This Saturday will feature the 117th game in what many consider to be the biggest college football rivalry on the West Coast — the Washington Huskies vs. Oregon Ducks. The two universities in Eugene and Seattle are separated by 285 miles and an approximately five-hour drive.
In the 124 years since the two teams began facing off, Washington has won 63 times, Oregon has won 48 times and they have tied five times. At home, Washington’s all time record in this rivalry is 34-30-4, and Oregon’s home record is 18-28-1.
Their first game in 1900 was played in Eugene, and the Ducks dominated with a 43-0 win. Washington holds the largest blowout in the rivalry with their 66-0 win in 1974, while Oregon holds the largest winning streak which lasted 12 games from 2004 to 2015.
The majority of lifelong Ducks fans would say the most iconic moment in all of Oregon’s rich football history was a play on Oct. 23, 1994 that is known today as “The Pick.”
At the time, the Huskies came into the game ranked at No. 9 in the nation and held a five game winning streak over the Ducks. Unranked Oregon clung to a 24-20 lead with just over a minute remaining in regulation and Washington had the ball in the red zone. Quarterback Damon Huard took a shot towards the endzone and the pass was intercepted at the 3 yard-line by defensive back Kenny Wheaton, who ran 97 yards for the game-sealing pick-6.
At the end of the first quarter of every Ducks’ home game, fans get to relive this priceless moment in Mat Kearney’s “Coming Home” video as broadcaster Jerry Allen’s voice echoes throughout Autzen Stadium, “Kenny Wheaton’s gonna score! Kenny Wheaton’s gonna score!” Oregon would go on to make their first Rose Bowl appearance in 37 years.
Unfortunately for the Ducks, it’s been a few years since a game-changing moment went their way. Their last win over the Huskies was in 2021 when they won 26-16 in Seattle during Mario Cristobal’s final season as head coach.
Current head coach Dan Lanning is 0-3 against Washington, and all three games were decided by three points. Lanning has just two losses against other teams during his time in Eugene, and they were both in his first season. Washington is also the only team who has beaten Lanning at Autzen Stadium.
This past summer, both universities embraced a new challenge by joining the Big Ten. Oregon has fit right in and has not lost a game since the Pac-12 Championship Game. For Washington, the transition hasn’t been as smooth.
In addition to losing a lot of their talent from the past couple years to the NFL Draft, head coach Kalen DeBoer accepted a job coaching at the University of Alabama. The coaching job at Washington was taken over by Jedd Fisch, who previously coached Arizona and took them from a one-win team to a 10-win team.
Despite his previous success, Fisch has found himself in a serious decline with the reigning National Championship runner-ups.
Washington currently sits at 6-5. Quarterback Will Rogers has thrown for 14 touchdowns and 7 interceptions while being sacked 18 times. Running back Jonah Coleman has rushed for 1,008 yards and 9 touchdowns, while wide receivers Giles Jackson and Denzel Boston have combined for 1,427 receiving yards. It is still a talented team, but it doesn’t compare to last year.
Washington will finish the season undefeated at Husky Stadium, where they haven’t lost since their last loss to Oregon in 2021. On the flip side, they do not have a win on the road or on neutral fields this season.
The No. 1 Ducks are looking to continue that narrative and finish off their first 12-0 regular season since 2010 with some long awaited revenge over the Huskies.
