The blowout loss to national champion Indiana in the Peach Bowl can't obscure the fact that this was an incredible season of Oregon football. The Ducks were resourceful, courageous and entertaining before getting drubbed by a team of destiny in the College Football Playoff semifinal.
From Noah Whittington's 35-yard run on the opening play of the Montana State game to Roger Saleapaga's touchdown catch at the end of the second loss to Indiana, this was a team that played explosive, wide-open football from beginning to end, with 100 plays of over 20 yards or more, the most in the nation.
It was a season of big moments and rising to the occasion. At Iowa the Ducks trailed 16-15 with 27 seconds to play when Dante Moore found Malik Benson with a 25-yard pass down the right sideline, a throw Moore fitted into a keyhole just over the defender's right shoulder, setting up another game-winning field goal by Atticus Sappington.
Against Minnesota in November Jeremiah McClellan grabbed another of his hyper focused miracle catches, dragging his foot as he dove out of bounds for a 13-yard touchdown near the end of the third quarter. McClellan's ability to never give up on the ball and concentrate through contact amazed all year.
What was your favorite moment from this past season? 🤔
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Against USC it was Benson again, breaking open a 14-14 tie with an electric 85-yard punt return. Later in the game Moore threaded a 28-yard touchdown pass to Kenyon Sadiq, who ranged between two defenders and pulled the ball down in the end zone to make it 35-21 with just over two minutes to go in the third quarter.
In a season of big plays and big catches, few were bigger than the grab Benson made in the fourth quarter against Washington on 3rd and 9 in a 19-14 game, leaping for a pass over the middle and zooming 64 yards for a decisive score.
Benson was a burner for the Ducks, who turned on his flame at just the right time
Benson's speed made him a breakout star, rising to the occasion after Gary Bryant Jr. and Dakorien Moore went down with injury, easily one of the portal finds of the year in college football.
Another portal find was Jamari Johnson, little-used in one injury-plagued season at Louisville, steadily climbing in the rotation at Oregon to become a big-play guy as a receiving tight end. He started the scoring onslaught in the Ducks' 51-34 home playoff win over James Madison, grabbing the ball one-handed down the seam, shaking off a defender and diving into the end zone for a 41-yard strike.
Plucky punter James Ferguson-Reynolds proved a weapon for the Oregon defense, placing 17 of his 35 punts inside the 20 with just two touchbacks. He added to his value with a couple of trick plays out of punt formation, shot putting a pass to Teitum Tuioti for 11 yards and a first down in the 23-0 Orange Bowl victory.
The defense seized the momentum in that one, particularly when Matayo Uiagalelei bulled through a hold, reached out with one big paw and swatted the ball away from Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton, then picked it off the passer's back and churned down to the Red Raider 6-yard-line, setting up a 6-yard touchdown run by Jordon Davison on the very next play to put the Ducks out in front 13-0.
Those were just some of the moments that made 2025 special.