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CJ Verdell ran to center, almost intact, in the end zone to give Oregon a 30-27 win over rival Washington in overtime. The touchdown was particularly pleasant for Verdell, who escaped the expensive cardinal against Stanford last month to give the cardinal the chance to force the extra session and offer the Ducks their only loss of the season so far. Everyone thought then that Oregon's chances for the playoffs were over. But maybe, just maybe, there is still hope for the Pac-12.
During Washington's last visit to Eugene in 2016, the Ducks lost 70-21 and Huskies quarterback Jake Browning had eight touchdowns. Oregon also lost the game against last year, 38-3. This year's game was much tighter, as two prolific passers-by and eager defenders who frustrated the rest of the conference went back and forth with control of the Pac-12 North to win.
Justin Herbert of Oregon has completed 18 of 32 attempts for a total of 202 yards with two touchdowns, well below his average. The Ducks relied on rookie Verdell, who shot the ball 29 times at the top of his career, for 111 yards and two goals. Rather than leaving the ball in Herbert's hands in overtime to score the decisive touchdown, Verdell rushed to take it.
Browning had a lot to prove before embarking on this match. He led his team to college football and participated in the conversation as the second Heisman Trophy player, but he regressed sharply during his first year. Then came the loss to Auburn for the first week, inconsistencies in the red zone and disconcerting interceptions against teams like North Dakota and Utah. As Oregon approached, Browning completed nearly 67% of his passes, but he had only nine touchdowns at five steals.
He nearly led the Huskies to victory. He started slowly, completing 6 of 14 passes in the first half, but 15 of 25 passes for a total of 243 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Washington missed a goal in the final three seconds of regulation time to force extra time, then scored a goal after passing near the end zone in overtime, allowing the Ducks to win the match with Verdell's touchdown. .
Many saw Washington as the Pac-12's only hope of qualifying for the playoffs this year, even after his quick loss to Auburn (the Tigers, by the way, now have three losses). But is it still the case? Oregon still have only one defeat (the striker in overtime against Stanford), and his path is now pretty clear with this game of rivalry away.
Next week, the Ducks will travel to Washington State, but they will not have to face the last undefeated team (Colorado, which faces USC on the road Saturday night), until a possible clash in the match. conference championship. If the Ducks won and claimed the championship, would the selection committee let them into the four-team squad? It will depend on what happens elsewhere in the country, but the strength of Oregon's non-conference calendar will not help it. The Ducks have sank in early season games against Bowling Green, Portland State and San Jose State.
It was a major victory for Oregon, for the Pac-12 landscape – the Ducks had not beaten Washington since 2015 – and for Mario Cristobal, who renamed the program at its first year as a head coach. The Ducks still have a long way to go before they can count on the playoffs, but maybe that's out of the question.
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