The Oregon Ducks made quite the splash during their first year in the Big Ten pond, winning the conference championship. Loyal fans watched with high hopes, but the splash wasn’t quite big enough to land them at the top of the national food chain. On Jan. 1, fans watched from Magoos Sports Bar in downtown Salem as the Ducks were trounced by the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Rose Bowl.
The team made the switch from the dissipating PAC-12 into the growing Big Ten this year along with the University of Washington. The schools joined other universities, which included schools as far flung as Rutgers University in New Jersey and The University of Maryland. Phil Knight, arguably the most famous and wealthy University of Oregon alum, has been pouring money into the school over the last 25 years. He also provides support to the school’s name image and likeness (NIL) program, which helped the team bring on impressive players to compete against other schools.
A local fan watching the Rose Bowl at Magoo’s said she’s had season tickets for years, but was priced out this year, having to pay double the price she’d snagged them for the year prior. When asked about Phil Knight specifically, she said, “Uncle Phil? ... I’d be his niece,” to which her friend replied, “I’m a nail tech and I would gladly give that man a pedicure.” The women later reflected more thoughtfully on how fun it’s been to watch the team wear new uniforms each game thanks to Knight’s contributions.
The Ducks had beat the Buckeyes earlier in the season 32-31, fueling the teams’ emerging rivalry. Ahead of the Rose Bowl, the big yellow “O” on the UO campus was splattered with red paint, Ohio State’s primary color, per Bleacher Report. The feeling of anticipation heading into the semifinal for fans was high. Despite being competitive over the last several decades, the Ducks have never won a national championship.
Many of the fans at Magoo’s had been cheering on the Ducks for the last thirty years, waiting for them to clinch a national title, celebrating wins and mourning losses. One woman, a UO alum, recalled a game against Oklahoma in 2006. Her ex-boyfriend was rooting for the Sooners. She’d started to leave the stadium with the Ducks losing 27-33, but with 45 seconds on the clock, they scored a touchdown and a field goal. She said her ex-boyfriend went home crying while she celebrated.
On Jan. 1 it was the loyal Duck fans that rang in the New Year teary eyed. Ohio State crushed Oregon in the first half, and despite a couple touchdowns worth of hope, the team was unable to recover. “I don’t want to be superstitious, but I think it’s because Chip [Kelly] is coaching for Ohio. Who knows, he might know their strategy. Ohio seems to know their every move,” said one woman, discussing the former Duck head coach. Her friend chimed in, “It’s not an excuse. I heard there are a few players down with the flu. But it’s not an excuse. We should be able to beat them.”
They did not. “They always get so close, but they never get there,” said a Salem native and UO alum.