Oregon in the BCS and College Football Playoff

Chip Kelly's first postseason game. Oregon had won 10 games and earned its first Rose Bowl trip since 1994. Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor was too much in the second half. LeGarrette Blount did not play (suspended since the season opener). Oregon's offense stalled after halftime. But being back in Pasadena after 15 years mattered. This was the beginning.

Who Oregon faced: Oregon faced Terrelle Pryor and an Ohio State team that would later have its season vacated. LeGarrette Blount was suspended for Oregon.

Cam Newton and Auburn. 22-19. Three points from a national championship. We will never get over it.

12-0 regular season. Lost to Cam Newton by 3 points on a last-second field goal. James was held to about 50 rushing yards but caught 4 passes for 39 yards and 2 receiving TDs. The closest Oregon has ever been to a national title. And then there is the play. With under two minutes left, Auburn's Michael Dyer was tackled by Eddie Pleasant. His knee hit the turf. His elbow hit the turf. He was down. No whistle. Dyer got up and ran 37 more yards, setting up the game-winning field goal. The replay showed he was down. The officials did not call it. Dyer was down. Every Oregon fan knows it. We will never stop saying it.

Who Oregon faced: Oregon faced Cam Newton, the Heisman winner who would go #1 overall. Also on that Auburn roster: Nick Fairley (future #13 pick), Michael Dyer, and Darvin Adams.

The sideline erupts. First Rose Bowl win in 92 years. Oregon 45, Wisconsin 38.

De'Anthony Thomas' 91-yard rushing TD in the third quarter broke the game open. Thomas had just 2 carries for 155 yards and 2 touchdowns. LaMichael James rushed for 159 yards in his final game as a Duck. Oregon trailed early, then exploded. First Rose Bowl win since 1917. Ninety-five years. Let that sink in. Chip Kelly's first bowl win, and the program's biggest postseason victory in nearly a century.

Who Oregon faced: Oregon faced Russell Wilson (transferred to Wisconsin after NC State) and Montee Ball (1,923 yards that season). Wisconsin was a physical Big Ten team Oregon had to outrun.

Chip Kelly's farewell. Everyone knew he was leaving for the NFL. Kenjon Barner rushed for 143 yards. De'Anthony Thomas had a 52-yard TD run. Oregon scored on 6 of its first 8 possessions. The final Chip Kelly game was a masterclass. He left Oregon with a 46-7 record and changed what the program believed was possible.

Who Oregon faced: Oregon faced Collin Klein and a Kansas State team that had been #1 in the country two weeks earlier. Chip Kelly's farewell game.

Mariota vs FSU. 59-20. The most complete performance in Oregon football history.

Mariota vs Jameis Winston. It wasn't close. Mariota threw for 338 yards and 2 TDs, rushed for 62 yards and a score. Oregon scored 59 on the defending national champions. The greatest single-game performance in Oregon history.

Who Oregon faced: Oregon faced Jameis Winston, the reigning Heisman winner, and an FSU team on a 29-game winning streak. Mariota made it look easy: 59-20.

Ezekiel Elliott ran for 246 yards and 4 touchdowns and there was nothing anyone could do about it. Oregon had the Heisman winner. Ohio State had a third-string QB nobody outside Columbus had heard of six weeks earlier and 9 future NFL draft picks. It didn't matter. By halftime you knew. The best Oregon team ever built wasn't good enough.

Who Oregon faced: Oregon faced Ezekiel Elliott (246 yards, 4 TDs), Cardale Jones (a third-string QB nobody expected), and 9 future NFL draft picks. The talent gap was real.

Ohio State 41, Oregon 21. The same team Oregon beat 32-31 two months earlier. This is the image that fuels the 2026 offseason.

Oregon beat this team 32-31 at Autzen two months earlier. Same opponent. Same players. Same quarterback. And none of that mattered. Will Howard threw for 319 yards and 3 TDs. Oregon committed 3 turnovers and never recovered. Ohio State went on to win the national championship. The October game was the best night of the year. The January game was the worst.

Who Oregon faced: Oregon faced Will Howard, TreVeyon Henderson, Jeremiah Smith (freshman sensation), and an Ohio State team loaded with NFL talent across every position group.

First playoff game ever at Autzen Stadium. Dante Moore tied the program postseason record with 5 touchdown passes. Oregon gained 514 yards at 9.7 yards per play, a CFP record for a Big Ten team. James Madison hung around longer than expected, but the Ducks pulled away in the second half. The home crowd was electric.

Who Oregon faced: Oregon faced James Madison, the Sun Belt champions. An FCS-turned-FBS program making its first CFP appearance. Oregon was a 30+ point favorite.

Oregon 23, Texas Tech 0. First Orange Bowl in program history. First bowl shutout. The defense was suffocating.

First Orange Bowl in program history. The defense was suffocating. Oregon held the Big 12 champions to 232 total yards and zero points. The first shutout in CFP history. Gabriel Gonzalez had two sacks. Matayo Uiagalelei was unblockable. The most dominant defensive performance in Oregon postseason history.

Who Oregon faced: Oregon faced Texas Tech and coach Joey McGuire. The Red Raiders had no answer for Oregon's defense. 23-0 shutout. The first CFP shutout in program history.

Indiana 56, Oregon 22. The Peach Bowl. Indiana went on to win the national championship. Oregon went home to regroup.

Pick-six on the opening play. Before you could put your drink down, it was 7-0 Indiana. Then 14-0. Then 21-0. Then 28-0. Three turnovers in the first half. The biggest stage Oregon has played on since 2014 and they came out like the game started at a different time than they expected. Indiana's Mendoza went 17-of-20. Oregon actually outgained Indiana in total yards. That stat makes it worse, not better, because it means the Ducks handed them the game.

Who Oregon faced: Oregon faced Fernando Mendoza and an Indiana team that had lost only to Ohio State all season. Indiana scored 56 points. Oregon had no answer.