A betting person would have never guessed this was how the Ducks would win this game.
Coming off a performance where the Huskies abused the Oregon defense, that same group of defenders came out in a cold and frosty night inside Autzen Stadium to collectively play the game of their lives.
Oregon forced Utah quarterback Cam Rising into three interceptions and held on to defeat the Utes 20-17 on Senior Night in front of more than 57,000 fans.
With the win, the Ducks improve to 9-2 on the season and 7-1 in conference play. Now Oregon will prepare to take on the 8-3 Oregon State Beavers in Corvallis with a trip to the Pac-12 title game where USC awaits an opponent.
This game will be remembered not only for the incredible defense, but by perhaps one of the guttiest efforts by a single Oregon player in quarterback Bo Nix.
Obviously playing on a gimpy ankle, Nix virtually willed himself to play in this game where he had to let his arm do all of the work. The dual-threat quarterback was now strictly a pocket passer and it was just enough. Nix was 25-of-37 for 287 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
With his running game not available, it was only fitting that Nix’s only run of the night came on a third-and-2 with less than two minutes to go. He dove for the first down and the Utes were out of timeouts and the game belonged to Oregon.
But the Oregon offense didn’t make it easy.
After scoring 17 in the first half, Utah made the necessary adjustments and held the Ducks to just a field goal early in the fourth quarter. Camden Lewis’ 41-yard boot gave the Ducks the 20-17 lead with just 11 minutes to go.
Those 11 minutes, however, seemed like an eternity.
Utah had three more possessions to gather up some points to either tie the game or win it. But Oregon’s defense answered the call every time. Bennett Williams led everyone with 13 tackles and two interceptions. His last pick came with just over four minutes left to end a potential scoring drive.
It wouldn’t be that easy for the Ducks.
In his only bad throw of the night, Nix was picked off and only a quick swipe of the hand from Cam McCormick tripped up Clark Phillips to prevent a disastrous Pick-6.
Still, Utah regained possession with 3:14 left, which was plenty of time for Rising to orchestrate a game-winning drive. Fortunately, on a 4th-and-2, his pass to tight end Dalton Kincaid fell to the turf and that was that.