9-7-23 Emerald Media Group - Gameday

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ON THE COVER

Brison Cobbins (25) and Kilohana Haasenritter (29) hype up the crowd. The University of Oregon Ducks football team defeated the Portland State University Vikings in a home match at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on Sept. 2, 2023.

(Eric Becker/Emerald)

The Oregon Ducks mascot dances during the third quarter. (Ali Watson/Emerald)

OREGON OFFENSE

TROY FRANKLIN

TRAESHON HOLDEN

TEZ JOHNSON

JOSH CONERLY JR.

JUNIOR ANGILAU

JACKSON POWERS-JOHNSON

STEVEN JONES

AJANI CORNELIUS

TERRANCE FERGUSON

BO NIX

BUCKY IRVING

KYLER KASPER

KRIS HUTSON

GARY BRYANT JR.

GAAOPE LALOULU

MARCUS HARPER II

OREGON DEFENSE

BRANDON DORLUS

POPO AUMAVAE

CASEY ROGERS

JORDAN BURCH

JEFFREY BASSA

JESTIN JACOBS

MASE FUNA

KHYREE JACKSON

TYSHEEM JOHNSON

EVAN WILLIAMS

NIKKO REED

COLE MARTIN

JOHNNY BOWENS III

TAKI TAIMANI

KEYON WARE-HUDSON

MATAYO UIAGALELEI

JAMAL HILL

CONNOR SOELLE

JAKE SHIPLEY

TRIKWEZE BRIDGES

BRYAN ADDISON

STEVE STEPHENS IV

OREGON SPECIAL TEAMS

CUPP

TEXAS OFFENSE

TEXAS DEFENSE

TEXAS SPECIAL TEAMS

REESE BURKHARDT

GINO GARCIA

BROOK HONORE JR.

AUSTIN MCNAMARA

JACKSON KNOTTS

For a more in-depth chart on both teams, visit ESPN.com

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LOOKING AROUND THE CONFERENCE AFTER WEEK 1

BY BRADY RUTH • DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART

The start of college football is often filled with non-conference games that significantly favor one team over the other, and Oregon’s 81-7 win over Portland State was a prime example. Week 1 of the season was no different for many of the teams in the Pac-12, but that didn’t stop several from making headlines in their first games.

COLORADO STUNS NO. 17 TCU IN FORT WORTH WITH THRILLING 45-42 WIN

It took new quarterback Shedeur Sanders just one game as a Buffalo to break Colorado’s record for most passing yards in a single game with 510 against the Horned Frogs. Four different Colorado receivers had over 100 receiving yards — also a program record — and the Buffaloes’ defense snagged two interceptions as Colorado stunned the nation in Deion Sanders’ debut as head coach. The Buffs’ home opener will again have national attention next Saturday as rival Nebraska (0-1) travels to Boulder.

NO.

14

UTAH OPENS SEASON WITH IMPRESSIVE 24-11 WIN OVER FLORIDA

The Utes were without some key players in Week 1 and still had little trouble taming the Gators. The team flexed its depth as it needed just 270 total yards of offense to collect a two-score win over Florida.

CALEB WILLIAMS SHINES AGAIN AS NO. 6 USC WALLOPS NEVADA 66-14

There was debate about the quality of the Trojans’ defense after the opener against San Jose State last week, but USC looked better against Nevada as it picked up its second win of the young season. Williams had another great day with 319 passing yards and five touchdown passes as he continues his second Heisman push.

NO. 18 OREGON STATE PICKS UP 42-17 ROAD WIN OVER SAN JOSE STATE

D. J. Uiagalelei’s first game as a Beaver was strong. He only had five incompletions on a day where he threw for 239 yards and three touchdowns. Oregon State looks to be right where it left off last season as it kicked off 2023 with a convincing win.

ARIZONA STATE NARROWLY AVOIDS UPSET SCARE IN 24-21 WIN OVER SOUTHERN UTAH

Kenny Dillingham didn’t get quite the outing he was hoping for in his head coaching debut. His Sun Devils were overwhelming favorites opening the season against the Thunderbirds, but 100 penalty yards and being 4-14 on third down should have ASU concerned.

ARIZONA ROUTS NORTHERN ARIZONA IN 38-3 SEASON-OPENING WIN

This was another game with little suspense on the docket for Week 1. The Wildcats scored in each frame as they marched past the Lumberjacks and now look ahead to playing Mississippi State (1-0) next week.

MICHAEL PENIX JR. LEADS NO. 10 WASHINGTON PAST BOISE STATE IN 56-19 VICTORY

Penix Jr. and his Huskies had quite the afternoon against the Broncos as the offense racked up 568 total yards and the defense forced two turnovers and held on for a Week 1 win. Washington is now 4-2 all-time against Boise State. But, this game was closer than the score alludes to, and the Huskies could face challenges next week.

WASHINGTON STATE PUTS AWAY COLORADO STATE WITH 50-24 BLOWOUT

If Washington State to the Mountain West Conference rumors are true, the Cougars seem well prepared. Cameron Ward had 451 passing yards as Washington State walked past the Rams.

UCLA DOWNS COASTAL CAROLINA IN 27-13 SEASON-OPENER

The Bruins used two different quarterbacks and all types of plays in their Week 1 victory over the Chanticleers. But the shining star for UCLA on Saturday was its defense, which forced three turnovers and allowed just three scoring drives in the win.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS BOTH PICK UP ROAD WINS IN WEEK 1

Stanford and California both had favorable matchups despite being on the road. The Cardinal traveled to Hawaii and came back with a 37-24 win, and the Bears went to North Texas for a 58-21 win over the Mean Green. Cal scored its most points in a game since 2015 as Stanford improved to 4-0 all-time against Hawaii. Both teams’ schedules get tougher as the Bears host Auburn (1-0) and Stanford plays No. 6 USC (2-0) next week.

WHICH PAC-12 TEAMS FARED WELL IN THEIR OPENERS, AND WHICH NEED TO STEP IT UP?

The Oregon Ducks get ready to walk out. Oregon Ducks football takes on Iowa State for the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., on Jan. 2, 2021. (DL Young/Emerald)

A running back cuts to avoid a tackle during a drill. The University of Oregon football team conducted their 17th fall practice on Aug. 23, 2023, on the practice fields at Hatfield-Dowlin Complex, in Eugene, Ore. (Eric Becker/Emerald)

DEBUT FOOTBALL SEASON

TWO-SPORT ATHLETE PREPARES FOR HIS DEBUT FOOTBALL SEASON

In his first couple months on the team, Rodrick Pleasant has established himself as one of the fastest players.

BY EMMA LOGAN • DESIGNED BY PAYTON LIEBELT

WHEN YOU GOOGLE “RODRICK PLEASANT,” EVERYTHING THAT COMES UP IS RELATED TO HIS SPEED. IT IS NO SURPRISE THAT THE FRESHMAN CORNERBACK IS FAST. LIKE, REALLY FAST.

Pleasant is the 2023 Gatorade Track and Field Athlete of the Year, after all. He holds the California state record in the 100 meter with a time of 10.14 seconds. That’s on top of a personal best time of 20.40 in the 200 meter. He is a two-time state champion at both events, which made him one of the strongest high school sprinters in the nation during his career.

This past June, Pleasant made his Hayward Field debut when he competed in the Nike Outdoor Nationals. He capped off an impressive high school career where he was the 100-meter champion after clocking a time of 10.21 seconds. Pleasant also placed fourth in the 200-meter championship race.

“It was amazing getting to run on Hayward, this place is second to none,” Pleasant said in a post-race interview following his 100-meter championship victory. “I had to defend the home turf today.”

After a successful high school football career, Pleasant was considered the No. 91 overall pick on the 247Sports Composite National Ranking and was the 247Sports Composite Position Ranking No. 9 cornerback. He was a four star recruit and earned Under Armour All American Status.

The true freshman committed to Oregon football in early 2023 after having numerous respectable Pac-12 programs — among other schools — interested in his craft. Pleasant eventually landed in Oregon, a place where he can excel on both the

football field and the track.

Shortly following the end of his senior track season, Pleasant was back in Eugene to begin football practices. He is up for the challenge he has presented himself with by being a two-sport athlete. Prior to the start of football season, he was ready to take on the new athletic adventure.

“I feel like my transition from track season to football season is going to be amazing and I can’t wait,” Pleasant said.

Despite the lack of games the football team has played so far this season, the team has been putting in work all summer to prepare. Pleasant quickly grabbed the attention of numerous teammates and his coaches regarding his speed on the field.

“I haven’t seen something that fast with my own two eyes in person on a football field,” wide receiver Gary Bryant Jr. said. “During speed training, he lined up against some of the fast guys on the team and he got respect from everybody after that race.”

Head coach Dan Lanning is not only impressed with this speed, but with his effort to better himself on the field.

“There’s no secret he can run, and he’s a perfectionist. He wants to do everything right. He’s hard on himself at times because of that,” Lanning said “As long as he continues to focus and grow, I think he’s going to be a great player for us for a long time to come.”

Pleasant is among a strong 2023 recruiting class as he joins a cornerback room with many new faces. He will have to work hard as a true freshman to show the team what he is capable of. But, if it comes down to a foot race, there is no question who that goes to.

Rodrick Pleasant (16) watches from the sideline. The University of Oregon Ducks football team defeated the Portland State University Vikings in a home match at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore, on Sept. 2, 2023. (Eric Becker/Emerald)

“AS LONG AS HE CONTINUES TO FOCUS AND GROW, I THINK HE’S GOING TO BE A GREAT PLAYER FOR US FOR A LONG TIME TO COME.”

DAN LANNING, Oregon Ducks head coach

81-7 OREGON ROLLS PAST PORTLAND STATE TO OPEN THE SEASON WITH CONVINCING 81-7 WIN

BY BRADY

He had only four incompletions.

Irving also had an impressive day with 119 yards on just four attempts and two scores. He and James look primed for a huge year. If the Ducks can utilize that one-two combo all season, it’ll be hard to contain their backfield.

Franklin’s pair of touchdown receptions were matched by Gary Bryant Jr.’s day. The USC transfer wide receiver had seven catches for 100 yards and a pair of scores during the smackdown.

One of the Ducks’ biggest issues in 2022 was their discipline. On Saturday, their first penalty didn’t come until the third quarter, and they only had two penalties for 20 yards on the day. A huge step-up from last season, and something the coaching staff and fans should be very excited about.

The other massive improvement? The Oregon defense. This is a small sample size against a weak opponent, yes. But after the touchdown drive in the first quarter, the Ducks didn’t allow a point the rest of the game. They limited the Vikings to 148 rushing yards, 52 passing yards and forced seven three-and-outs.

ENTERING SATURDAY’S GAME, THERE WAS LITTLE MYSTERY AS TO WHAT THE FINAL OUTCOME WOULD BE. AT THE 10:42 MARK IN THE SECOND QUARTER, NO. 15 OREGON WAS LEADING 36-7 AND HAD ALL BUT SECURED ITS FIRST VICTORY OF THE SEASON OVER IN-STATE OPPONENT, PORTLAND STATE.

When the beatdown came to an end, the Ducks were on the winning side of a 81-7 blowout. They scored on each of their first 11 drives as they scored the most points in a season-opener in program history.

Oregon started the game — and the season — firing on all cylinders. The Ducks forced a Vikings’ three-and-out before marching down and scoring on their first drive courtesy of a 13-yard touchdown pass from Bo Nix to wide receiver Troy Franklin. A sneaky two-point conversion put Oregon up 8-0 early in the game with little suspense.

The Vikings quickly responded with a touchdown of their own, but it would be the only scoring drive of the game for Portland State, and one of the few highlights in a day it soon hoped to forget.

The Ducks countered with two more scoring

drives in the first frame from a 52-yard run by Bucky Irving and another Nix touchdown pass to Franklin. Nix had 139 passing yards in the first quarter and the highly praised Nix-Irving-Franklin trio was off to an incredible start in 2023.

The second quarter, however, belonged to Oregon running back Jordan James and the Ducks’ defense. James punched in three short rushing touchdowns for his first scores of the season. The Oregon defense capitalized on a Portland State muffed kickoff return, prevented a Vikings’ fourth down conversion and didn’t allow Portland State anywhere near the red zone.

At the end of the first half, the Ducks had scored 50 points and Portland State had 35 passing yards. Oregon hadn’t scored 50 in the first half since 2017. Nix’s day was done after one drive — another touchdown — in the second half. He finished with 287 passing yards over 23 completions and he threw for three touchdowns as his potential Heisman-caliber season got off to the best start.

Sophomore quarterback Ty Thompson took over in the second half. True freshman Austin Novosad also took some reps at quarterback in his Ducks debut. Both of their first drives resulted in touchdowns. It wasn’t until Oregon’s 10th drive of the game — which resulted in a 41 yard Camden Lewis field goal with 2:08 left in the third quarter — that the offense failed to score a touchdown. The first — and only — punt came with less than seven minutes remaining in the game.

Oregon’s offense looked just as impressive as advertised in its season opener. The three quarterbacks combined for 381 passing yards and four touchdowns as the team racked up 348 rushing yards and seven rushing scores. Oregon did not surrender a single turnover against the Vikings.

Oregon had more touchdowns than the Vikings had completions or first downs.

The Ducks are now 6-0 all-time against Portland State. Saturday’s 81-7 win serves as the largest margin of victory in the history of the matchup. The win is also the Ducks’ 19th consecutive home-opener victory and 30th straight non-conference home win.

The Ducks will face a much tougher opponent in their first road game of the season next Saturday in Lubbock, Texas, against Texas Tech at 4 p.m. PST.

RUTH • DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART THE DUCKS SCORED 11 TOUCHDOWNS IN THEIR WEEK 1 ROUTING OF THE VIKINGS.

Steve Stephens IV (7) and Elijah Williams (47) leap into the stands. The University of Oregon Ducks Football team defeated the Portland State University Vikings in a home match at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on Sept. 2, 2023. (Eric Becker/Emerald)

WORD JUMBLE CROSSWORD

Now

NATCOE NATCOE

SPORTS ATMOSPHERE CHANGES ARE COMING TO OREGON’S SPORTS ATMOSPHERE

The Big Ten relocation means big changes incoming for the fan and student experience at UO.

BY JOE KRASNOWSKI • DESIGNED BY PAYTON LIEBELT

Draped across both 25-yard lines at Autzen Stadium is the Pac-12 emblem. Coming in 2024 and beyond, that won’t be the case. Oregon’s move to the Big Ten Conference will not only affect where the university plays its games, but will have massive implications on the student and fan atmosphere. As the Pac-12 — the conference where Oregon has built its brand — disbands, change is coming to the UO athletic experience.

For the most die-hard Duck fans, traveling to interconference away games will no longer mean an at most two hour flight on the West Coast. With universities moving to the Big Ten, fans traveling to away games will have to include connecting flights and long layovers, all to see their favorite teams play.

When the Ducks relocate in 2024, they will be scheduled to play teams such as Purdue, Indiana and Rutgers, all of which will include three or more hour flights.

Along with the fan sacrifice will come the inevitable student-athlete sacrifice that this conference realignment will entail. Athletes will be asked to fly across the country for games, matches and meets, all while managing a taxing academic schedule.

“What happened to the mental health of student-athletes being important?” Oregon softball pitcher Morgan Scotty tweeted. “The balance of practice, travel, school and having a social life is already hard enough. Why add even more stress?”

This travel will be especially taxing on sports like softball, where multi-stop road trips are common; balancing academics, athletics and recovery will become a far more significant challenge for Duck athletes. Under NCAA rules, student-athletes’

required athletic activities cannot exceed 20 hours per week. This mandate, however, excludes travel.

A proposed way to mitigate the cross-country travel these students would experience would be — for the sports that allow it — to organize tournaments. In this proposed idea, the various schools would travel to a neutral site and play a large portion of the interconference games within the course of a week. This proposed idea has flaws, however. If these large tournaments are necessary for these teams to compete, what cost does this realignment come with?

Along with Scotty, Ducks shortstop Paige Sinicki voiced her concerns with the school’s move to the Big Ten via Twitter.

“It’s unfortunate to hear that my senior year I’ll be playing as far as New Jersey-Rutgers as well as other East Coast schools,” Sinicki said. “Just hope that we student-athletes will be taken care of for all the travel, time changes and hours on the road we will experience weekly!”

It’s reasonable to assume that a sizable portion of the estimated $30 million annually coming to UO through the school’s realignment will be reinvested into the university student-athletes. However, it’s understandable to question the investment UO and other schools will continue to make in smaller sports.

For some Duck athletes, especially those who signed with Oregon in hopes of playing close to home, UO’s move will significantly alter their expectations from when they first signed with Oregon.

“The university’s move to the Big Ten will benefit UO students and faculty,” university president

John Karl Scholz said in a statement released Aug. 4. “The connections we will make with some of the leading research institutions in the world will provide new opportunities for our students, staff, faculty and university stakeholders.”

In 2022, the Big Ten created a Big Ten studentathlete advisory and advocacy committee which UO student-athletes will have access to. The committee was created with “the goal of allowing student-athletes to address their concerns,” Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren said.

The university hopes that joining the Big Ten will help spread UO’s athletic brand farther across the country. A common critique of the Pac-12 was the Pac-12 network, which was only accessible through select cable deals and subscriptions. With the Big Ten’s expansion, that number will increase to 45 games in 2024 on CBS, NBC and Fox.

However, the athletic schedule will change greatly for the Ducks, who will, in the future, be scheduled to play Mid-West athletic powerhouses Michigan, Wisconsin and Ohio State across all sports. Most of the school’s storied rivalries will remain. In Oregon’s Big Ten relocation announcement, it reiterated the school’s desire to continue its rivalry with Oregon State.

“In coming years, the UO will prioritize the long-held traditions, including competition across all sports with Oregon State University,” the university announced.

As UO’s athletic landscape changes, all eyes will be on the Ducks and their reinvestment in the student and fan experience.

Autzen Stadium fills with thousands of fans prior to Oregon football’s first game of the season. (Eric Becker/Emerald)

DUCKS TRAVEL DOWN TO LUBBOCK FOR EARLY SEASON TEST

Coming off a record win in Week 1, the Ducks attempt to roll on with a big victory down south

BY JACK LAZARUS • DESIGNED BY LIZ BLODGETT

There is a great deal of continuity between the 2022 and 2023 squads for the Texas Tech Red Raiders, including a plethora of starters and a motivated second-year head coach.

In 2022, head coach Joey McGuire led Texas Tech to its first eightwin campaign in his first season. They finished the season with a Texas Bowl win against Ole Miss, blowing them out with their dynamic offense and stifling defense.

The offense is led by fifth year quarterback Tyler Shough — a former Duck — and is set for a major step forward under second year coordinator Zach Kittley. The Raiders finished second in the Big 12 in offense in 2022, which is expected to roll into this season as they are returning ten players who started games in some capacity last season. Texas Tech led the entire country last season in plays per game, so this is an offense that prides itself on being up-tempo.

After being 13-point favorites, this offense was quiet in Week 1 against Wyoming, scoring 17 points in the first quarter before being shut out until late in the fourth. After getting out to a hot start initially, the Red Raiders made some crucial mistakes — namely a Shough interception — that led to the Cowboys gaining back a ton of momentum in front of a fervent home crowd.

Once Wyoming had the momentum, Texas Tech went stagnant on offense, getting stopped and

forced to kick field goals in all four of their trips to the red zone. However, the first three of these four field goal attempts would be unsuccessful, as two were missed and one was blocked. This allowed Wyoming to steal all the momentum and force the Raiders into overtime.

Texas Tech’s reliance on its pass game was often its downfall, as the players never established any success on the ground. This led to unsuccessful run plays in the red zone, which forced Shough to make difficult plays in order to get the ball in the end zone, something he couldn’t always do.

The Texas Tech defense is very experienced, returning six starters and a lot of other players who saw meaningful snaps last season. In 2022, Texas Tech led the Big 12 in sacks and was the ninth-best red zone defense in the country, which will be hard to maintain after losing superstar edge rusher Tyree Wilson to the draft. Texas Tech lost five of their top six leading tacklers, so they will have a very big challenge trying to stifle some of the more high powered teams on their schedule.

One of the Red Raiders’ glaring weaknesses is their run defense, as they gave up 171 yards and two touchdowns to a lackluster, one-dimensional Wyoming offense. Going into Week 1, Texas Tech prided itself on its interior line group and front four, especially preseason all-Big 12 selection Jaylon Hutchings.

They were handled by the Wyoming offensive line, who found no problems protecting their quarterback Andrew Peasley and opening up holes for him to run rampant over the defense. The Texas Tech defense lacked an edge that it needed in order to beat a team they were favored heavily over, which needs to be built quickly in order for this squad to be successful.

Although they were beaten heavily on the run, Texas Tech still managed to hold Wyoming in the red zone enough to force the game into overtime. They also forced two early turnovers that led to two scores and a first quarter lead for the Red Raiders.

The Red Raiders were a force at home last season, losing only one game at Jones AT&T Stadium. They also have a lot of potential to cause chaos for Oregon in Week 2 at their home opener. The Ducks should be prepared for a battle down south in Lubbock, as Texas Tech will be fired up coming off a close, overtime loss in Wyoming.

The Texas Tech defense lacked an edge that it needed in order to beat a team they were favored heavily over, which needs to be built quickly in order for this squad to be successful.”

Troy Franklin (11) yells after a big catch that led to an important first down. The Oregon Ducks traveled up to Corvallis to face their in-state rival the Oregon State Beavers on Nov. 26, 2022, for their last game of the regular season. (Jonathan Suni, Emerald)