Oregon football will have some fellow student-athletes cheering them on at the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.
Kelly Graves, the Oregon women’s basketball head coach, said that a few of his players approached one of his assistant coaches with the idea of having the team attend the Rose Bowl, since the Ducks will play USC and UCLA on Jan. 3 and Jan. 5.
“What are the odds that the football team is in the Rose Bowl, the semifinals, the same year and exact same time that we’re going to be playing the two LA schools on the road,” Graves said.
Graves insisted that every member of the team had to have a ticket. Because the team all found different ways to secure tickets, he thinks they might not all sit together.
The team was able to change its airline reservation, set in advance, with no penalties. Graves said the team will practice after the game at a gym in the area to prepare for the two games in Los Angeles.
“It’s just a win-win all the way around,” Graves said. “What a great experience for these kids. … It’s still a business trip. We’re going down to try and take care of business against UCLA and USC.”
– Tyson Alger of the Oregonian took a look at Oregon football’s most unsung heroes, the guys that don’t get the credit they deserve, in the lead-up to the Ducks’ matchup with Florida State on Jan. 1.
– Oregon and Florida State will lock heads in many different battles on New Years Day, but FSU’s Mario Edwards Jr. is a game-changer.
– Ryan Thorburn of The Register-Guard has a closer look at Chris Seisay, the player slated to take over for Ifo Ekpre-Olomu after his knee injury in practice.
– See what the Ducks had to say when they landed in Los Angeles yesterday, including Don Pellum and Hroniss Grasu.
– Everyone already knows what the Ducks will be wearing when they take the field against Florida State, but they also have a wardrobe for their off-the-field look.
Follow Jonathan Hawthorne on Twitter @Jon_Hawthorne