This could have been one of those victories that would live on in Oregon football history.
It had all the makings of an instant classic.
Instead, it turned into one of those losses that will be difficult to forget.
Washington quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. threw for 407 yards and two touchdowns, including a 62-yard bomb that tied the game at 34-34 with just over three minutes to go.
On the drive before that, Oregon took nearly 11 minutes off the clock with a 20-play drive.
However, Bo Nix was banged up at the end of that drive, forcing Oregon to settle for a field goal and the all-too-brief 34-27 lead.
It appeared Nix sustained a slight injury to his right ankle and was unable to finish the current drive in the UW redzone. ,
“We’re always going to think of our player’s health first” explained Lanning when asked about Nix’s injury.
“At that moment we felt that Bo wasn’t able to go. We have to get him evaluated and see where things are actually at with him. He came back and said ‘hey coach, I feel like I can go’ and I said are you sure,…and the medical staff said he was good so we went back with him.”
Ty Thompson came in and the Ducks gained nine yards on three running plays. With the ball on their own 33, coach Dan Lanning decided to go for it.
Normally it would have been a good decision, but with the backup in there and no threat to throw, Washington knew a run was coming. Noah Whittington slipped down and the Huskies took over on downs.
What made it worse was that Nix was jumping up and down begging to go back in.
Either Lanning didn’t see his Heisman candidate on the sideline or he didn’t feel like Nix was healthy enough to convert the fourth down.
Woulda, coulda, shoulda.
Even with the loss, the 8-2 Ducks, 6-1 in the conference, still control their own destiny regarding the Pac-12 title game.
“We have a tight locker room,..I think our players recognize that and realize that.” said Lanning. “This won’t change their approach.”
If Oregon should defeat Utah next week and the Beavers after that, the Ducks will go to Las Vegas for the Pac-12 Championship.
Unfortunately, the College Football Playoff is off the table.
(POST-GAME) DAN LANNING DISCUSSES UPSET LOSS TO UW