Oregon’s Finest: The I-5 Corridor’s 10 Most Memorable Teams of 2024-25
We dish out some awards before heading out for summer.
Six months ago, I asked if it was all worth it.
The Oregon Ducks had just been embarrassed in the Rose Bowl in a game so uncompetitive, I admit, it was a little tough to see the forest for the trees in the immediate aftermath of a perfect season that came to such a crashing halt.
I worry that Oregon football has morphed into a program that’s allowed to enjoy the season only if it’s the last team standing. And at college football’s greatest venue, the Ducks showed on Wednesday they’re still far away from being the last team at the dance.
I wrote that ending on the shuttle from the Rose Bowl back to the media hotel, and when I finished I remember thinking that the loss would overshadow a lot of the good that came in 2024. So what if the Ducks went 12-0 in the regular season? Who cares if they won the Big Ten title when it’s their biggest, baddest new rival who took a 34-8 lead into halftime in the most important game of the year?
Recency bias had me.
Time has since gone by and, as it does, my stance has softened.
When I think about 2024, I still remember the way it ended. I also remember the uneasiness around the way it started with close games against Idaho and Boise State.
But I also remember the way the Ducks played in between. I remember Jordan James trucking through Michigan State’s linebackers, Matayo Uiagalelei clinching the comeback with a pick in Madison, the Ducks watching the fans leave the Big House and picking up confetti for subscribers after the Ducks beat Penn State in Indy.
Mainly, I remember Dan Lanning being swallowed by the crowd on Oct. 12. The Ducks had beaten Ohio State, they were on their way to being No. 1 and Autzen Stadium had exploded into a jubilation that will rank as one of the best parties in this state’s sporting history. 50,000 people rushed the field and 100,000 more will say they did as Oregon’s players and coaches were swarmed by fans, writers, photographers, the Duck, Batman and a host of crowd surfers.
In a season where Lanning otherwise said the Ducks would celebrate when the job was done, Oregon’s third-year coach wore a silver chain with a large metallic O around his neck, gave out bear hugs and pointed to the sky from the middle of the mob after the biggest win of his career.
I’ll never forget that.
And for that one-of-a-kind moment alone, the Oregon football team is one of The I-5 Corridor’s 10 teams of the 2024-25 academic calendar. Here are the rest of our 2024-25 Oregon standouts: including Oregon State baseball, Southern Oregon softball and Lewis and Clark ultimate frisbee.