FishDuck Article Administrator No. 1 Share Posted November 18 There’s no way around it: The Oregon Ducks football program did not have the game they expected in Wisconsin. They played out a hard-fought slugfest that ended with the knockout blow being a game-winning interception from none other than Matayo Uiagalelei, this game’s clear defensive MVP. He clinched the game on a batted pass and earned the Ducks their lowest-scoring ... Oregon Ducks Football: Just Win. | FishDuck FISHDUCK.COM There’s no way around it: The Oregon Ducks football program did not have the game they expected in Wisconsin. They played out a hard-fought slugfest that ended… 1 1 1 3 Two Sites: FishDuck and the Our Beloved Ducks forum, The only "Forum with Decorum!" And All-Volunteer? What a wonderful community of Duck fans! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYDuck No. 2 Share Posted November 18 This was the type of game that all the naysayers said OBD wouldn't have the stones to pull out. An ugly, gross, gritty B1G game in a hostile environment at night. Well guess what..... we've got some stones! How bout that? GO DUCKS! Run the table!!!!!!!!!! 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDuck Moderator No. 3 Share Posted November 18 Thanks Alex, Agree with your points. Even Josh Pate said this had upset alert written all over it, but believe Oregon will win. You mentioned Oregon played their eighth game in a row which is daunting in it self, but the Badgers also had two weeks to prepare for the Ducks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
30Duck Moderator No. 4 Share Posted November 18 Alex thanks, and in this great season, this 16-13 game, might have been the most impressive win of the season. It was all there for the Ducks to lose, 8th game in a row, at Wisconsin, who's coming off a Bye, no Tez, no Harper, no Burch, but the Ducks win anyway. This was the type of game that a lot of people still didn't think Oregon, the "finesse" team from the Pac-12 could win. There's no finesse with this Ducks team. The B1G schedule makers did them no favors, except giving OBD 2 weeks off to get rested and ready for 0-5 on the road UW. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haywarduck Moderator No. 5 Share Posted November 18 I don't think Dan Lanning would have it any other way, but I do think coaching D1 football is stressful. Anyone else notice the grey starting to creep on to the temple areas, and into his beard. The guy is 38, giving it his all, and you can see him age in front of our eyes. So who is the most improved, who the best in crunch time, the most important, all of those accolades should go to the guy turning grey before our eyes. Nobody cares more, and he is carrying these players, coaches along on his plan and preparation to win it all. 1 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Moderator No. 6 Share Posted November 18 Thank you, Alex. No argument regarding your Mari(o) call; the man never came across a team he could not play down to. SMU defeats Miami in the ACC champ game and the 2-loss Canes would likely miss the PO. SMU will score against this Miami D. A loss in the ACC champ game would please the members of the U's NIL collective, right? With CAM rented for one season and missing Clemson, Pitt, SMU and half-ACC'd Notre Dame in the regular season, this would be an Epic Fail. Eight in a row versus P4 competition without a siesta. The only P4 team asked to do this in 2024. Three trips East in the last five games of this gauntlet. Teams No. 7 and 8 coming off 'bye' weeks. As you noted, key guys were missing including the go-to guy on O and DL Burch who will be drafted early by an NFL team in 2025. A night kick-off in Madison where Wisconsin was 10-2 in its last twelve night games versus ranked opponents, including a victory over No. 1 Ohio State. A remarkable effort to go 8-0. Tez was injured early in the Michigan game. Will a month of healing have him back on the 30th? If it's a close call will it be better to hold him out one more week for the likely rematch vs. the Buckeyes? Sleep well and Wipe Out UW Back-to-Back! 1 1 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicroBurst61 No. 7 Share Posted November 18 This game had all the vibes of an OR/STAN game back when Stanford was relevant. Oregon football has always had a letdown game or two each season. Stanford, Washington St., California, AZ schools in the desert, have all given highly ranked, championship, caliber OBD teams fits in the past. This last game was no different than any of those others, except it was now a B1G conference foe. I would argue that this was probably one of the better games of the year for OBD. Hostile environment, at night, #1 team "target on you back", eighth conference game in a row with no bye, playing a team that is coming off of a bye AND could have had two more wins than they actually did coming into the game. To execute a game plan, substandard to OBD "standards", and not let a game, which in the past OBD may have actually lost, not get away from them, and to do so in seemingly confident fashion (OBD did seem frustrated but never panicked), makes this a game that will serve them well in the playoffs. It is important for a team to learn how to win ugly just As much as winning through a "complete" game. Championship teams do both! 's 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Kamikaze Kid Moderator No. 8 Share Posted November 18 Nice article. And to follow up with Jon's excellent post, not only did OBD play eight conference games in a row, with UCLA and Washington bookending the schedule, they played seven pre expansion BIG teams in a row with no break. The BIG did what it could to wear down the Ducks and keep their traditional super powers at the top of the standings but it didn't work. The final quarter of that murderous schedule saw the Ducks win it 10-0 in completely dominating fashion. Now they can finally get some rest, heal up, thump the purple pups and get ready for the second half of the season. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicroBurst61 No. 9 Share Posted November 18 On 11/18/2024 at 8:19 AM, The Kamikaze Kid said: The BIG did what it could to wear down the Ducks and keep their traditional super powers at the top of the standings but it didn't work. Yeah, if I am remembering correctly didn't DL, at the B1G media days, have something to say about The B1G having to adjust to Oregon instead of the other way around? Nice Try B1G. Maybe next year you can schedule OBD to a 13 game schedule to everyone else's 12. 9 game straight, 6 on the road (three of those at night @tOSU, Mich., Penn St), conference schedule. Oh and DL banned from the sidelines for three of the other games for "innovation and loophole" personal foul penalty. Then maybe, just maybe, the B1G and OBD will actually Be on a level playing field. GO QUACKERS! 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
30Duck Moderator No. 10 Share Posted November 18 On 11/18/2024 at 7:48 AM, Jon Joseph said: Will a month of healing have him back on the 30th? If it's a close call will it be better to hold him out one more week for the likely rematch vs. the Buckeyes? After some really deep thought and consideration on this, at least 6 seconds, if it's a close call, Tez doesn't get close to the field. As much fun as it would be to have him scorch the Mutts, he isn't needed. He will be later. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chas Man No. 11 Share Posted November 18 (edited) Upon reflection, I'm having a difficult time choosing my "superlative" player. Too many choices! I'll suggest a few of my own categories: * Shooting Star: This is the guy who is either the best player on the field, or quietly performing behind the scenes: Kenyon Sadiq * Crunch Time: When you need clutch (as in 4th and 9 with the game on the line) T. Ferg of course * Line Judge: Who owns the line of scrimmage? My favorite dirt dog: Jamaree Caldwell * Tip of the Spear: This is the guy who signals to opponents they are in for a slobber knocking game: Jordan James (of course) * Secret Weapon: The freak of nature whose middle name is "Game Wrecker": Matayo Uiagalelie (My current favorite player and biggest source of confidence) So many more that could be mentioned, and I guess that's the point: This team is loaded with difference makers. Great culture for a championship run. Go Ducks; Annihilate the Dawgs! Edited November 18 by Chas Man 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Administrator No. 12 Share Posted November 18 The FishDuck Photographer hired for the game told me that the game atmosphere was electric, as both the crowd and the Badgers were primed for an upset. Tough place to play, and if they had a good QB... And as Canzano noted, "Oregon was fatigued, while Wisconsin was fresh." 1 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chas Man No. 13 Share Posted November 18 On 11/18/2024 at 9:58 AM, Charles Fischer said: The FishDuck Photographer hired for the game told me that the game atmosphere was electric, as both the crowd and the Badgers were primed for an upset. Tough place to play, and if they had a good QB... And as Canzano noted, "Oregon was fatigued, while Wisconsin was fresh." The "fatigued vs fresh" factor was the main storyline of that game IMHO. Which makes our stellar play in the 4th quarter, especially from the d-line, and really the entire defense, all the more impressive. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...