THE FIGHTING DUCKS! On the night before the big game between Oregon and U$C at Autzen Stadium I am remembering another Duck game with U$C. It was a rainy, gray Saturday on November 2, 1968. I was an undergraduate at Oregon and was at the game with my friend Gaines Smith. Jerry Frei was the Oregon coach. He was was a former World War II pilot who had flown in the South Pacific. We didn't know that then. He coined the phrase "Fighting Ducks". There were 33,500 fans at Autzen that day. U$C came to Eugene let by head coach John McKay a former Oregon player and coach. U$C was ranked #1 in the nation and had a running back named O.J Simpson who later that year would win the Heisman Trophy. Oregon held Simpson to 67 yards on 25 carries and Oregon out gained Southern Cal 152-87 on the ground. George Dames from Medford, anchored the Duck offensive line. Claxton Welch was Oregons running back. A slot back from Southern Oregon was Andy Mauer. Oregon's wide receivers were Denny Schuler and Bob Newland. Late in the game Oregon led! The Oregon fans who had had little to cheer about that year started to chant "WE ARE # 1... We ARE # 1" We then started to chant "ROSE BOWL.... ROSE BOWL," But, alas it was for not! U$C came from behind to win the game 13 to 20. Oregon did not make the Rose Bowl that year and it would be another 26 long seasons until the 1994 season. It is now 39 years later and the Ducks are rated # 5 and U$C is the underdog ranked #8. LETS GO DUCKS!
Friday, October 26, 2007
Oregon Ducks vs U$C Part III
THE FIGHTING DUCKS! On the night before the big game between Oregon and U$C at Autzen Stadium I am remembering another Duck game with U$C. It was a rainy, gray Saturday on November 2, 1968. I was an undergraduate at Oregon and was at the game with my friend Gaines Smith. Jerry Frei was the Oregon coach. He was was a former World War II pilot who had flown in the South Pacific. We didn't know that then. He coined the phrase "Fighting Ducks". There were 33,500 fans at Autzen that day. U$C came to Eugene let by head coach John McKay a former Oregon player and coach. U$C was ranked #1 in the nation and had a running back named O.J Simpson who later that year would win the Heisman Trophy. Oregon held Simpson to 67 yards on 25 carries and Oregon out gained Southern Cal 152-87 on the ground. George Dames from Medford, anchored the Duck offensive line. Claxton Welch was Oregons running back. A slot back from Southern Oregon was Andy Mauer. Oregon's wide receivers were Denny Schuler and Bob Newland. Late in the game Oregon led! The Oregon fans who had had little to cheer about that year started to chant "WE ARE # 1... We ARE # 1" We then started to chant "ROSE BOWL.... ROSE BOWL," But, alas it was for not! U$C came from behind to win the game 13 to 20. Oregon did not make the Rose Bowl that year and it would be another 26 long seasons until the 1994 season. It is now 39 years later and the Ducks are rated # 5 and U$C is the underdog ranked #8. LETS GO DUCKS!
