CORVALLIS – In the weeks leading up to this year’s Civil War, senior running back Jeremiah Johnson said several times that he felt helpless last season, when injury kept him from helping his team in the Civil War, and that feeling left a sour taste in his mouth coming into this season.
“Last year I didn’t to compete against these guys and it really hurt me when we came out with a loss,” he said.
This year would be different, he said, and he would take the squad on his shoulders if necessary to ensure a victory. He promised to do everything in his power to get the Civil War win the Ducks had missed out on the last two seasons.
“I really put it out there this week to our guys that we got to have this one,” he said.
Saturday Oregon dismantled Oregon State 65-38 at Reser Stadium, its first win there since 1996. Johnson didn’t have to do it single-handedly, as eight different Ducks found the endzone, but he shouldered his fair share and then some as the game’s leading rusher, gaining 219 yards on 17 carries (12.9 ypc) and a touchdown.
His 219 yards was the most ever by single rusher in the Civil War and put Johnson over 2,000 yards rushing for his career, he now stands at No. 8 on the school’s all-time rushing list with 2,217 yards.
He broke off runs of 79 and 83 yards in the game; the latter went for a touchdown and was the longest of his career. That run also ranked as the sixth-longest in school history.
“It feels great, needless to say, I felt like I had to stack two games into one,” he said.
This season’s senior class has garnered plenty of national attention in their time as Ducks, and a virtual truckload of awards and honors. They have also had the unpleasant distinction of losing a Civil War at Autzen Stadium for the first time in a decade, which gave the Beavers a two-game win streak in the series.
Senior defensive end Nick Reed was 1-2 against the Beavers coming into this game, and said leading up to the game that his main concern was evening up that score to end his career.
Reed had three sacks and a forced fumble in the Ducks’ win, moving him into sole possession of second on Oregon’s all-time sacks list. Reed couldn’t have been happier with the result.
“It feels good, feels awesome,” he said. “I would have liked to hold them to less points but a win’s a win, we got it.”
Senior rover Patrick Chung put an exclamation point on his Oregon career as well, leading the Ducks’ defense with 11 tackles, one for a loss, in his final regular season game after starting every game of his four-year college career.
“It was perfect,” he said. “My last Civil War, the best way to go out is with a ‘W’.”
Now it’s a likely Holiday Bowl berth for the Ducks and Reed, who came out of the Oregon locker room in a Holiday Bowl hooded sweatshirt, said that suits him just fine.
“It’s an awesome bowl, I remember going there as a freshman,” he said. “It was lots of fun, the whole week is a good time.”