The Ducks crock-potted the Huskies, 26-16, on a cold and wet Seattle night to notch their 15th win over their rivals to the North in the last 17 match-ups.
My game preview hyper-focused on the Huskies’ much-lauded pass defense being overrated, and it’s safe to say that I hadn’t given nearly enough respect to the forecast before I wrote that.
My approach to life has long been that I’ve never mer a weatherman I could trust.
Granted, I’ve never met a weatherman, but the sentiment still stands.
I was personally way up in Section 330 of Husky Stadium and well-protected from the rain—though the cold was inescapable—and it took my brain and my eyes way too long to understand just how debilitating the rain seemed to be for any kind of comprehensive air attack to come together for the Ducks.
My quarterback, AB, threw a very bad interception to start off the game, and he passed the ball just five times in the second half. But just like in games of old, he found a way to center himself, lean on his legs and his leadership, and help his team survive once again.
Even with all the struggles through the air, I still managed to be right about some of the stuff that I said in my preview:
I said AB and Devon Williams would find a way to connect big through the air on the Huskies, and they got behind the secondary for a 31-yard go-ahead touchdown from which the Ducks never looked back.
And I also said we’d still rush for 250+, and of course the Oregon ground game ended up being far and away the story of this soggy slugfest after all.
But of course, I’ve spent all year hammering home “run-run-run,” and then I picked the downpour night game—against the 105th rush defense in the nation—to predict a great big passing game. That’s what I get for trying to outsmart myself.
Travis Dye made his case for Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year with 211 yards and his 11th touchdown of the season, while AB ran for 63 yards and yet another rushing score of his own. Ducks rushed for a whopping 329 when it was all said and done.
Noah Sewell was all over the place and had 10 tackles. He’s still an animal.
The Hero, Camden Lewis, nailed a 46-yarder directly into the strongest part of the wind at the windiest time of the day. He continues to be money.
Jordan Happle had a club around his right hand and he still picked off Dylan Morris.
It was tough, and workmanlike, and ugly, and dominant, but it was all survival. That’s what this team does.
They make mistakes, yes, and those mistakes come from coaches and players alike, and can be mind-boggling, but their religious commitment to the physical principles of football, and their resiliency in the face of frustration is what makes these Ducks strong.
Honestly, give us anyone’s best shot at this point. We are the cockroach that survives the nuclear nightmare.
We ain’t pretty, but we’re still fuckin’ here.
Not a ton of other teams in the nation can say that. And nobody else in our conference even comes to close.
Mario Cristobal was overheard on KT’s Instagram live celebrating the victory with a few choice words about his “rival” up North:
(Forgive my language, this is real coach speak)
“Hey motherfuker, the Ducks play football the right way!”
“You can’t proclaim your way to shit!”
Full video here:
It seems those comments are deeply connected to Washington’s decision to try and claim a Pac-12 North title via social media last season despite going 1-1 against the division; never playing a game outside of Seattle; avoiding the Ducks, Cougs, and Cal; and also not being able to play in the Pac-12 Championship due to Covid.
I have been so focused on laughing at stupid press conference comments, and the general ineptitude on Montlake this season, that I honestly left all of that “claimed-2020-North-Division-Champs” drama way in the past.
But Mario never forgets.
Don’t talk to me about sportsmanship either, this was in the locker room, to his team, after a decisive rivalry victory. Sportsmanship is made up word under those circumstances.
Clearly this division—as middling and confusing as it may be—matters to this man. He refuses to give an inch to anyone who won’t step up and pry it from his massive hands.
And that’s what football is. It’s not eye tests or quality losses or academic prowess. It’s settled on the field when one team scores more than the other team. Ducks have done a lot of that this year. They’ll probably do it a couple more times, too.
1-0. That’s it.
Go Ducks.