LAS VEGAS – No. 5 Oregon football just can’t get over the Washington hump.
For the second time this season, and for the third consecutive game, the Ducks (11-2, 8-1 Pac-12) came up short to the No. 3 Huskies (13-0, 9-0 Pac-12) by three points in the Pac-12 championship game at Allegiant Stadium Friday, 34-31.
The Ducks fell behind by three scores in the first half, trailing 20-3, before a 21-0 run helped them take the lead in the third quarter. Oregon quarterback Bo Nix connected on a couple of deep shots right at the end of the half, capped off by a toss to Terrance Ferguson in the back of the end zone to cut the UW lead to 20-10 with nine seconds remaining.
Out of the half, the Ducks scored on their opening possession, converting on two separate fourth downs to pull within three without the Huskies and Michael Penix Jr. even taking the field.
A fourth down stop then led to another Ducks score at the other end, and in the blink of an eye, Oregon had taken a three-point lead. The Huskies responded with a score of their own, and after taking a 10-point lead with minutes remaining, the Ducks couldn’t overcome another double-digit deficit.
Bo Nix connected on 21 of his 34 throws for 239 yards and three touchdowns with an interception and was Oregon’s leading rusher with 69 yards. Outside Nix, the Ducks ran for just 55 yards on 14 carries.
Penix threw for 319 yards en route to Pac-12 championship MVP honors, and Dillon Johnson ran for 152 yards on 28 carries for two touchdowns. Jalen McMillan and Rome Odunze both totaled over 100 receiving yards.
Here are three takeaways from Oregon’s dramatic loss to the Huskies in the final Pac-12 championship game.
Oregon Ducks quarterback Bo Nix (10) looks to throw against the Washington Huskies during the first quarter at Allegiant Stadium Dec. 1, 2023, in Las Vegas.
Ducks can’t…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/4-takeaways-oregon-football-loss-073203547.html
Author : The Register-Guard
Publish date : 2023-12-02 07:32:03
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