The Oregon Ducks clinched a spot in the Pac-12 championship game as they continued their quest for the playoffs by defeating the Oregon State Beavers on Friday night.
Heisman hopeful Bo Nix contributed to three touchdowns as the 6th ranked Oregon defeated the 16th ranked Oregon State 31-7, ending the regular season with an impressive 11-1 record (8-1 Pac-12), setting up a rematch with the 4th ranked Washington for the Pac-12 title. It was the Huskies who handed the Ducks their only loss in the regular season in a thrilling 36-33 match on October 14th.
Oregon dominated the game, taking a 14-point lead after a last-minute push by Oregon State to close the gap just before halftime. The Beavers managed to score a touchdown, but the Ducks quickly responded with a 41-yard TD pass from Nix to Troy Franklin, extending their lead to 21-7 at halftime.
From that point on, Oregon’s defense took control. Oregon State failed to convert on downs to start the second half, and their QB DJ Uiagalelei threw an interception on back-to-back possessions. By the middle of the fourth quarter, Oregon was leading by 24 points when the Beavers had the ball for a fourth time.
Nix Continues to Strengthen His Heisman Bid
The Heisman race seems to be narrowing down to two frontrunners. Nix (+115) is closely behind LSU QB Jayden Daniels (+100), and both players are significantly ahead of Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. (+700) and others.
While Daniels will play his last game before the Heisman ceremony, Nix still has one more game to showcase why he deserves the Heisman Trophy.
During the game, Nix delivered a remarkable performance, completing 30-of-37 passes for 360 yards and two touchdowns while adding 31 rushing yards and a score. He played a pivotal role in all three of Oregon’s first-half touchdowns, totaling nine first-half TDs over the past two games.
Throughout the season, Nix has thrown 37 TDs with just two interceptions, in addition to rushing for six touchdowns. He’s thrown for over 300 yards in his last four games and has completed at least 76% of his passes in all of them.
With one more game ahead of him, Nix will have an opportunity to avenge Oregon’s only loss and outshine Penix, strengthening his claim to the Heisman and potentially securing a place for Oregon in the playoffs.
Oregon State Finishes the Season at 8-4
Unfortunately, the Beavers were unable to secure back-to-back victories against their in-state rivals before the Pac-12’s dissolution. Oregon State ends the season with an 8-4 (5-4 Pac-12) record, coming off a season where they mounted an impressive comeback against Oregon.
Amidst the loss, Oregon State coach Jonathan Smith has been linked to a coaching position at Michigan State. The future of Smith and the Oregon State football team remains uncertain as the school’s position in a power conference also hangs in the balance.
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