When the Oregon Ducks took the field against Montana State, fans didn't expect too much drama.
Now sure, technically football isn't played on paper, with weather, illness, injuries, and beyond all impacting any given game in unusual ways, but as a general rule, the No. 7 team in the nation doesn't often fall to a Big Sky Conference contender, especially in Week 1 of the college football season.
And yet, while Oregon rushed out to an early lead, scoring 17 unanswered points in the first quarter alone, the real drama came outside of regulation, when, as the Big Ten Network broadcast cut back from break, the team's Duck mascot found himself beheaded, with the student behind the proverbial mask running off the field to protect his identity.
The Oregon Duck lost his head 😱
🎥 @CFBONFOXpic.twitter.com/5ls9CQmtzy
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) August 30, 2025
What was the Duck trying to do? Frankly, it's hard to say based on the broadcast, but the results are abundantly clear: the Duck ran with his tail between his legs back into the bowels of the stadium while two of his support staff members rushed to help him out, including one who brought along his signature mug.
Fortunately for the Duck, his Oregon squad was able to rally around his mascotting faux pas, seemingly using it as motivation to beat down the Bobcats in a cross-conference showdown, with Dan Lanning's squad outscoring Montana State 38-3 heading into the half. With showdowns against Oklahoma State, Northwestern, Oregon State, and Penn State rapidly approaching, this Week 1 game against Montana State should serve as a great tune-up game for Oregon, and for their Duck mascot, too.
