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Oregon Ducks @ Arizona Wildcats Recap

Oregon 44, Arizona 41 (2 OT)

If you thought last year's Oregon-Arizona game was wild and entertaining, this one was even better.

Last season, when the Ducks topped the Wildcats, 55-45, in a thrill ride at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., fans and TV viewers were massively entertained. Yet, the contest was for lower-tier bowl placing in the Pac-10.

This time around, the Oregon-Arizona encounter carried a lot more significance: The winner would control its fate on the road to Pasadena for the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1, while the loser would suffer an unspeakably cruel late-season blow. This duel in the Desert Southwest wasn't just a nice reason for a fun night on the town in Tucson, Ariz.; it was a collision for the inside track to a league championship in a year marked by the decline of the USC Trojans.

Consider the Oregon Ducks, then, as the team with the shortest path to one of college football's most special postseason destinations. Oregon proved to be a fitter and more focused football team than Arizona - by a slight margin, yes, but a real one - in an epic battle of relative equals.

Chip Kelly's team staggered, stumbled, tripped and teetered on many occasions in Arizona Stadium, but when Jeremiah Masoli leaned into the end zone on 3rd and goal from the Arizona 1, well into the night's second overtime stanza, the Ducks stood tall in triumph. The same team that was on the precipice of losing control in the run for the Roses had suddenly regained a firm hold on its situation. By remaining patient under fire, the Ducks earned the right to face in-state neighbor Oregon State for the Pac-10 championship and a ticket to the Granddaddy.

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Oregon’s high-powered offense didn’t execute with the precision or regularity that defined the Quack Attack's previous set of showdowns against USC, Stanford and Arizona State - there were some awkward moments against ASU, but nothing to be alarmed about - but when Rose Bowl visions appeared to be fading from the horizon, an up-and-down team summoned forth elite-level resolve.

How often did UO running back LaMichael James (19 carries, 117 yards) bust off a gallant gallop in the final minutes of regulation and in overtime? How many big grabs on 50-50, up-in-the-air passes did UO receiver Jeff Maehl (12 catches, 114 yards, two touchdowns) muster, the biggest one being his 3rd-and-4 touchdown maker in the first overtime? How many ridiculously remarkable plays did Jeremiah Masoli (345 total yards and six touchdowns, three rushing and three passing) create from nothing in this game? The instances are too numerous to count.

So are the situations the Ducks dug out of against Mike Stoops's men.

On 4th and 5 and trailing 31-24 in the final minute, did Oregon falter? No way: A Masoli pass moved the sticks and kept the Ducks' Pasadena plans alive. With the ball on the Arizona 9 with 11 seconds left in regulation, did Masoli lack true aim? No sir, he scored a touchdown by lobbing a perfect nine-yard scoring pass to tight end Ed Dickson. Did UO holder Nate Costa lose his patience when he bobbled the snap on the game-tying PAT at the end of the first overtime? No problem - Costa didn’t panic and was able to get the ball down (somehow) for kicker Morgan Flint, tying the score at 31-all. Oregon had to pass through several separate trials in this tilt, and because the Ducks were made of a strong emotional fiber - something Kelly has known all season long - they’ll now have one home game at Autzen Stadium for a trip to Southern California on New Year’s Day against the Ohio State Buckeyes.

By Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Staff Writer