much of the 2023 season after tearing his ACL against Colorado last September. It took him some time to get back to putting up the same numbers he did in his last fully healthy season. Finally, his year of rehab paid off.
The physical touchdown against the Illini provided a warning to the rest of the nation: Whittington is back and the Ducks are better because of it.
“He was on a different level [against Illinois],” wide receiver Tez Johnson said. “I'm glad to see that for him, how hard he practiced and the injuries he went through.
It's crazy just to see him have success.”
The junior running back recorded 388 yards and four touchdowns on 88 carries in the Ducks’ 11-0 start. His increase in production as the season’s gone on has been a difference-maker for No. 1 Oregon.
Whittington’s five highest rushing yard totals this season happen to have come in the five highest margins of victories for the Ducks — Maryland, Oregon State, Illinois, Purdue and Michigan. At the same time, his three lowest-rushing outbursts have been the thinnest margins of victories for Oregon — Boise State University, Wisconsin and Ohio State.
His presence adds another layer of versatility to the Ducks’ offense. Whittington’s style of play is more physical than that of his partner in the backfield, Jordan James.
Take his touchdown rush against the Illini as an example. Whittington squeezed through a gap in the defense until he came face-to-face with one final defensive back. He wouldn’t let Illinois’ Miles Scott get in his way of scoring.
“I think that's something our team prides itself in,” head coach Dan Lanning said following that game. “When you get an opportunity to run through a man's face, there's nothing better than that.”
Whittington accumulated 211 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 5.3 yards per carry during his efficient four-game span between Oct. 18 and Nov. 9.
“I’m kind of appreciative that [the injury] happened because I feel like it brought the love back to the game,” Whittington said during preseason. “I’ve never been hurt before so it’s just been a continuous cycle.
And then taking that break — I know for sure this is what I love to do.”
The Ducks faced a scare in Wisconsin two weeks ago when they won by only a field goal. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel handed the ball off to Whittington just three times in that game for a total of five yards.
Oregon’s quest to appear in the National Championship Game is far from over. It still has Washington — a team it’s lost to three times in the last two seasons — and the Big Ten Championship Game on the schedule before it plays in its first College Football Playoff game.
Getting Whittington back to the same form he was in at the end of October will only help the Ducks’ cause if they are to complete a perfect season. His newfound perspective has fueled his performances this season.
“I got to attack every day like it’s my last,” Whittington said back in July. “Because going through what I went through last year I fully understand that this can be taken away from you at any point.”
(Left) Noah Whittington (6) hurdles Michigan State defender Nikal Martinez (1) to advance into the Redzone. University of Oregon took on Michigan State University at Autzen Stadium, Eugene, Oct. 4, 2024. (Eddie Bruning/Emerald)
LAZARUS: COMPARING OREGON TO THE LAST TIME IT WAS THIS GOOD
BY JACK LAZARUS Sports Associate Editor
The Ducks are No. 1, but that isn’t the most important thing. The Ducks are 11-0.
Oregon football has been one of the most successful programs in the country for the majority of the last two decades, so why do these heights seem so new?
That’s because Oregon hasn’t been this perfect in 14 years — remember Darron Thomas?
Yes, the only team comparable to the current crop of Ducks is that one, the same team that appeared in the school’s first BCS National Championship, but unfortunately could not overcome the Auburn University Tigers led by that year’s Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton.
The Chip Kelly Ducks featured two AP All-Americans, the first of which, Cliff Harris, returned four punts for touchdowns in that season while also snagging six interceptions and making an appearance on the AP Second-team All-American team as a cornerback.
Harris was one of two weapons at coach Kelly’s disposal that the 2024 squad simply cannot match.
The other needs little introduction, as he is an icon throughout Eugene — known to all as just “LaMike.”
LaMichael James was the man these Ducks ran behind, and he finished third in Heisman Trophy voting in 2010 — something current quarterback Dillon Gabriel hopes to match. But James’ impact on this team and program has lasted long after his tenure at Oregon, which is a testament to how beloved he is by Ducks’ fans everywhere.
There’s a reason we’ve all seen that same highlight reel, and to be honest, we’ve all watched it before a big exam or intramural game. James’ impact goes well beyond what he did on the field, and the College Football Hall of Famer made waves nationally in 2010.
That’s something Oregon doesn’t have in 2024 — an all-encompassing, unstoppable phenom.
The Ducks more than make up for it, however, with the team’s collective identity. What’s so important about this season’s iteration of Oregon football — and what’s helped
The No. 1 Oregon Ducks sit at 11-0, which is something that hasn’t been done in Eugene since 2010
the team stay so perfect so far — is the team’s connectedness and collective identity.
If you’ve ever listened to head coach Dan Lanning speak, you’ve probably heard. There’s a reason the weekly “Ducks vs Them” videos make waves across the Oregon football ecosystem. Phrases such as “Forget Everyone But Us” and “1-0 every week” get thrown around about as much as that football, which is part of the culture cultivated by Lanning — the fact that there is no player larger than the team or its collective goals.
One can argue that the 2010 Ducks were the “LaMike” show, but nothing of the sort can be said this season. Lanning’s message this whole season has been about rejecting
way that Kelly’s flashy offensive mentality bled into his national runner-up Ducks. Boiled down, I think that ends up being the major difference.
The most successful defenses do it with 11 solid, motivated players, but an electric offense can be easily fueled by one LaMike, which is where the 2010 team fell short.
What seems to be the driving force behind this season’s push for perfection and national glory is something that was missing last time the Ducks made it this far — the teamfirst, hard work-oriented culture defined by coach Lanning.
That is what I believe has put Oregon in its best opportunity to win a national title in the school’s history.
Oregon players celebrate a touchdown during the game on Oct. 26, 2024. The No. 1 Oregon Ducks beat the No. 20 Illinois Fighting Illini (38-9). (Alex Hernandez/Emerald)
MATT HOGAN’S REMARKABLE GAMEDAY GIG
The driver behind a key piece of the Oregon spirit
BY JOE KRASNOWSKI
Sports Reporter
Matt Hogan is all Eugene. He grew up here and is now wound in the fabric of what makes the city so special. He sells commercial real estate full-time, but it's his Saturday shift that stands out.
Hogan is now the lone driver of the Oregon Duck mascot out onto the field before every home game. He’s just one of four people to have ever done the gig, having taken the full-time responsibility at the start of the season.
Hogan had been an Oregon fan his whole life, but when he received a call asking him to be a part-time motorcycle driver for the school, his gameday experience changed forever.
Hogan lacks calm days. His two kids (eight-and nineyear-olds), a part-time cowboying gig and the occasional auctioneering job keep him busy.
Along with his unique lifestyle, Hogan’s Saturday job with the Ducks has become a fan-favorite event.
He got the gig by simply knowing people, creating connections with head coaches and Oregon boosters. At the start of every gameday, Hogan has the same routine. First, he takes the bike to the same spots to see friends and pose with fans for pictures. Then he heads inside to a scene that is never, ever the same.
There’s always something new. That’s not just Hogan’s work day, it's Oregon’s identity as a whole.
“There’s always something different happening from game to game,” Hogan said. “The university does a great job of changing things up and keeping it fresh.”
As Hogan said, the Ducks have an inalienable sentiment of innovation.
The 2024 season has been special. The Ducks, in all likelihood, will complete an undefeated regular season with a win over Washington, and will be playing on Dec. 7 for the Big Ten Championship.
Hogan taking the field sets the stage for Dillon Gabriel’s Heisman-caliber heroics, Dan Lanning's unique nature of leading a team, and of course, memories that will last Eugene natives a lifetime.
“I don’t go around boasting about it, but it’s not a secret,” Hogan said of his game-day occupation. “It’s a fun time for sure.”
Like the Ducks this season, he’s never fallen. But like any team (or rider) he’s definitely “slipped around a few times.”
The last time Hogan drove The Duck out, Oregon played poorly and still won by three scores in a conference game. This season is different for everyone.
It’s been unique, not unlike Hogan himself.
The cowboying isn’t as much of a factor in his motorcycle-riding prowess, but he did grow up on a dirt bike which he says helps with the “flow” of the bike. The back wheel of the bike never stops spinning when he’s on the field, which makes it difficult to navigate at times when he’s going up to 40 mph.
The motorcycle — which is a ‘96 Harley Davidson Fat Boy — was bought by Nike, painted, and given to the
University of Oregon in 1999 with one intention — “here’s some marketing tools, go do something with them,” Hogan said.
And now Hogan does. Riding The Duck out before every game has become iconic both in the state and nationally, with the routine appearing in the College Football 25 video game.
Before the season, Hogan goes through a few test runs with the new mascots and cheer team, although he admits it's a little different doing it in an empty stadium than a packed gameday.
The day of the Maryland game, he had to wade through a 100-person human tunnel — made mostly of in-game honorees — to get onto the field. On other days, the weather is a factor.
“Driving a heavy-duty Harley Fat Boy at 40 mph can definitely be spooky at times,” Hogan said.
But he’s never taken it for granted. An hour before the game, he’s in the west tunnel of the field, checking his surroundings and getting ready for the game. Then, when the team goes into the locker room before the game, he heads there with it.
As a man of faith, he says a prayer in the locker room before every game. Fifteen minutes or so later, he’s doing what he loves — leading the team out with a stadium full of fans cheering with glee.
“If people ask what it's like to ride in front of 60,000 people, I say, ‘honestly I don’t know’ because when I get down there, I’m
focused on one person that starts me and looking ahead to see what my field looks like,” Hogan said. “That’s all I ever look for. It sounds pretty good though.”
And for a kid that grew up coming to games and has now become an integral part of the gameday experience, just hearing the fans will have to do.
(Below) The Duck rides on the back of Matt Hogan's motorcycle, leading out the team before the Michigan State game. University of Oregon took on Michigan State University at Autzen Stadium on Oct. 4, 2024. (Eddie Bruning/Emerald)
WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE CFP PATHS FOR OREGON?
The playoffs are looming. Here's what the route to a title look like for the Ducks.
BY BRADY RUTH Sports Editor
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 morethan-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, 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 firstround 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 (includ-
ing 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.
(Above) The Oregon Ducks run out onto the field ahead of the Pac-12 Championship Game. The Oregon Ducks football team took on the Washington Huskies in the Pac-12 Championship game on Dec. 1, 2023, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev.
(Jonathan Suni/Emerald)
DUCKS AND HUSKIES, ONE YEAR IN
BY OWEN MURRAY
Sports Reporter
Just under one year ago, Washington and Oregon met in Las Vegas. A win in the final-ever Pac-12 Championship Game booked a playoff spot. The Huskies prevailed, for the second time that season, and sealed their seat in the Sugar Bowl. The Ducks suffered a second frustrating loss.
One year later, the Ducks (11-0) are once again in contention for a national championship. The Huskies, though, sit at 6-5 and decidedly out of the spotlight. The game will be significantly changed when the two meet at Autzen Stadium this weekend.
I talked with Ty Gilstrap, sports editor at the Daily UW, about Saturday’s game.
Owen Murray: What would surprise one-year-agoyou the most about this game?
Ty Gilstrap: That only one of these teams [is] ranked. It just seems like Washington was kind of building a little bit of the foundation to where it could have been sustainable. Obviously, [it lost] some of their top talent, but there was the kind of hope that the transfer portal could sustain it for a little bit longer. And then in that [October 2023] meeting, when it was No. 8 versus No. 6, what Oregon was building was definitely moving in the right direction. It honestly doesn't surprise me at all that [the Ducks] are the number one team this year.
OM: What concerns you about Oregon that didn’t worry you (as much?) last year?
TG: I honestly thought Washington flew under the radar [last year] for far longer than it should have, and Oregon had that national credibility, and that kind of gave it an edge. And I truly felt Washington entered those two games [against Oregon], as it turned out, as the better team on both sides of the ball. They could hang out long enough in defense, and I thought that their offense, obviously, was one of the greats in college football.
The Daily Emerald’s Owen Murray broke down what this game means in a new-look Pacific Northwest with the UW Daily’s Ty Gilstrap
But Washington is now a team that cannot compete with Oregon on any level or in any unit. [Head coach] Jedd Fisch speaks often about how this team hasn't been able to play all three levels consecutively. These are teams they can’t do it against, against those top level teams.
OM: A year ago, this game was about two explosive offenses. Rolling into this game, the Big Ten co-defensive players of the week were Oregon’s Matayo Uiagalelei and Washington’s Russell Davis II. How significant is that?
TG: The defense is definitely in an entirely new league of its own compared to past years. Russell Davis was injured for most of the season, and this was just his third game playing. There's been contributors up and down that defensive unit, whether that's Steve Belichick’s schemes —which Will Rogers said is the most difficult he’s seen in college football — [or] they also just have some talented players on that side of the ball. That's just something Washington fans haven't been accustomed to [over] the last few years.
OM: One year in, do you think the Big Ten move has been a net positive for Washington and for the conference as a whole?
TG: Purely from a Washington perspective, no, it has not been a positive because of the road travel. They haven’t won a game on the road. That could be completely unrelated to the Big Ten…but when you're playing two 9:00 a.m. games against Indiana and Iowa, and then you're traveling all the way to Pennsylvania, which is not an easy place to get to, it does provide challenge to the team, and that's something they're not used to.
The conference, I think, benefits from the resumes that it'll be able to show. Washington still has, in some perspective, that national championship credibility of the game they participated in last year. So, when Indiana is the number five team in the country, they could point to the fact that even though Washington may not be the best this season, that brand that they've built over time definitely helps with the conference.
OM: What does this game mean to Huskies fans this year?
TG: I said all along that not a single Washington fan will care if they lose to Indiana, if they lose to Penn State, if they lose to USC, if they lose to UCLA. They don't care if [it means] they have a chance to beat Oregon. I think this game will be just as meaningful as years past for a lot of Washington fans, just because this rivalry means so much, especially in a year where it’s all or nothing. Maybe not last year, where so much was riding on it, but it'll still kind of have that same emotion.
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The Daily Emerald and the UW Daily are competing in the Student Media Showdown to fundraise this week. The two are going head-to-head to raise the most money to support independent student journalism, and the competition ends at kickoff on Saturday. Donate online at dailyemerald.com/donate.
Tez Johnson (15) evades a group of defenders. The University of Oregon Ducks Football team defeated the University of Washington Huskies
14, 2023. (Eric Becker/Emerald)
Decorated Ducks
These Oregon players are contending for individual awards
PAC-12 RECAP
How did former Pac-12 teams fare in their first seasons in their new conferences?
BY BRADY RUTH Sports Editor
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. They 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.
BY BECK PARSONS Sports Reporter
No. 1 ranked Oregon has talent across the board, but a few players have stood out above the rest. With one week of regularseason football to come, which Ducks are most likely to bring home end-of-season hardware?
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel: Heisman Trophy and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
Perhaps no Duck has shone brighter this year than quarterback Dillon Gabriel. Among passers with more than 200 pass attempts, the sixth-year senior ranks second in completion percentage (73.8%), tenth in passing yards (3,066) and ninth in passer rating (164.9). He also became the FBS’s alltime leader in career touchdowns (180).
But Gabriel’s most important stat? He’s the quarterback of the only undefeated team in the country.
Gabriel currently holds the fourth-best odds to win this year’s Heisman Trophy, behind Colorado jack-of-all-trades Travis Hunter, Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty and Miami quarterback Cam Ward. If those results hold, Gabriel will join Joey Harrington (2001), LaMichael James (2010), Marcus Mariota (2014 winner) and Bo Nix (2023) as the fifth Heisman finalist in Oregon history.
The four Heisman finalists will be announced on Dec. 9, and the trophy will be awarded on Dec. 14. Gabriel is also one of five finalists for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, which will be awarded on Dec. 6 to the nation’s top upperclassman quarterback.
Offensive Line: Joe Moore Award
Oregon’s offensive line was recently named as one of ten semifinalists for the Joe Moore Award, which recognizes the nation’s best offensive line.
Oregon’s O-line started slow, allowing seven sacks in its first two games. However, things changed, and Oregon has allowed only five sacks in its nine games since. The Ducks did not allow a sack in six of those games, including a four-game stretch from Weeks 3 to 7 in which quarterback Dillon Gabriel was never sacked.
The Ducks are currently 16th in the nation with 12 allowed sacks. Their PFF
Run Block grade of 66.0 and Pass Block grade of 73.1 are tied for only 47th and 55th nationally, but those numbers don’t tell the whole story.
More telling are running back Jordan James’ 1,067 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns. “I promise you, he’d be the first one to tell you it wasn’t him,” Lanning said of James’ milestone achievement. “It was the guys in front of him.”
The Joe Moore Award’s three finalists will be announced on Tuesday, Dec. 3. The winning team will be surprised on campus with the award sometime in late December.
Linebacker Bryce Boettcher: Burlsworth Trophy
On Nov. 19, Oregon linebacker and Eugene native Bryce Boettcher was named as one of the three finalists for this year’s Burlsworth trophy, which is awarded annually to the best former walk-on in college football. He’ll be competing for the award with Indiana defensive lineman James Carpenter and Buffalo linebacker Shaun Dolac.
Despite being third among Oregon linebackers with 348 snaps, Boettcher leads the team with 38 solo and 69 total tackles. He was named the Week 3 Burlsworth Trophy Player of the Week after tallying 11 tackles and two pass defenses in the Ducks’ dominant 49-14 win over Oregon State.
Boettcher’s PFF defense grade of 90.2 is tied with Iowa’s Jay Higgins for second nationally behind only Dolac’s 91.9. Boettcher’s pass coverage grade of 87.5 is good for seventh nationally, though Dolac’s 93.6 ranks second.
Boettcher is carrying plenty of momentum into Dec. 9’s Burlsworth Trophy Award Show. He recorded career high PFF grades in defense (90.7), run defense (84.6) and coverage (82.7) against Wisconsin.
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.
The coveted Oregon defensive unit filled with newly transferred and home grown talent looks to stuff the Beavers at the goal line. The Oregon Ducks traveled up to Corvallis to face their instate rival the Oregon State Beavers on Sept. 14, 2024. (Jonathan Suni/Emerald)
(Above) Dillon Gabriel (8) runs to the sideline to celebrate his rushing touchdown with the rest of his team.The No. 1 ranked Oregon Ducks took on the Michigan Wolverines on Nov. 2, 2024, at the iconic 'Big House" in Ann Arbor, Mich. (Jonathan Suni/Emerald)
WEEK 13 BIG TEN RECAP
The path to a conference title narrows for Indiana and Penn State
BY BECK PARSONS Sports Reporter
The No. 1-ranked Oregon Ducks, on bye last weekend, have already secured their place in Dec. 7’s Big Ten Championship Game. With three teams vying for the remaining spot, and many more seeking bowl eligibility, there was plenty of conference action to watch last weekend. Which games stood out for their postseason importance?
Undefeated Hoosiers hosed by No. 2 Buckeyes 38-15
No. 5 Indiana (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten) got a reality check in Columbus at the hands of the nation’s best defense. Ohio State’s defense silenced Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke, who went just 8/18 for 68 yards through the air. The Buckeyes (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten), will secure a Big Ten title berth with a win over Michigan next week. Indiana, though not eliminated, needs both Ohio State and Penn State to lose. The Hoosiers will likely make the playoffs as a one-loss team.
No. 4 Penn State sluggish, survives 26-25 at Minnesota
Penn State (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten) dodged a classic Big Ten upset against the bowl-bound Golden Gophers (6-5, 4-4 Big Ten). The Nittany Lions trailed until late in the third quarter, and led by just four with less than six minutes remaining. Minnesota drove deep into Penn State territory, but elected to kick a field goal and attempt a defensive stop. Instead, Penn State succeeded on three 4th-down conversions, including a fake punt, to secure the victory. The Nittany Lions are a win and an Ohio State loss from their first Big Ten Championship appearance since 2016.
Bowl-eligible Michigan steamrolls Northwestern 50-6
The Wolverines (6-5, 4-4 Big Ten) secured a bowl berth by dominating the Wildcats (4-7, 2-6 Big Ten), whose hopes of reaching the six-win mark have officially been dashed. Michigan running back Kalel Mullings led the offense with a career-best three rushing touchdowns.
The Wolverines’ defense continued to play well, tallying two interceptions and six sacks. Michigan will now look to play spoiler to Ohio State in “The Game” next week. The Wolverines have won the last three matchups and know that a fourth would yet again bar their Buckeye arch-rivals from a Big Ten Championship appearance.
Nebraska eligible, beats at-risk Wisconsin 45-22
The Cornhuskers (6-5, 3-5 Big Ten) snapped a four-game losing streak with a win over the Badgers (5-6, 3-5 Big Ten), whose own losing streak has now stretched to four. Nebraska’s offense excelled, led by 293 passing yards and a touchdown from true freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola. Former Oregon running back Dante Dowdell added another three scores on the ground.
The loss puts Wisconsin, whose record stood at 5-2 after Week 8,
at even greater risk of missing out on a bowl game. The Badgers will need to beat Minnesota next week if they want to keep their 22-year-long bowl-eligibility streak alive.
USC wins ‘Flu Game,’ breaks UCLA hearts following 19-13 Trojans win
Though 27 players missed USC’s Tuesday practice following a flu outbreak, the Trojans (6-5, 4-5 Big Ten) rallied to beat UCLA (4-7, 3-6 Big Ten) inside the Rose Bowl. USC quarterback Jayden Maiava, who started his first game of the season last week in a win over Nebraska, started again against the Bruins.
This week, despite a modest passing statline of 19/35 for 221 yards and a touchdown, Maiava led the Trojans to another win. The result means the Bruins won’t reach automatic bowl eligibility this year.
However, with a good academic reputation and three losses coming at the hands of teams currently ranked within the AP Top 10 (Oregon, Indiana, Penn State), UCLA could be the rare five-win team to earn a bowl berth.
Big Ten branding can be seen all throughout Autzen Stadium. The previously No. 3 ranked Oregon Ducks football team took on the No. 2 ranked Ohio State University Buckeyes on Oct. 12, 2024, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. (Molly McPherson/Emerald)
