A Crazy Day in Pullman

David R.

October 10, 2010 - 4:41 PM

Duck fans were at highs and lows on Saturday while watching the game in Pullman that no one was really expecting to see, in a literal sense as well. The game was rather unusual, but for a while many people in Eugene were under the impression that game wasn't going to be televised.

Every season the football game versus Washington State is always kind of the "joke" game on the schedule. No disrespect to the Cougars, but I have to agree with Maxim magazine's decision to put the Cougars at number seven on the list of the top ten worst college football teams in the nation. Prior to this game everyone always talks about how the Ducks should score 100 points at least. The game experience in Pullman is about as good as the team, as the stadium is never full, and the "Go Cougs" chant seems like a whimper compared to the "Go Ducks" chant that is more of a barbaric battle cry.

On an eerie day in Washington the Ducks looked a little sloppy and were forced into multiple fourth downs on the team's first offensive series. The Ducks even fell behind at one point, but the game and the score became temporarily irrelevant after a freak play during the first half. During a kickoff return, Oregon return man Kenjon Barner took a blow that at the time seemed like it could be career-ending. Barner was running to the right but looking left when suddenly from the right side he was blind-sided by a Cougar defender. In the many replays shown after the play it was clear that the players collided head to head at full speed, and Barner's head was twisted around to the left.

Barner laid motionless on the field, and it became apparent that the situation was more serious than more common injuries. The camera caught Oregon players who were becoming very visually upset, including heisman candidate LaMichael James who was seen balling into the palms of his hands. Barner's parents made their way down onto the field, both displaying similar emotions. When it seemed that Barner was incapable of moving, to the delight of the fans he sat up and was on his feet shortly thereafter. Barner still left in an ambulance, but it was a relief to see him on his feet before his departure. The game got worse before it got better, as Nate Costa had to take the reigns at quarterback after Darron Thomas was sidelined. Thomas isn't seriously injured, but it is always frustrating to lose players in the "joke" game.

The Ducks were still able to put up 43 points, and LaMichael James put up good enough numbers to keep him in the heisman chit chat. Oregon now sits at 6-0, and it was just your average college football weekend except for one thing: THE TOP RANKED TEAM IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WAS DEFEATED! The Alabama Crimson Tide lost to the Gamecocks of South Carolina on the road. Being that the Ducks were number three prior to Saturday, we have now moved up to number two, meaning that if the national championship game was played today, the Ducks would be in it down in Glendale. In my time at the U of O, the Ducks have been ranked number two or higher for only a week (In 2007 we were ranked number two for a week until losing at Arizona). I can't help but ponder what could be, and let's just say this season has some potential.