Oregon Ducks sports trivia: 5 tricky questions to test your knowledge

How well do you know your favorite football team, the Oregon Ducks? Here are five quick facts about that athletic department out West.

The Oregon Ducks mascot walks the sideline during the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025. Ohio State won 41-21.
The Oregon Ducks mascot walks the sideline during the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025. Ohio State won 41-21. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Oregon Ducks garner national attention every year. From a Big Ten championship football team to a powerhouse track and field program, the Ducks are front and center throughout a lot of the college athletic calendar.

However, not a lot of non-Oregon fans know that much about the Ducks themselves – a.k.a. "That Team Out West."

1. Before switching to their current mascot, what was the original live animal mascot of the Oregon Ducks?

Duck
A group of mallard ducks are shown in Monroe County in a previous year. The West Nile Virus was recently detected in a dead mallard duck in Monroe County. | TOM HAWLEY/Monroe News / USA TODAY NETWORK

Answer: Puddles the Duck

Believe it or not, there was a real-life Duck that was used as the Oregon mascot in the 1920s. A group of fraternity brothers caught the duck, which they lovingly named "Puddles the Duck," at the Millrace that cuts through campus and brought him to football games at Autzen Stadium.

Eventually, the mascot evolved into the mascot everyone knows and loves today, called "The Duck," which is based on Donald Duck.

2. In what year did the Oregon football team make its first-ever appearance in the Rose Bowl?

Dillon Gabrie
Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) warms up prior to the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Answer: 1917

Over a century ago, the Ducks made their first-ever trip south to play in The Granddaddy of Them All; the Rose Bowl Game.

Oregon defeated the Penn State Nittany Lions 14-0 in the matchup which was the third-ever Rose Bowl.

3. Who holds the Oregon football record for most career passing yards?

Marcus Mariota
UCLA v Oregon | Jonathan Ferrey/GettyImages

Answer: Marcus Mariota

None other than Oregon's lone Heisman Trophy winner, Marcus Mariota owns the title for the most career passing yards by a former Duck quarterback.

From 2012-14, Mariota threw the ball for a resounding 10,796 yards through the air. For those of you who guessed Eugene's hometown hero Justin Herbert, he finished just 255 yards short of Mariota's record.

4. Which former Oregon track star was the inspiration for the founding of Nike?

Bill Bowerman, Steve Prefontain
July 9, 1972; Eugene, OR, USA; Bill Bowerman applauds Steve Prefontaine at end of a victory lap at 1972 Olympic trials. Mandatory Credit: Wayne Eastburn-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images | USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Answer: Steve Prefontaine

Arguably one of the most famous Oregon athletes of all time is track star Steve Prefontaine. The elite runner was a star for the Ducks track team under head coach Bill Bowerman.

While Prefontaine, lovingly known as Pre, was at Oregon, he and Bowerman talked about how much a better shoe would help runners.

Bowerman, who also coached Phil Knight, joined forces with Knight to create Nike in 1971 (it was founded in 1964 under the name Blue Ribbon Sports).

5. Oregon baseball was discontinued for over 25 years before being reinstated. What year did the program return?

Anthony Hal
Oregon outfielder/first base Anthony Hall (35) celebrates his homer against the Central Connecticut Blue Devils with teammates during the NCAA Regional game at PK Park in Eugene, Oregon on Friday, June 4, 2021. | BRIAN HAYES / STATESMAN JOURNAL via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Answer: 2009

The University of Oregon athletic department dropped baseball as a Division I sport after the 1981 season and brought it back nearly three decades later in 2009.

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