No one brought it up, nor will they, until Oregon wraps up its 12th game of the season against Oregon State.
But the top-ranked Oregon Ducks clinched a second consecutive Pacific-10 Conference title and were guaranteed a trip to Pasadena for the Rose Bowl.
Oregon (11-0, 8-0 Pac-10) continued its pursuit of perfection with a 48-29 rout of then-No. 21 Arizona on Saturday night, as the team reached the 11-win plateau for just the second time in school history (11-1 in 2001).
The second-largest showing in stadium history, 59,990 fans stuck through the rain and cold to watch Oregon seal the conference title in another come-from-behind victory that has become routine in 2010.
“The best part about the way we play is that no matter what happens, we don’t blink,” Oregon senior defensive tackle Brandon Bair said. “We just keep pushing forward, and we just keep playing our game.”
It was the second straight season the Ducks have remained undefeated at Autzen Stadium.
“This place is special,” Oregon head coach Chip Kelly said. “You know, we were undefeated at home last year, undefeated this year at home. It’s an awesome feeling going in there. When that crowds behind you, it really gives you a boost.”
Oregon trailed 19-14 going into halftime after a big opening half by Wildcats quarterback Nick Foles. The Ducks discussed how to slow Foles throughout the two weeks leading up to the game, but could not do so Saturday.
The junior from Austin, Texas, picked the Oregon defense apart, throwing for 231 yards and two touchdowns in the first half, including an 85-yard scoring strike to Juron Criner late in the first quarter. Foles concluded his stay in Eugene with 448 yards on 29 for 54 passing with three touchdowns and one interception.
Numbers aside, Kelly was extremely impressed by what he saw from the Arizona signal-caller.
“I haven’t seen a quarterback play like that in a long time,” Kelly said. “Nick Foles is one really, really, really good football player.”
Fortunately for Kelly, he has a few really good football players of his own.
The Oregon defense held Arizona to a field goal in the waning seconds of the first half, then forced its first three-and-out of the game to open the second. The Ducks took over at their own 15-yard line and two plays later freshman Josh Huff took a handoff and went 85 yards for the go-ahead score — Oregon never gave back the lead.
The play was Oregon’s longest from scrimmage this season and the third-longest run in school history.
“Me and Cliff (Harris), every game we go by ‘get money, it’s time to eat’, and every game I just keep that in my head,” Huff said. “Every time we touch ball, it’s time to make a play and help the team.”
Huff’s touchdown proved to be pivotal as Oregon outscored Arizona 28-10 after that point. Huff finished the game with a team-high 186 all-purpose yards.
“We’re finding new ways to try to get him the football and get him involved in the game,” Kelly said. “But that was one heck of a run.”
Oregon then forced another Arizona punt and made a statement on the ensuing drive, taking the ball 99 yards on 19 plays capped by a 20-yard scoring run by sophomore quarterback Darron Thomas. The Ducks milked more than six minutes off the clock during the stretch, establishing their control in the second half.
Thomas finished his day 14 for 24 with 148 yards and three touchdowns, while carrying the ball six times for 62 yards and another score. His four-touchdown performance gave Thomas 31 total touchdowns on the season (26 passing, five rushing), putting him just five scores behind Akili Smith (36, 1998) for Oregon’s single-season record.
“Nothing rattles Darron,” Kelly said. “He’s always calm, he’s always poised, he’s always just ready to play the next play. He’s exactly what you want in a QB for this offense.”
It was another record setting day for Oregon’s LaMichael James, who finished with 126 yards rushing and two touchdowns. The sophomore’s 19 rushing touchdowns this season is the most ever by an Oregon running back, and he also surpassed the career 3,000-yard mark on Oregon’s opening drive.
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