By Bane Rossi

OREGON DUCKS GAME NOTES

https://goducks.com/documents/2023/11/27/GM13_Notes_-_P12_Championship_Game.pdf

The Matchup
#6 Oregon vs. #4 Washington
Friday, December 1, 2023
5:00 p.m. PT | ABC
Allegiant Stadium | Las Vegas, Nev.

#6 Oregon Ducks (11-1, 8-1 Pac-12)
CFP/AP/Coaches Rank: 6/5/5
Head Coach: Dan Lanning (William Jewell College, 2008)
Record at Oregon: 21-4 (2nd Season)
Career Record: Same

#4 Washington Huskies (12-0, 9-0 Pac-12)
CFP/AP/Coaches Rank: 4/3/3
Head Coach: Kalen DeBoer (Sioux Falls, 1998)
Record at Washington: 23-2 (2nd Season)
Career Record: 102-11 (9th Season)

TV: ABC
Play-By-Play: Chris Fowler
Analyst: Kirk Herbstreit
Sideline: Holly Rowe

Radio – Oregon Sports Network
Local: KUJZ-FM 95.3 (Eugene) | KFXX-AM 1080 (Portland)
Sirius: 133 | XM: 197
Play-by-Play: Jerry Allen
Analyst: Mike Jorgensen
Sideline: Dusty Harrah
Pre-Game Show: Joey McMurry

Series History
All-Time Series Record: Washington leads, 62-48-5
Last Meeting: Washington won, 36-33 (10/14/23, Seattle)

Rematch To Determine Pac-12 Title
No. 6 Oregon will square off with No. 4 Washington in Las Vegas on Friday for the 2023 Pac-12 Championship, and a potential berth in the College Football Playoff. The Ducks have won six straight games since a 36-33 loss to the Huskies in Seattle on Oct. 14, earning the opportunity to avenge their only loss of the season. Oregon will make its conference-leading sixth appearance in the Pac-12 Championship Game since it began in 2011, carrying a 4-1 record into Friday’s showdown.

A Win Would…
» Make Oregon 5-1 all-time in Pac-12 Championship Games and clinch its third title in the last five seasons.
» Secure the 14th conference championship in program history, seventh since 2009 and ninth since 2000.
» Give Oregon 12 wins in a season for the first time since 2019 and sixth time in program history (all since 2010).

Rivalry Win Sends Ducks To Vegas
The Ducks booked their ticket to Las Vegas last week with a dominant 31-7 win over No. 16 Oregon State, completing an undefeated (7-0) year at Autzen Stadium and reaching 11 wins in the regular season for just the fourth time in program history. Head coach Dan Lanning said he thought it was a “complete game” after the Ducks racked up 480 total yards while holding OSU to just 273, including only 53 rushing yards. Quarterback Bo Nix completed 33-of-40 passes for 367 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for 31 yards and a score, and the receiving duo of Tez Johnson (11 catches, 137 yards) and Troy Franklin (9 catches, 128 yards, TD) combined for 265 yards on 20 receptions.

Last Time vs. Washington
The Ducks nearly came away with a statement win on Oct. 14 in the first ever top-10 matchup between Oregon and Washington, but ultimately fell short, 36-33, for their first loss of the season. UO rallied from a 29-18 deficit to lead 33-29, but was stopped on fourth down at midfield with 2:11 left while trying to put the game away. UW quickly drove for a go-ahead touchdown, and the Ducks missed a potential game-tying field goal as time expired. Oregon outperformed Washington in nearly every statistical category, including total yards (541-415), passing yards (337-316), rushing yards (204-99) and first downs (32-24). Bo Nix strengthened his Heisman Trophy resume despite the loss – completing 33-of-44 passes for 337 yards and two touchdowns – Troy Franklin shined with eight catches for a career-high 154 yards and a touchdown, and Bucky Irving ran for 127 yards and a score.

Historic Season
Oregon enters the Pac-12 Championship Game at 11-1 overall and 8-1 in conference play, looking to add to an already historically-good season. Head coach Dan Lanning is 21-4 in his tenure at Oregon, and a win on Friday would make him just the third UO head coach to reach at least 22 wins in his first two seasons. So far in 2023, the Ducks have…

» Reached 11 wins for the first time since 2019 and eighth time in program history. It is the fourth time UO has gotten to 11 victories during the regular season (2014, 2012, 2010).
» Won eight conference games for the first time since 2019 and seventh time in program history.
» Finished undefeated (7-0) at home for the fourth time since 2019 and 11th time in program history.

Balanced Dominance
The Ducks have established themselves as one of the most balanced and efficient teams in the nation en route to an 11-1 record and No. 6 CFP ranking. Oregon leads the nation with a +29.33 scoring differential, and is one of just three teams (Georgia, Notre Dame) in the top 10 for both scoring offense (2nd, 45.3 PPG) and scoring defense (7th, 15.9 PPG). The Ducks are one of three teams (Georgia, SMU) in the top 15 for both total offense (2nd, 540.3 YPG) and total defense (15th, 306.9 YPG), and one of seven in the top 25 for both rushing defense (8th, 92.58 YPG) and rushing offense (24th, 188.83 YPG). Oregon also leads the nation in passing offense (351.4 YPG) and is best in the Pac-12 in passing defense (214.3 YPG). The Ducks have been the best FBS team early in games, leading the nation with a +18.58 scoring differential in the first half.

» Overall team grade of 93.7 from Pro Football Focus is best in the Pac-12 and No. 5 in the nation.
» Seven of 11 wins have been by 29 points or more, and five have been by 36-plus points.
» No. 2 nationally in both first-quarter (+8.33) and second-quarter (+10.25) scoring differential.
» Ducks have led at halftime in all 11 wins, and have led through the first quarter in nine of 11 wins.
» No. 7 nationally with a +10.75 scoring differential in the second half, and No. 5 in the third quarter (+6.58).

Bo Leads Heisman Conversation
Bo Nix will make his final case for the 2023 Heisman Trophy on Friday, looking to join Marcus Mariota (2014) as the only Ducks to win the most prestigious award in college athletics. The most experienced quarterback in NCAA history with 59 career starts, Nix leads the nation in passing yards per game (325.5) and completion percentage (78.6) while ranking second in passing touchdowns (37), second in passer rating (189.82), second in total yards per game (338.8), second in total touchdowns (43) and third in total yards per play (9.07). His 78.6 completion percentage is on pace to break the NCAA single-season record of 77.4 (Mac Jones, 2020), and he is just the fourth FBS QB since at least 2000 with at least 35 passing touchdowns and less than three interceptions through 12 games. Nix was especially good in the month of November, leading the nation in passing yards per game (392.3), passing touchdowns (16) and completion percentage (79.0).

Bovember
Bo Nix has been stellar all season, but he took his game to another level in the final month of the regular season. During the month of November, Nix led the nation in passing touchdowns (16), passing yards per game (392.3) and completion percentage (79.0) while ranking second in total touchdowns (19), passer rating (211.31) and total yards per game (403.8). Nix threw for four-plus touchdowns in each of the first three games of November, headlined by a career-high six TD passes at Arizona State to tie the UO single-game record. He also had six total touchdowns against California, tying his career-high.

» 29-of-38 for 386 yards and four touchdowns vs. California (Nov. 4); Also ran for two touchdowns.
» 23-of-31 for a season-high 412 yards and four touchdowns vs. USC (Nov. 11) – Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week
» 24-of-29 for 404 yards and six touchdowns at Arizona State (Nov. 18) – Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week
» 33-of-40 for 367 yards and two touchdowns vs. No. 16 Oregon State (Nov. 24); Also ran for a touchdown.

Historically Accurate
Bo Nix leads the nation with an incredible 78.6 completion percentage (315-of-401), on pace to break the NCAA single-season record of 77.4 set by Alabama’s Mac Jones in 2020. Nix has been the most accurate QB in the nation since arriving in Eugene, leading all players with a 75.2 completion percentage (609-of-810) since the start of 2022. He ranked second in the nation last season with a UO single-season record 71.9 completion percentage (294-of-409), a mark he is on pace to shatter in year two.

Franklin Among Nation’s Elite
Troy Franklin has produced at a historic rate in 2023 while establishing himself as one of the truly elite receivers in the nation. Franklin leads the Pac-12 and is No. 3 nationally with a program-record 1,349 receiving yards, and he has also set the UO single-season record with 14 receiving touchdowns to lead the conference and tie for second in the FBS. The junior surpassed both records on Nov. 18 at Arizona State, finishing with eight catches for 128 yards and two touchdowns for his seventh 100-yard performance, another single-season program record. He added to that record last week vs. OSU with nine catches for 128 yards and a TD.

» One of 10 semifinalists for the Biletnikoff Award, presented to the nation’s best receiver at any position.
» Joined Demetrius Williams (2005 & 2006) as the only Ducks ever to be named Biletnikoff Award semifinalists.
» One of just six FBS receivers with at least eight 100-yard receiving games this season.
» One of just five FBS players with both double-digit TD catches and 100.0 YPG.
» One of 18 FBS players with double-digit touchdown receptions this season, and one of nine averaging 100.0 YPG.
» One of 23 receivers in the nation to reach 1,000 receiving yards, and one of six to reach 1,300.
» Leads the nation in receiving yards (937) and receiving touchdowns (11) in the first half of games; No. 4 in receptions (53).
» At least one reception in 29 consecutive games, and multiple catches in 25 of his last 26 contests.

Numbers To Know
2 – UO is one of two FBS teams (LSU) to have two receivers with at least 900 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns (Franklin & Johnson).
3 – The Ducks are one of just three teams in the top 10 for both scoring offense (2nd, 45.3 PPG) and scoring defense (7th, 15.9 PPG).
5 – Oregon leads the nation with just five sacks allowed, four fewer than any other team in the country.
8 – Oregon has held eight of its last 10 opponents under 100 yards rushing, the most by UO in a season since at least 1996.
10 – Oregon is one of just three teams (Michigan, Ohio State) to allow 10-or-fewer points at least six times this season.
11 – 11 of Troy Franklin’s 14 receiving TDs have come in the first half, most in the nation. He also leads the FBS with 937 first-half receiving yards.
14 – Oregon has won 75 straight games when holding its opponent to fewer than 14 points.
15.9 – The Ducks are allowing just 15.9 points per game, which leads the Pac-12 and ties for seventh nationally.
21 – Bo Nix leads the nation with 21 red-zone touchdown passes and has yet to throw an INT inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.
25 – Bo Nix has accounted for 25 total touchdowns since Oregon’s loss at Washington on Oct. 14, most in the FBS during that stretch.
27.3 – Oregon leads the nation with 27.3 first downs per game, and is also first with 327 total first downs.
48 – Bucky Irving is No. 2 nationally in receptions among running backs with 48 (ranks third on team).
58 – Tez Johnson enters the Pac-12 Championship Game just 58 receiving yards away from his first 1,000-yard season.
59 – Bo Nix‘s 59 games started are the most of any other quarterback in NCAA history. He has started every game he has played.
77 – Troy Franklin enters the Pac-12 title game with 77 receptions, tied for the most in UO single-season history.
78.6 – Bo Nix is just the second player since 2000 to complete at least 78.0 percent of his passes through 12 games with at least 400 attempts.
89.3 – The Ducks’ O-line leads the nation with an 89.3 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus.
90.9 – Jackson Powers-Johnson leads all FBS centers with a 90.9 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus.
105.6 – Tez Johnson is averaging 105.6 receiving yards per game over the last seven games (55 receptions, 739 yards).
129 – 138 of Bo Nix’s 609 completions (22.7%) as a Duck have gone to Troy Franklin. as well as 23 of his 66 passing touchdowns (34.8%).
153 – Camden Lewis has made 153 consecutive extra points, the longest active streak in the nation.
325.5 – Bo Nix leads the nation with 325.5 passing yards per game, and ranks second with 37 passing touchdowns.
393 – Camden Lewis is Oregon’s all-time leading scorer with 393 points in his career, passing Royce Freeman (384).

COURTESY OREGON ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS