Oregon heads to Silicon Valley to play in the 99 cent video rental of bowl games.
So you wanted to play in a bowl game, didn't you, Ducks? After an 8-4 season, the Bowl Game gods have rewarded the University of Oregon football team with a trip to the... Redbox Bowl?! Well, at least it isn't the Cheez-It Bowl.
The Ducks final test of 2018 is the Michigan State Spartans, a team they played a home-and-home series against somewhat recently, with the first game (2014) a Marcus Mariota-led victory and the second (2015) a missed opportunity helmed by grad transfer Vernon Adams. That was a few years ago, however, and while the Spartans are still coached by Mark Dantonio, the Ducks are a couple of head coaches removed from those days.
MSU is just 7-5 on the season, which included an early loss to a Pac-12 opponent that Oregon beat (Arizona State). Oregon's record, however, is somewhat inflated by a ridiculously easy nonconference schedule. The Ducks have, at times, looked Cheez-It worthy. It will be interesting to see which team shows up, although many on the team will hopefully be looked to erase the bad taste left in everyone's mouths after last season's Las Vegas Bowl debacle.
Justin Herbert is expected to play after missing a sizable chunk of the Civil War due to a shoulder injury. Will this be his final game in a Ducks uniform? It's certainly possible, although for now he's escaping the recent trend where top NFL prospects skip their bowl games. With a standout performance today, I would guess Herbert's chances of remaining at Oregon will shrink.
The Ducks and Spartans have another home-and-home scheduled for 2029-2030. Will this be the last time these teams face for another ten years? Will this planet even be habitable in ten years?
Bowl Game Links:
- More on Herbert, who is also rumored to want to stick around to play with his brother.
- Speaking of skipping bowl games, Michigan State will be without their star cornerback.
- Due to an upcoming vacation, I'm writing this a full week and a half before game day, where impressive recruiting has taken over all of the Ducks headlines.
- Know Your Opponent: The Spartans are being cagey about their quarterback health situation.
- The Unis!: At the time I write this, I have no idea. I don't actually know who is the acting home team in this situation, which may drive who gets to wear a color and who wears white. Of course, we've already seen schools wearing home colors against each other in bowls this year, which just looks confusing. In the past, the Ducks used to use the bowl game (when they could wear home colors) as a testing ground for the next season, but I wouldn't be surprised to see the current ("Oregon Football 2.0") look stick around for another season or two.
The 1998 game between Michigan State and Oregon was one of my favorites of all-time. (Spoiler alert: it was a blowout). Enjoy what appears to be the full broadcast in all its blurry glory.
I flew out of PDX and was heading back to the Bay Area on Sunday night. Seemed like 20% of the passengers were repping Oregon attire. The people behind me started talking about the game and then it clicked. Flight was 100% full and all of the credit goes to the Oregon Ducks. Congratulations on the win.
ReplyDeleteIt was not the best game, but it was great to get the win. I'm cautiously optimistic that the Ducks are back on the right track after a 9-4 season.
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