Justin Herbert ran for three touchdowns as the Oregon football team won the Rose Bowl on Wednesday, 28-27 over Wisconsin.
There were smiles a mile wide. Eyes red with emotion. Even, wafting up from a couple corners of the Oregon locker room, jubilant puffs of cigar smoke.
All of that and more was on display Wednesday night at the Rose Bowl, as the Ducks celebrated a 28-27 victory over Wisconsin. Senior quarterback Justin Herbert capped a marvelous four-year run as Oregon’s starter by rushing for three touchdowns, and Brady Breeze returned one of two fumbles he helped create for a touchdown as the Ducks finished their season 12-2.
This version of the Oregon football team will go into the record books as champions of both the Pac-12 and the Rose Bowl. They accomplished all of that three years after the program endured a four-win season, and a year after Herbert and senior linebacker Troy Dye passed up the chance to enter the NFL draft.
On Wednesday night, they celebrated a Rose Bowl championship with their teammates, capping one of the all-time great seasons in the history of the program.
“Every ounce of sweat, blood, tears; all the stadium workouts — every piece of it was worth it,” Dye said. “We’re Pac-12 champs, Rose Bowl champs. I’m just proud of the boys.”
The Oregon Ducks take on the Wisconsin Badgers in the 106th annual Rose Bowl Game at Rose Stadium in Pasadena, California on January 1, 2020 (Samuel Marshall/Eric Evans Photography)
The celebration was jubilant in no small part because of how harrowing was the game it followed. After driving to Herbert’s first rushing touchdown on the opening possession, the UO offense stalled for much of the next three quarters; Oregon ended up with just 204 yards of offense, as Wisconsin controlled possession most of the night.
Herbert scored again in the second quarter, helping the Ducks capitalize on a Thomas Graham Jr. interception, but the Badgers went up 17-14 just before halftime.
“We were motivated, ready to get things going,” receiver Johnny Johnson III said. “We never took a mental step backwards. We were always thinking about the next play. We persevered through the ups and downs, and we came out on top.”
Oregon’s defense, a revitalized unit all season under new coordinator Andy Avalos, helped lead the way. And the special teams, which suffered a couple breakdowns early in kickoff coverage, came through as well.
Brady Breeze Postgame Interview Rose Bowl
Breeze picked up the ball after a muffed snap on a punt in the third quarter to regain the lead for Oregon. Wisconsin went back up, 24-21, late in the third, and tacked on a field goal early in the fourth quarter to lead, 27-21.
But then Breeze, whose uncle Chad Cota was the MVP of Oregon’s 1994 Rose Bowl team, came up with another big play, forcing a fumble that Bryson Young recovered. On the next snap, Herbert took things in his own hands yet again, rumbling 30 yards for what proved to be the game-winning score with 7:41 to play.
Herbert never before had rushed for more than one touchdown in a game. But he was the Ducks’ best weapon on the ground Wednesday.
“It’s scary, but he’s the DNA of this football team,” senior offensive lineman Shane Lemieux said. “And whatever it takes to win, he’ll do it. It’s a no-flinch mentality. If we weren’t getting it done inside, he knew he had to pull the ball. And he does whatever it takes to win.”
Lemieux Hanson Rose Bowl Podium
Oregon’s defense did stout work against Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor, the two-time Doak Walker Award winner. He finished with 94 yards on 21 carries, contained by the Ducks’ front seven.
Wisconsin had success in the second half attacking Oregon’s defense on the perimeter with screens and jet sweep. But the Ducks got the final word.
“We thought (at halftime), inside especially, that we were playing pretty well and shutting the inside run down,” UO senior defensive lineman Drayton Carlberg said. “We knew if we kept that up, the corners would come up with some big plays, and that really turned the game around.”
After going ahead 27-21 on a field goal early in the fourth quarter, Wisconsin forced a punt, but couldn’t tack on thanks to Breeze’s forced fumble. After Herbert’s third touchdown made it 28-27, the Badgers got the ball back, but only netted one first down before punting. And pass breakups by juniors Graham and Nick Pickett gave Oregon the ball back after another punt with 2:38 left.
Pickett Jordon Scott Rose Bowl
They Ducks only needed a couple first down to milk the rest of the clock. They got them on a pair of completions by their sublime senior quarterback, one of them to freshman Mycah Pittman, who started in place of junior Jaylon Redd, absent due to personal reasons.
Then, it was time to celebrate. To smile, and laugh, pose for photos and yes, shed some tears.
“This is my last time breaking down the O line (huddle), my last time being coached by (Mario Cristobal) and (Alex Mirabal),” said Lemieux, one of several four-year starters who took their lumps as freshmen on Oregon’s four-win team, but got to cap their careers Wednesday with a Rose Bowl title.
“So that’s why it’s emotional. These are my brothers for life, man. From the outside people probably just thing we’re teammates, (but) we love each other, man. It’s a different bond between us. Because we’ve been through so much.”
