Editor’s note: In the final 20 days before Chip Kelly and the Ducks return to the field to defend their status as Pac-12 Champions, the Emerald sports desk will take a look back at one defining Oregon moment, play, or game each day. Every moment will have happened over the last 20 years of Oregon football, and not all are positive.
On September 20, 2003, the Oregon Ducks hosted arguably the best non-conference opponent in program history, as the No. 4 Michigan Wolverines rolled into Eugene looking to use the No. 22 Ducks as a springboard for a national title run and a Heisman Trophy campaign for star tailback Chris Perry. As for the result, the now-famous line from J. Brady McCullough of the Michigan Daily says it all: “Autzen Stadium is where great teams go to die.”
Oregon’s defense and special teams played a huge role in the victory, holding Perry to 26 yards rushing and sacking quarterback John Navarre multiple times. Oregon defensive back Steven Moore played a key role on both units, intercepting a Navarre pass and returning a punt for a touchdown to put momentum firmly on Oregon’s side. The Ducks would also block a Wolverine punt and return it for a touchdown, providing even more fireworks inside Autzen Stadium.
The triumph was not without nervous moments, as Michigan would recover a late onside kick only down four with a chance to snatch the game away. The Oregon defense stood tall however, and preserved what head coach Mike Bellotti called his biggest non-conference victory ever.