EUGENE — For the record, Oregon felt back before kickoff. 

The smoke and heat that filled this state the entire fall disappeared overnight, giving way to one of those crisp and damp mornings that have welcomed football fans on Saturdays here for more than a century. By 10 a.m., it smelled like barbecue in the Autzen Stadium tailgates. Drums, trumpets and cheers echoed through the air. For the thousands who gathered on campus before sunrise, maybe a second wind — or six pack — had kicked in. The majority of the 59,962 who crammed into Autzen — the fourth largest crowd ever assembled here — were in their seats before the coin flip, with yells of “Go” and “Ducks” alternating from the north and south grandstands. 

They certainly understood the magnitude of this one.