Ever since the Indiana Hoosiers came into Autzen Oct. 11 and slipped out of Eugene with a 30-20 win, the Ducks have been waiting for a little payback.
Usually, you have to wait a season to avenge a loss, but circumstances have made sure Oregon doesn’t have to wait that long. Thanks to the Ducks crushing Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl and Indiana defeating Alabama in the Rose Bowl, this much-anticipated sequel will occur Jan. 9 at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta.
The winner advances to the National Championship game in Miami.
Oregon finds itself in this position with one of the more dominating defensive performances in program history. Texas Tech came into the game as one of the best offenses in the country, but the Ducks made the Red Raiders look like a bad junior varsity team. Oregon blanked Tech and held them to just 215 total yards after averaging nearly 500 yards per game this year.
True freshman cornerback Brandon Finney, Jr. had the game of his life with two interceptions and a fumble recovery. He was the easiest selection for Defensive Player of the Game in the history of football.
The Ducks wore down the Texas Tech defense, but it took the full 60 minutes to do so. The Red Raider defense came to play and made it difficult on Dante Moore and company. Oregon was in the opponent’s territory nearly all of the first half and just took a mere 6-0 halftime lead.
Texas Tech threatened to score a touchdown just once, but Finney. picked off a pass in the end zone to end that hope of cracking the scoreboard.
A field goal and a late touchdown accounted for the final score.
This is quite the difference from a year ago, when the Ducks’ season petered out in the Rose Bowl. Oregon seems to be peaking at the right time as it advances to the national semifinals. The Duck offense will have to play better in this second game with the Hoosiers. Oregon mustered just one offensive touchdown.
It didn’t cut it then, and in this semifinal game, one touchdown probably won’t cut it either.
