Proud dad recaps Matayo's big play, and Oregon fans are here for it

Oregon fans have come to love Dave Uiagalelei, father of Matayo and former Clemson, Oregon State and Florida State quarterback DJ.

He's become a combination of super fan, proud papa and football insider, a truth teller who interacts with ordinary fans with enthusiasm and superior knowledge, a warrior of the heart in the Polynesian tradition with honesty and advocacy.

So when he spoke up after the game to speak up for his talented son and the Oregon defense on Twitter, his words had special meaning. He knew what he was talking about, and the observations had both passion and weight. It offered a powerful insight into the mindset of the Duck defense and suggested how they might compete against Indiana in the Peach Bowl on Thursday January 9.

Talking about Matayo's strip/sack/forced fumble and fumble recovery in the third quarter against Texas Tech, Big Dave said:

Indeed, at the time the Ducks were clinging to a six-point lead in a game where it felt like the next touchdown would win. The offense was repeatedly shooting itself in the foot and squandering opportunities. A TTU squad that had steamrolled the Big 12 with 42 points a game threatened to come out of its shell, or at least put together one explosive play or drive.

The game had the look of one of those painful upsets, an excruciating loss where one team dominates the statistics but loses the momentum in the second half. Instead, Young Concrete's impact play seized control of a difficult moment with tremendous effort and athleticism.

Uiagalei defeated the right tackle, fought through a hold, reached out with one big paw and swatted the ball away from Behren Morton, plucking the ball off the quarterback's lower back and churning like a fullback down to the Texas Tech six.

It was a statement play, a game-changing play, an impact play of the highest order, one that showed how an elite edge rusher can wreck an offense. Interviewed on the field after the game, Matayo said, "It was definitely important. Coming into this game they had a top defense and a top offense. Being dominant on defense is definitely an X factor we needed to have, just the mindset we needed to have."

One play later Jordon Davison bulled into the end zone behind a key block by reserve tight end Roger Saleapaga, and Oregon gained complete control, ahead 13-0. They would add a field goal and a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

"It was almost like we were competing against their defense. That's our mindset. We were going to try and outshine them."

All the talk pregame, here and elsewhere, was how intimidating the Tech defense was, with 39 sacks and 31 turnovers during the year. On Thursday the Oregon defense erupted for four sacks and four turnovers while holding their favored opponents (the line moved in the Red Raiders' favor just before the game) to 0-3 on 4th down.

They painted the corners and came in with the high heat to pitch a 23-0 shutout, the most decisive and dominant effort by an Oregon defense in a bowl game in program history.

That sense of being a team with a chip on its shoulder, of being on a mission and taking the fight to the opponent, is the thing that drives championship runs. Ohio State had it last year. All the teams left in the playoffs are supremely talented and each one has a compelling story, but you get the feeling the Ducks just might get it done. They've reached the third down of their drive to a title.