2010 Oregon Ducks football team
Encyclopedia
The 2010 Oregon Ducks football team represented the University of Oregon
in the 2010
college football
season. The team was led by Chip Kelly
in his second season as a head coach. The Ducks played their home games at Autzen Stadium
for the 44th straight year.
On October 16, 2010, Oregon was ranked number 1 in the AP Poll for the first time in program history. On October 31, 2010, after beating USC
and moving to 8–0, Oregon achieved the number 1 ranking in the BCS
rankings. The Ducks repeated as Pac-10 Conference
champions and finished the regular season undefeated with a school-record 12 wins, the first undefeated and untied regular season in the school's 117-year football history. They earned a berth in the BCS National Championship Game
, which they narrowly lost to Auburn
on a field goal as time expired. It was the closest that a team from the Pacific Northwest
has come to winning a share of the national championship since Washington
was crowned national champion by most outlets in 1991.
In recognition of the team's performance during the season, Kelly received the Eddie Robinson Award
and the Associated Press College Football Coach of the Year Award
. Running back LaMichael James
, who finished third in balloting in for the Heisman Trophy
, received the Doak Walker Award
.
suspended starting quarterback
Jeremiah Masoli
for the 2010 season for his role in an Oregon fraternity house theft that resulted in a guilty plea to misdemeanor second-degree burglary, and left the option for Masoli to redshirt in 2010 and return to the Ducks in 2011. On the same day Kelly also suspended LaMichael James
and Rob Beard for the season opener after pleading guilty to harassment. The trend unfortunately continued into the summer time, as on June 7, 2010 suspended Oregon QB, Jeremiah Masoli, was arrested for a second time for marijuana possession and driving with a suspended license. Two days later Masoli was dismissed from the football program. with the Ducks naming sophomore Darron Thomas
the starting quarterback.
On March 19, 2010, athletic director Mike Bellotti
left Oregon to join the cable sports network, ESPN
, as a football analyst.
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University of Oregon official schedule
, Kenjon Barner received the majority of carries offensively for the Ducks. Barner scored 5 touchdowns with only limited carries in the second quarter. Meanwhile, second-string punt returner Cliff Harris tied an Oregon Duck school record by returning the first two punts of his career for touchdowns. After the game, the Pac-10 announced Barner and Harris as players of the week.
. The game was delayed for over an hour to lightning
in the Knoxville area. The Volunteers jumped to a 6–0 lead until the first quarter delay. After the delay, the Ducks fell behind even more, 13–3. Tennessee junior running back Tauren Poole made several significant plays and finished as the game's leading rusher with 162 yards. Several Vol mistakes led to a momentum swing for the Ducks. On one play, LaMichael James appeared to be stopped for a four yard loss, then reversed around the field and broke tackles for a 72 yard touchdown run. On the subsequent possession, the Volunteers drove into Oregon territory, threatening to score, only to have an interception. The next drive, Tennessee was stopped, and Kenjon Barner returned a punt for a 80 yard touchdown. Oregon would score 45 unanswered points to beat Tennessee.
rushed for 227 yards on 14 carries and scored two touchdowns. Quarterback Darron Thomas completed 4 passing touchdowns with one interception and one fumble. No Ducks received Pac-10 player of the week honors for their performance, however.
to only 114 rushing yards, but the total was enough to move James past the 2,000 yard mark for his career. Oregon quarterback Darron Thomas had 290 passing yards in the game, including a 61 yard pass to tight end David Paulson, which were career longs for both players. The win moved the Ducks from 5th to 4th in the September 27th AP Poll.
, respectively. Stanford surged to an early 21-3 lead after the Cardinal recovered a fumbled kickoff return by Cliff Harris. Shortly thereafter, the Ducks would respond with a touchdown and recover a surprise on-side kickoff by specialist Rob Beard. With those scores, the Ducks gained momentum, outscoring Stanford 49-10 to close the game with a 52-31 victory. Turnovers were critical in the game as Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck
was intercepted twice by defensive back Cliff Harris—opportunities upon which LaMichael James
would then translate into touchdowns. James finished the day with over 250 rushing, moving him into 8th place all-time in Oregon's career rushing standings. Oregon quarterback Darron Thomas contributed 4 total offensive touchdowns and 355 yards of offense. The win was the 13th straight victory for Oregon in Autzen Stadium
and helped move the Ducks into third place in the AP Poll.
. Casey Matthews suffered an ankle injury but was able to continue playing. The Ducks moved up to #2 in the rankings after Alabama lost to South Carolina.
, were able to put together a drive that he finished off with a 2-yard touchdown run. The Oregon offense was held scoreless for the second week in a row, and the Ducks did not score until more than halfway through the second quarter on a 64-yard punt return for a touchdown by Cliff Harris, with a successful 2-point conversion. The Ducks failed to add to their lead when a 37-yard field goal attempt missed.
The third quarter opened with a fumble by Vereen that Oregon recovered. Darron Thomas
then connected with Jeff Maehl for a 29-yard touchdown, the Ducks' sole offensive touchdown of the game. A second Oregon field goal attempt, this one from 48 yards, missed. The final score of the game came when Thomas was sacked by Cal nose guard Derrick Hill on the Oregon 12 yard line and fumbled, with Hill recovering the fumble for a touchdown. The Bears were unable to tie the score when a 2 point conversion failed. Cal had a chance to take the lead to open the fourth quarter, but kicker Giorgio Tavecchio was penalized for an illegal motion after making a 24-yard attempt, then missed on the subsequent 29-yard attempt. After the game, Tevecchio suggested that the noise caused by visiting Oregon fans contributed to the disruption of the kicking team's rhythm. After getting the ball back with nine and a half minutes left in the game, Oregon never relinquished the ball, sustaining a time-consuming drive that ended with Thomas taking three straight knees
at Cal's 11 yard line to preserve the win and stave off an upset.
The Oregon offense was held to a season-low 317 yards, with LaMichael James, the leading rusher in the country, held to 91 yards, while Darron Thomas threw for 155 and a score. In his second career start, Cal quarterback Brock Mansion threw for only 69 yards as the Bears were unable to mount an effective offense with the exception of Shane Vereen, who rushed for 112 yards and a touchdown. After the game Cal head coach Jeff Tedford
denied that his players had faked injuries in order to slow down the Oregon offense, a tactic Oregon's opponents were accused of all season. On November 27, defensive line coach Tosh Lupoi was suspended for Cal's final season game for instructing a player to fake an injury during the matchup against Oregon. Lupoi was determined to have been the only person involved in such behavior.
meeting between the two teams came with high stakes for both sides. With a Rose Bowl
berth already secured, the Oregon Ducks
were playing for a spot in the BCS National Championship Game
and the Oregon State Beavers
were playing to earn a bowl berth by not finishing below a .500 win-loss record. The TCU Horned Frogs
also had a vested interest in the game as they needed the Ducks to lose the game in order to be considered for the National Championship Game. The Beavers wore their throwback uniforms that paid tribute to their 1967 "Giant Killers" team.
The game proved to be intense from the very first play when Oregon linebacker
Casey Matthews
hit the Beavers' quarterback
Ryan Katz hard, causing him to sit out for the drive. Oregon State scored first with a touchdown
with 3:23 left in the first quarter, but would not score another touchdown until roughly the last minute in the game when victory was already out of reach. By halftime, the Ducks were up 16-7.
In the third quarter, a touchdown pass from Ducks quarterback Darron Thomas
to wide receiver
DJ Davis was set up by a fake punt where upback Matthew Clay took the snap
and ran up the center for a 64 yard gain. The Beavers were able to whittle the Ducks' lead down with two field goals but the Ducks scored two consecutive touchdowns in the fourth quarter. The Beavers scored a touchdown with 1:18 left in the game and attempted an onside kick
, but the Ducks recovered the football and took two knees to secure their spot in the National Championship Game.
would be suspended for the entire season following his guilty plea for burglary. He was dismissed from the football program on June 9 for an arrest while on his current suspension.
On November 10, 2010, back-up quarterback Nate Costa was ruled out for the season with a knee injury.
and Associated Press College Football Coach of the Year
Doak Walker Award
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
in the 2010
2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on Thursday, September 2, 2010. The season progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game on Monday, January 10, 2011.-Rule changes for...
college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
season. The team was led by Chip Kelly
Chip Kelly
Charles "Chip" Kelly is the head football coach at the University of Oregon. Widely regarded as one of the most innovative offensive minds in college football today, the 2009 and 2010 Pac-10 Coach of the Year, 2010 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year, 2010 Walter Camp Coach of the Year, 2010 Sporting...
in his second season as a head coach. The Ducks played their home games at Autzen Stadium
Autzen Stadium
Autzen Stadium is an outdoor football stadium in Eugene, Oregon, United States. Located north of the University of Oregon campus, it is the home field of the Oregon Ducks of the Pacific-12 Conference. Opened in 1967, the stadium has undergone several expansions...
for the 44th straight year.
On October 16, 2010, Oregon was ranked number 1 in the AP Poll for the first time in program history. On October 31, 2010, after beating USC
2010 USC Trojans football team
The 2010 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS college football season. The Trojans were led by head coach Lane Kiffin, who was in his 1st season...
and moving to 8–0, Oregon achieved the number 1 ranking in the BCS
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
rankings. The Ducks repeated as Pac-10 Conference
2010 Pac-10 Conference football season
The 2010 Pacific-10 Conference football season began on September 2, 2010 with a victory by USC at Hawaii. Conference play began on September 11 with Stanford shutting out UCLA 35–0 in Pasadena on ESPN....
champions and finished the regular season undefeated with a school-record 12 wins, the first undefeated and untied regular season in the school's 117-year football history. They earned a berth in the BCS National Championship Game
2011 BCS National Championship Game
The 2011 Tostitos BCS National Championship Game was the final college football game to determine the national champion of the 2010 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision season. The finale of the 2010-2011 Bowl Championship Series was played at the University of Phoenix Stadium, the host...
, which they narrowly lost to Auburn
2010 Auburn Tigers football team
The 2010 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University in the 2010–2011 college football season. The Tigers, led by second year head coach Gene Chizik were members of the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference and played their home games at Jordan-Hare Stadium...
on a field goal as time expired. It was the closest that a team from the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
has come to winning a share of the national championship since Washington
Washington Huskies football
College football has a long history at the University of Washington. The Washington Huskies have won 15 Pacific-10 Conference championships, seven Rose Bowl titles, and three national championships. Washington's all-time record of 653-398-50 ranks 20th by all-time winning percentage and 21st by...
was crowned national champion by most outlets in 1991.
In recognition of the team's performance during the season, Kelly received the Eddie Robinson Award
Eddie Robinson Award
The Eddie Robinson Award is awarded annually to college football's top head coach in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision . The award was established by The Sports Network in 1987 and is voted upon by the division's sports information directors and selected sports writers...
and the Associated Press College Football Coach of the Year Award
Associated Press College Football Coach of the Year Award
The Associated Press College Football Coach of the Year Award is an award that is given annually since 1998 to NCAA college football's national coach of the year. The award is voted on by the Associated Press voters that participate in the weekly college football AP Poll. The current award holder...
. Running back LaMichael James
LaMichael James
LaMichael Keondrae James is a college football running back for the Oregon Ducks football team. The 2010 season was a breakout one for James, as he rushed for 1,682 yards during the regular season, the highest in the nation. He finished third in balloting for the Heisman Trophy and received the...
, who finished third in balloting in for the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
, received the Doak Walker Award
Doak Walker Award
The Doak Walker Award, first awarded in 1990, honors the United States's top college football running back. It is named after the Southern Methodist and Detroit Lions football player Doak Walker...
.
Before the season
The team was plagued with numerous off-field incidents during the off-season, which saw nine separate players either be dismissed from the team or be involved in criminal activities starting in January 2010. On March 12, 2010, Coach Chip KellyChip Kelly
Charles "Chip" Kelly is the head football coach at the University of Oregon. Widely regarded as one of the most innovative offensive minds in college football today, the 2009 and 2010 Pac-10 Coach of the Year, 2010 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year, 2010 Walter Camp Coach of the Year, 2010 Sporting...
suspended starting quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Jeremiah Masoli
Jeremiah Masoli
Jeremiah Taeatafa Masoli is an American football quarterback for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League. He was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2011...
for the 2010 season for his role in an Oregon fraternity house theft that resulted in a guilty plea to misdemeanor second-degree burglary, and left the option for Masoli to redshirt in 2010 and return to the Ducks in 2011. On the same day Kelly also suspended LaMichael James
LaMichael James
LaMichael Keondrae James is a college football running back for the Oregon Ducks football team. The 2010 season was a breakout one for James, as he rushed for 1,682 yards during the regular season, the highest in the nation. He finished third in balloting for the Heisman Trophy and received the...
and Rob Beard for the season opener after pleading guilty to harassment. The trend unfortunately continued into the summer time, as on June 7, 2010 suspended Oregon QB, Jeremiah Masoli, was arrested for a second time for marijuana possession and driving with a suspended license. Two days later Masoli was dismissed from the football program. with the Ducks naming sophomore Darron Thomas
Darron Thomas
Darron Varnell Thomas is a college football quarterback for the Oregon Ducks football team. Thomas is the starting quarterback for the 2010 Ducks, being given the opportunity after former starting quarterback Jeremiah Masoli was suspended for the 2010 season and eventually dismissed from the team....
the starting quarterback.
On March 19, 2010, athletic director Mike Bellotti
Mike Bellotti
Robert Michael "Mike" Bellotti is a college football analyst for ESPN and ABC. A native of California, he was hired as football offensive coordinator by the University of Oregon in 1989. From 1995 to 2009, he was the head coach of the Oregon Ducks football team...
left Oregon to join the cable sports network, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, as a football analyst.
Recruiting
Schedule
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University of Oregon official schedule
New Mexico
In the first-ever meeting between Oregon and New Mexico on the football field, the Ducks were victorious 72-0. With first-string tailback LaMichael James serving a one-game suspension by Chip KellyChip Kelly
Charles "Chip" Kelly is the head football coach at the University of Oregon. Widely regarded as one of the most innovative offensive minds in college football today, the 2009 and 2010 Pac-10 Coach of the Year, 2010 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year, 2010 Walter Camp Coach of the Year, 2010 Sporting...
, Kenjon Barner received the majority of carries offensively for the Ducks. Barner scored 5 touchdowns with only limited carries in the second quarter. Meanwhile, second-string punt returner Cliff Harris tied an Oregon Duck school record by returning the first two punts of his career for touchdowns. After the game, the Pac-10 announced Barner and Harris as players of the week.
Tennessee
Oregon faced Tennessee for the first time, with the teams playing at Neyland StadiumNeyland Stadium
Neyland Stadium is a sports stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. It serves primarily as the home of the Tennessee Volunteers football team, but is also used to host large conventions and has been a site for several NFL exhibition games. The stadium's official capacity is 102,455...
. The game was delayed for over an hour to lightning
Lightning
Lightning is an atmospheric electrostatic discharge accompanied by thunder, which typically occurs during thunderstorms, and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or dust storms...
in the Knoxville area. The Volunteers jumped to a 6–0 lead until the first quarter delay. After the delay, the Ducks fell behind even more, 13–3. Tennessee junior running back Tauren Poole made several significant plays and finished as the game's leading rusher with 162 yards. Several Vol mistakes led to a momentum swing for the Ducks. On one play, LaMichael James appeared to be stopped for a four yard loss, then reversed around the field and broke tackles for a 72 yard touchdown run. On the subsequent possession, the Volunteers drove into Oregon territory, threatening to score, only to have an interception. The next drive, Tennessee was stopped, and Kenjon Barner returned a punt for a 80 yard touchdown. Oregon would score 45 unanswered points to beat Tennessee.
Portland State
On September 18, Oregon defeated Portland State 69-0. LaMichael JamesLaMichael James
LaMichael Keondrae James is a college football running back for the Oregon Ducks football team. The 2010 season was a breakout one for James, as he rushed for 1,682 yards during the regular season, the highest in the nation. He finished third in balloting for the Heisman Trophy and received the...
rushed for 227 yards on 14 carries and scored two touchdowns. Quarterback Darron Thomas completed 4 passing touchdowns with one interception and one fumble. No Ducks received Pac-10 player of the week honors for their performance, however.
Arizona State
On September 25, 2010, Oregon defeated Arizona State in Tempe, Arizona by a score of 42-31. Though a night game, kickoff temperatures for the game soared at 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Arizona State took an early lead in the game, but Oregon responded with a season-high 4 team interceptions. The Sun Devils held primary running back LaMichael JamesLaMichael James
LaMichael Keondrae James is a college football running back for the Oregon Ducks football team. The 2010 season was a breakout one for James, as he rushed for 1,682 yards during the regular season, the highest in the nation. He finished third in balloting for the Heisman Trophy and received the...
to only 114 rushing yards, but the total was enough to move James past the 2,000 yard mark for his career. Oregon quarterback Darron Thomas had 290 passing yards in the game, including a 61 yard pass to tight end David Paulson, which were career longs for both players. The win moved the Ducks from 5th to 4th in the September 27th AP Poll.
Stanford
The Ducks and Cardinal entered the game ranked 4th and 9th in the AP PollAP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
, respectively. Stanford surged to an early 21-3 lead after the Cardinal recovered a fumbled kickoff return by Cliff Harris. Shortly thereafter, the Ducks would respond with a touchdown and recover a surprise on-side kickoff by specialist Rob Beard. With those scores, the Ducks gained momentum, outscoring Stanford 49-10 to close the game with a 52-31 victory. Turnovers were critical in the game as Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck
Andrew Luck
Andrew Austen Luck is an American football quarterback for Stanford University. He was the runner-up for the 2010 Heisman Trophy, and is considered a leading contender for the 2011 Heisman Trophy. He was a finalist for the Maxwell Award, the Walter Camp Award, the Davey O'Brien Award and the...
was intercepted twice by defensive back Cliff Harris—opportunities upon which LaMichael James
LaMichael James
LaMichael Keondrae James is a college football running back for the Oregon Ducks football team. The 2010 season was a breakout one for James, as he rushed for 1,682 yards during the regular season, the highest in the nation. He finished third in balloting for the Heisman Trophy and received the...
would then translate into touchdowns. James finished the day with over 250 rushing, moving him into 8th place all-time in Oregon's career rushing standings. Oregon quarterback Darron Thomas contributed 4 total offensive touchdowns and 355 yards of offense. The win was the 13th straight victory for Oregon in Autzen Stadium
Autzen Stadium
Autzen Stadium is an outdoor football stadium in Eugene, Oregon, United States. Located north of the University of Oregon campus, it is the home field of the Oregon Ducks of the Pacific-12 Conference. Opened in 1967, the stadium has undergone several expansions...
and helped move the Ducks into third place in the AP Poll.
Washington State
The Ducks went into this game as highly touted favorites, however they had to convert on 4th down twice in the opening drive to score. Backup running back Kenjon Barner suffered a big hit during a kickoff return and had to be carted off. Quarterback Darron Thomas suffered an injury to his right shoulder and was replaced by Nate CostaNate Costa
Nathaniel William "Nate" Costa is a former American football player. He played quarterback at the University of Oregon from 2006 to 2010 and was a team captain of the 2010 Oregon Ducks football team.-Early years:...
. Casey Matthews suffered an ankle injury but was able to continue playing. The Ducks moved up to #2 in the rankings after Alabama lost to South Carolina.
UCLA
The Ducks started the game on defense and stalled a UCLA drive that was going well and racked up 15 first quarter points and held UCLA to 6 points going into the 4th quarter. Darron Thomas played his best game to date completing 22 of 31 passes for 308 yards 3 TD and no interceptions. LaMichael James rushed for 123 yards and 2 touchdowns. UCLA was only able to manage 290 total yards versus 582 yards by the Ducks.USC
Jeff Maehl stepped up and caught 8 passes for 145 yards and 3 TD's. LaMichael James rushed for 239 yards including a 42 yard scamper in the 2nd quarter. Thomas threw for 288 yards and four touchdowns. The performance moved the Ducks to a top BCS ranking for the first time in school history.Washington
The Huskies entered the game without star quarterback Jake Locker on the road. Kenjon Barner also returned to the lineup for the Ducks after recovering from a concussion suffered against Washington State. The Ducks started slowly, being held scoreless in the first quarter, but wound up routing Washington 53-16.California
The Ducks had not won in Berkeley since 2001 and Cal had been extremely dominant at home. The Bears began their first possession with good field position at the Oregon 48 yard line and behind Shane VereenShane Vereen
Shane Patrick-Henry Vereen is an American football running back for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted 56th overall in the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at California.-Early years:...
, were able to put together a drive that he finished off with a 2-yard touchdown run. The Oregon offense was held scoreless for the second week in a row, and the Ducks did not score until more than halfway through the second quarter on a 64-yard punt return for a touchdown by Cliff Harris, with a successful 2-point conversion. The Ducks failed to add to their lead when a 37-yard field goal attempt missed.
The third quarter opened with a fumble by Vereen that Oregon recovered. Darron Thomas
Darron Thomas
Darron Varnell Thomas is a college football quarterback for the Oregon Ducks football team. Thomas is the starting quarterback for the 2010 Ducks, being given the opportunity after former starting quarterback Jeremiah Masoli was suspended for the 2010 season and eventually dismissed from the team....
then connected with Jeff Maehl for a 29-yard touchdown, the Ducks' sole offensive touchdown of the game. A second Oregon field goal attempt, this one from 48 yards, missed. The final score of the game came when Thomas was sacked by Cal nose guard Derrick Hill on the Oregon 12 yard line and fumbled, with Hill recovering the fumble for a touchdown. The Bears were unable to tie the score when a 2 point conversion failed. Cal had a chance to take the lead to open the fourth quarter, but kicker Giorgio Tavecchio was penalized for an illegal motion after making a 24-yard attempt, then missed on the subsequent 29-yard attempt. After the game, Tevecchio suggested that the noise caused by visiting Oregon fans contributed to the disruption of the kicking team's rhythm. After getting the ball back with nine and a half minutes left in the game, Oregon never relinquished the ball, sustaining a time-consuming drive that ended with Thomas taking three straight knees
Quarterback kneel
In American football, a quarterback kneel, also called taking a knee, genuflect offense, or victory formation occurs when the quarterback immediately kneels to the ground after receiving the snap. It is primarily used to run the clock down, either at the end of the first half or the game itself, in...
at Cal's 11 yard line to preserve the win and stave off an upset.
The Oregon offense was held to a season-low 317 yards, with LaMichael James, the leading rusher in the country, held to 91 yards, while Darron Thomas threw for 155 and a score. In his second career start, Cal quarterback Brock Mansion threw for only 69 yards as the Bears were unable to mount an effective offense with the exception of Shane Vereen, who rushed for 112 yards and a touchdown. After the game Cal head coach Jeff Tedford
Jeff Tedford
Jeff Tedford is an American football coach and the current head coach of the California Golden Bears football team, a position he has held since 2002. As a first-time head coach, Tedford has won wide acclaim for revitalizing the Cal football program...
denied that his players had faked injuries in order to slow down the Oregon offense, a tactic Oregon's opponents were accused of all season. On November 27, defensive line coach Tosh Lupoi was suspended for Cal's final season game for instructing a player to fake an injury during the matchup against Oregon. Lupoi was determined to have been the only person involved in such behavior.
Arizona
Oregon once again started slow in the first half and took off in the second half. The first half featured two Darron Thomas touchdowns as the Wildcats played well. Both sides were heavily penalized as Adam Hall of Arizona was flagged for two personal fouls. The second half's opening Duck drive began with an option pitch to Josh Huff that went for the longest single play of all year. Arizona only managed 10 second half points but they did score a touchdown in the fourth quarter as Oregon racked up 35 second half points. LaMichael James rushed for 126 yards and 2 touchdowns surpassing LeGarrette Blount's single season scoring record. With the win over Arizona the Ducks have their best start in history and matched 2001's team school record 11 wins.Oregon State
The 114th Civil WarCivil War (college football game)
The Civil War is the colloquial name for an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Oregon Ducks football team of the University of Oregon and the Oregon State Beavers football team of the Oregon State University...
meeting between the two teams came with high stakes for both sides. With a Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
berth already secured, the Oregon Ducks
Oregon Ducks
The Oregon Ducks refers to the sports teams of the University of Oregon, located in Eugene, Oregon. The Oregon Ducks are part of the Pacific-12 Conference in the Division 1 of the NCAA. With seventeen varsity teams, the Oregon Ducks are best known for their football team and Track and Field...
were playing for a spot in the BCS National Championship Game
BCS National Championship Game
The BCS National Championship Game, or BCS National Championship, is the final bowl game of the annual Bowl Championship Series and is intended by the organizers of the BCS to determine the U.S. national champion of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision...
and the Oregon State Beavers
Oregon State Beavers
The Oregon State Beavers is a name shared by all sports teams at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon. The Beavers are part of the Pacific-12 Conference . Oregon State's mascot is Benny the Beaver...
were playing to earn a bowl berth by not finishing below a .500 win-loss record. The TCU Horned Frogs
TCU Horned Frogs
The TCU Horned Frogs are the athletic teams that represent Texas Christian University, consisting of 18 varsity teams. The "horned frog" nickname and mascot refer to the Texas horned lizard, as known as the "horned frog". The women's athletics teams are often referred to often as the Lady Frogs...
also had a vested interest in the game as they needed the Ducks to lose the game in order to be considered for the National Championship Game. The Beavers wore their throwback uniforms that paid tribute to their 1967 "Giant Killers" team.
The game proved to be intense from the very first play when Oregon linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Casey Matthews
Casey Matthews
Casey Christopher Matthews is an American football linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Eagles in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oregon....
hit the Beavers' quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Ryan Katz hard, causing him to sit out for the drive. Oregon State scored first with a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
with 3:23 left in the first quarter, but would not score another touchdown until roughly the last minute in the game when victory was already out of reach. By halftime, the Ducks were up 16-7.
In the third quarter, a touchdown pass from Ducks quarterback Darron Thomas
Darron Thomas
Darron Varnell Thomas is a college football quarterback for the Oregon Ducks football team. Thomas is the starting quarterback for the 2010 Ducks, being given the opportunity after former starting quarterback Jeremiah Masoli was suspended for the 2010 season and eventually dismissed from the team....
to wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
DJ Davis was set up by a fake punt where upback Matthew Clay took the snap
Snap (football)
A snap starts each American football and Canadian football play from scrimmage.-Action:...
and ran up the center for a 64 yard gain. The Beavers were able to whittle the Ducks' lead down with two field goals but the Ducks scored two consecutive touchdowns in the fourth quarter. The Beavers scored a touchdown with 1:18 left in the game and attempted an onside kick
Onside kick
In American and Canadian football, an onside kick is a type of kick used at a kickoff or other free kick, or scrimmage kick or other kick during play, in which the ball is kicked favorably for the kicking team to avoid giving away the ball...
, but the Ducks recovered the football and took two knees to secure their spot in the National Championship Game.
BCS National Championship Game: Auburn
In the first meeting between the two teams, Auburn had 5–3 record against Pac-10 teams while Oregon was 4–4 against the SEC.Roster
On March 12, 2010, it was announced that 2008–09 starting quarterback Jeremiah MasoliJeremiah Masoli
Jeremiah Taeatafa Masoli is an American football quarterback for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League. He was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2011...
would be suspended for the entire season following his guilty plea for burglary. He was dismissed from the football program on June 9 for an arrest while on his current suspension.
On November 10, 2010, back-up quarterback Nate Costa was ruled out for the season with a knee injury.
Awards and honors
Eddie Robinson Coach of the YearEddie Robinson Award
The Eddie Robinson Award is awarded annually to college football's top head coach in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision . The award was established by The Sports Network in 1987 and is voted upon by the division's sports information directors and selected sports writers...
and Associated Press College Football Coach of the Year
Associated Press College Football Coach of the Year Award
The Associated Press College Football Coach of the Year Award is an award that is given annually since 1998 to NCAA college football's national coach of the year. The award is voted on by the Associated Press voters that participate in the weekly college football AP Poll. The current award holder...
- Chip KellyChip KellyCharles "Chip" Kelly is the head football coach at the University of Oregon. Widely regarded as one of the most innovative offensive minds in college football today, the 2009 and 2010 Pac-10 Coach of the Year, 2010 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year, 2010 Walter Camp Coach of the Year, 2010 Sporting...
Doak Walker Award
Doak Walker Award
The Doak Walker Award, first awarded in 1990, honors the United States's top college football running back. It is named after the Southern Methodist and Detroit Lions football player Doak Walker...
- LaMichael JamesLaMichael JamesLaMichael Keondrae James is a college football running back for the Oregon Ducks football team. The 2010 season was a breakout one for James, as he rushed for 1,682 yards during the regular season, the highest in the nation. He finished third in balloting for the Heisman Trophy and received the...
, RB
Coaching staff
- Chip KellyChip KellyCharles "Chip" Kelly is the head football coach at the University of Oregon. Widely regarded as one of the most innovative offensive minds in college football today, the 2009 and 2010 Pac-10 Coach of the Year, 2010 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year, 2010 Walter Camp Coach of the Year, 2010 Sporting...
– Head Coach - Steve GreatwoodSteve GreatwoodSteve Greatwood is an American football coach who is currently the offensive line coach at his alma mater, the University of Oregon .-Career:...
– Offensive Line - Nick Aliotti – Defensive Coordinator
- Mark Helfrich – Offensive Coordinator
- Gary Campbell – Running Backs
- Jerry Azzinaro – Defensive Line
- John Neal – Secondary
- Tom Osborne – Tight Ends & Special Teams
- Don Pellum – Linebackers & Recruiting Coordinator
- Scott FrostScott FrostScott Andrew Frost is an American football coach. He played collegiately for Nebraska as a quarterback. He was drafted in the third round by the New York Jets and played six years in the National Football League as a defensive back with the New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers and...
– Wide Receivers - Jim Radcliffe – Head Strength and Conditioning Coach
- Alex Miller – Graduate Assistant Coach
- Peter Sirmon – Graduate Assistant Coach
- Jeff Hawkins – Senior Associate Athletics Director, Football Operations
- Kyle Wiest – Asst. Director of Football Operations
- Jim Fisher – Asst. Director of Football Operations/Recruiting
Rankings
| Poll | Pre | Wk 2 | Wk 3 | Wk 4 | Wk 5 | Wk 6 | Wk 7 | Wk 8 | Wk 9 | Wk 10 | Wk 11 | Wk 12 | Wk 13 | Wk 14 | Wk 15 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP | 11 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Coaches | 11 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Harris | Not released | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||
| BCS | Not released | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |||||||