SAN DIEGO — The Oregon seniors on the field during the Holiday Bowl had no time to prepare themselves for the end.
The hard-working group of 22 seniors had to stay focused right down to the precious final seconds of its battle with Texas Dec. 29.
So when Texas quarterback Chris Simms’ desperation heave fell incomplete in the end zone, the clock finally showed 0:00 and the scoreboard read 35-30 in Oregon’s favor, it all came out.
The emotion. The smiles. The hugs. The yells. And, of course, the tears.
“I’m loving all my teammates right now!” senior defensive end Jason Nikolao exclaimed as television-camera lights competed with the sky’s display of the fireworks after the game.
The end of the game marked an end of an era. Head coach Mike Bellotti has always mentioned how special a class this was to him, and with good reason.
This senior group boasts the best four-year record in Oregon history at 34-14, which is the most wins by any Pacific-10 Conference school in that time.
Of the 22 seniors, there are 11 players who have been active for the school’s four straight bowl appearances (Las Vegas, Aloha, Sun and Holiday.)
Among them are defensive stalwarts Saul Patu and Nikolao, who have seen action in all four bowls.
The two have been the Batman and Robin of the Oregon defense this season.
They command your attention both on and off the field, and when they speak, you listen. That’s just the way it is.
“I’m extremely proud of everyone who played on this team, from the scout team on up,” Patu said. “And especially all of the guys on defense. We’re like a body. If one person goes down, then it affects everyone.
“It was just awesome. My career has been outstanding. The whole experience of maturing and becoming a man in college. I’m leaving this place very satisfied.”

Nikolao, or “Niko,” as he is referred to, is a non-stop quote machine. His words become instantly written down in one person’s notepad and later sent out via the laptop for all to enjoy. As you watched him right after the game, you knew he was trying to grasp the reality that he had just ended his Oregon career as a champion.
“I’m soaking it all up right now,” he said. “I’m playing and rolling around in the grass. I’m gonna take some of this grass home with me. The fireworks are amazing. Our fans were amazing. Oh man …
“I was so sick and tired of seeing this all week …”
(Niko holds up the Texas signal with his index and pinky fingers pointed skyward.)
“We gotta shut it up. And you know, I didn’t get to sing in Chris Simms’ ear, but I was pretty close a couple times, but I’m singin’ now.
“Oh happy day!” (Niko sings while dancing around a little bit.)
“It’s a happy day baby! It’s a happy day. It’s Autzen part 2.”
Nikolao compared the Holiday Bowl to an intense battle between two armies. He mentioned how Texas was talking a lot of trash and how it brought him back to “the old Niko.”
“It was a battle of words as much as it was a battle of pads,” he said. “It got pretty nasty with us cussing at each other a little bit here and there. They were big hogs out there just getting ready to kill us, and that’s the way we saw it.
“It was fitting to see all this smog on the field (from the fireworks and the cannons) like we’re just done with a battle. And we came off alive, and the other team… well, they’re still alive, but they’re dead inside, I just know it. I know I’d be.”

Yes folks, that is Niko.
Of course, there are other seniors on this Oregon team who played a huge part in the team’s success. There’s outside linebacker Garrett Sabol, who didn’t try to hide his feelings of playing his final game in a Ducks uniform.
“It’s always tough to picture going out,” Sabol said. “This is the final one … unreal. It hurts my heart, but it feels good everywhere else. We’re a family, and we’ve put so much time in together, and I feel so good for our seniors.”
Oregon senior offensive lineman Ryan Schmid mentioned how this Holiday Bowl win was for fellow senior lineman Lee Gundy, who battled some serious adversity the morning before the game.
At 4:30 a.m., Gundy was given three IV’s because he had the flu, which caused him to vomit throughout the morning. Yet, come game time, there he was starting at right tackle.
“He’s a great competitor and a great warrior,” Bellotti said of Gundy. “I’m so proud of all my seniors. Your last game is pretty special and there’s no better way to go out than to win here in this kind of an environment.”
No doubt, next year’s team will have some big shoes to fill on the field, but in terms of character and desire, the shoes off the field might be even larger.