The window of opportunity was exposed earlier in the afternoon Saturday, and by the time the evening rolled around, Oregon had flung it wide open.
Knowing that Washington had defeated Stanford, Oregon took the field at Autzen Stadium and emphatically secured the inside track to the Fiesta Bowl, beating Arizona State 42-24 in front of 46,064 appreciative fans.
“We always want to control our own destiny,” cornerback Rashad Bauman said. “We don’t like to put our destiny in anybody else’s hands.”
Entering the day, five Pacific-10 Conference teams had one loss, including Stanford, which would have had the advantage over Oregon in a tiebreaker.
After the day’s events were done, though, the now-seventh-ranked Ducks were tied with only the two Washington schools at 5-1 in the conference — and Oregon holds the tiebreaker edge over both teams.
Should Oregon beat UCLA this Saturday and Oregon State on Dec. 1, the Ducks would be guaranteed at least a Bowl Championship Series berth in the Jan. 1 Fiesta Bowl.
“There’s no slips. Can’t slip,” Bauman said. “We fell once and can’t let it happen again. Let it happen again, and every dream that we had will be gone. And I don’t think this team is ready to give up that dream.”
The Ducks sure played like a determined team Saturday.
Senior quarterback Joey Harrington was throwing often and setting records. Junior receiver Keenan Howry was catching often and setting records. And sophomore tailback Onterrio Smith was carrying often, and well, helping sustain Oregon’s one-loss record.
In all, Harrington threw for six touchdown passes, setting a new Autzen Stadium record and tying the Oregon record he set in last season’s 56-55 win at Arizona State.
Howry caught four of those scoring strikes Saturday, tying a Pac-10 record and setting the Oregon and Autzen records for most touchdowns caught in a game.
And Smith, starting in place of the hobbled Maurice Morris, wasn’t as explosive as he was against Washington State but still rushed for 152 yards on 36 carries in a workmanlike performance that helped move the chains.
“Sure, let them try and stop the run and we’ll pass the ball, let them try and stop the pass and we’ll run the ball,” said Harrington, who threw for 319 yards on 19-of-32 passing. “I have such a fun time running this offense.”
Don’t forget the Oregon defense. After surrendering a Delvon Flowers 54-yard scamper into the end zone in the first quarter to start behind 7-0, the Ducks buckled down.
Harrington hooked up with Howry for a 14-yard score and four minutes later, dumped it off to Smith, who raced in to complete a 22-yard touchdown pass that gave Oregon the 14-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.
It was then the Ducks defense’s turn to make a statement. In the Sun Devils’ first complete series of the second quarter, they drove downfield and had a first-and-goal at the one-yard line. But three unsuccessful attempts later, Arizona State was forced to settle for a short field goal.
“Any time you get a first and goal and you hold them to a field goal, that’s a huge momentum shift,” head coach Mike Bellotti said. “It really gave our guys a sense of confidence.”
From there, it was all Harrington and Howry. There was the 24-yard dart deep in the right corner of the end zone to account for the 21-10 halftime lead. There was the 13-yard pass in the left corner of the end zone for the 28-10 edge at the 11:37 mark of the third quarter.
And again in the third quarter and again from 13 yards out, there was the final connection made between the two playmakers to go up by 25.
“Essentially, we’re working on two or three years of just playing catch with each other,” Harrington said. “Keenan’s the best I’ve played with.”
Just for good measure, Harrington got sophomore receiver Samie Parker involved in the fourth quarter with a 38-yard score for Oregon’s final 42nd point.
Arizona State’s Flowers padded his stats with two two-yard touchdown runs to close out the scoring.
“In general, Oregon made the plays,” Arizona State head coach Dirk Koetter said. “That’s what separates teams in the top-10 from the rest of the field.”
Now, the Ducks switch their attention to this week’s huge test against the Bruins at the hallowed Rose Bowl, where wins don’t come easily.
“That’s the stadium that everybody goes to watch,” Bauman said. “We’re not scared of it. Believe that. We’re anxious to get down there and take care of business.”
Added linebacker Kevin Mitchell: “We’re having a lot of fun now. It’s time for us to keep rolling.”