My Trip to the Ship!

David R.

January 11, 2011 - 5:35 PM

Well, the BCS voyage has come to an end, but even though the outcome on the field wasn't what Duck Nation was hoping for, the trip was incredible and will certainly be the highlight of my senior year.

Saturday night was our pit stop in Las Vegas and as much as I would like to tell you about it, we all know the golden rule: what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. We were only there for a night but that is really all the time you need at America's play ground. We made our way through all of the famous casinos and spent a good deal of time talking BCS with tons of college football fans in the sports betting areas. I spent a little bit of time on the roulette table and luckily I didn't lose too much money. We were able to get a free room in the Planet Hollywood overlooking the strip via someone's aunt, so we didn't have to worry about cramming everyone into the RV that we came in.

The next day we piled back into the RV and made our way to Arizona. Traveling in the RV was a blast and it was much more enjoyable than cramming into a crowded airplane. We were able to sit around in comfy chairs and enjoy the company of all who came for the ride. We stayed the night in Scottsdale and went over to Dos Gringos, the official Oregon Ducks bar for the BCS game. Being with all the fellow Duck fans got me all riled up for the game, and the hostility began early as the Auburn Tigers' bar was right across the street.

The next day was game day and I woke up thinking to myself, "I can't believe the day is finally here!" We headed over to the University of Phoenix Stadium as quickly as possible to allow the tailgating to begin. There were tailgate parties all around the stadium and the stadium itself looked massive with nothing surrounding it. No tailgate party is complete without some frost brewed Bud Light, so I grabbed my fair share and took my time making my way through all the pre-game festivities. As game time neared we entered the stadium and for a while I couldn't believe my eyes. The atmosphere was incredible and it was just what you would expect for the national title game. It was loud the entire game and the school spirit on both sides was amazing.

The game itself was slightly low-scoring compared to what everyone was expecting, but it remained close nonetheless. We struggled a little bit on offense and failed to convert on fourth and one from the one yard line, which ended up being a crucial moment in the game. The Ducks stayed in the game behind the effort of our defense and the arm of Darron Thomas that threw for 365 yards. Oregon pulled out a little trickery as well, including a fake punt conversion and a converted two point conversion that was a fake field goal option between our holder and kicker. Oregon looked flashy on the field like usual, as our uniforms consisted of a new jersey design with neon yellow socks that were worn by the whole team. Of course there are always haters, but I personally thought the uniforms were catchy and a great look for a game of such magnitude.

With the game tied at 19, the Auburn Tigers kicked a game winning field goal as time expired to capture this year's national title. Watching the post-game celebration was hard to swallow, but I took a step back and reflected upon the incredible season that the Ducks had. I said before the game that if we lost, I just wanted us to make it a close game, which we did. We gave the Tigers a run for their money and proved to the nation that we can hang in their with the best the SEC has to offer. Cam Newton didn't single-handedly defeat us as he has other teams this season, and in my opinion, the game was decided by the one yard that we couldn't gain on fourth and goal. Regardless of the game's outcome, I still had the time of my life. I'm sad my final football season as a Duck is over, but with Darron Thomas and LaMichael James returning next year, who's going say that the Ducks can't make another "ship" appearance next year? No one.