The Auburn game was close. Like their last clash with Auburn it came down to the last seconds.
The Ducks could have won that game if they'd made one more play.
We've talked a lot about the 4th and 1 call and a couple of other misfires, but the play that sticks out in my mind is a 4th and 3 by Auburn on the final drive.
Bo Nix didn't have an open receiver and scrambled right.
Troy Dye and Gus Cumberlander converge on him at the line of scrimmage, but Nix dives forward.
Just before his knee hits the turf he reaches the line to gain.
You'll find it at 3:09 of this highlight:
--It was a case of two very good defenders late in the game, gassed by being on the field for most of the fourth quarter. Nix made an athletic move in a desperate situation.
When you talk about Oregon's playoff chances and their record, they were as close as the nose of the football to being 4-0 with a win over the SEC in Texas.
There's still lots to play for and the Ducks have made a nice recovery with a big road win over an old nemesis, but depending on how this season turns out, I'd point to that play as a big turning point. It's a little like the Olympics: years of training come down to one moment.
Of course both teams had other opportunities in the game, but if Dye and Cumberlander make that tackle short of the sticks, the game is over.
The Ducks could have won that game if they'd made one more play.
We've talked a lot about the 4th and 1 call and a couple of other misfires, but the play that sticks out in my mind is a 4th and 3 by Auburn on the final drive.
Bo Nix didn't have an open receiver and scrambled right.
Troy Dye and Gus Cumberlander converge on him at the line of scrimmage, but Nix dives forward.
Just before his knee hits the turf he reaches the line to gain.
You'll find it at 3:09 of this highlight:
--It was a case of two very good defenders late in the game, gassed by being on the field for most of the fourth quarter. Nix made an athletic move in a desperate situation.
When you talk about Oregon's playoff chances and their record, they were as close as the nose of the football to being 4-0 with a win over the SEC in Texas.
There's still lots to play for and the Ducks have made a nice recovery with a big road win over an old nemesis, but depending on how this season turns out, I'd point to that play as a big turning point. It's a little like the Olympics: years of training come down to one moment.
Of course both teams had other opportunities in the game, but if Dye and Cumberlander make that tackle short of the sticks, the game is over.
