Subscribe
Follow Us
As Oregon football prepares for Ohio State in the 2025 Rose Bowl, Ducks fans will love to hear the recent comments from NFL running back Bucky Irving. The former Oregon tailback is convinced that a viral moment during the Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Carolina Panthers game is good news for the No. 1 team in the country. Dan Lanning's team heads into the matchup as surprising underdogs, especially considering that the Ducks are undefeated and beat the Buckeyes earlier this year.
During the game between Bucky Irving's NFL team and Carolina, a duck ran onto the field. Scott Smith, a senior writer/editor for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, recounted what the running back‘s takeaway was from this moment.
“Bucky Irving interpreted a duck getting loose on the field today and drawing ‘Ducky' chants as a sign that his Oregon Ducks will win the national title.”
Oregon football's path to its first national title is not easy
Bucky Irving is in his rookie season in Tampa Bay. He played for two years in Eugene, running for over 1,000 yards each time. Both seasons were under Dan Lanning, who has elevated this program to new heights as he attempts to win Oregon football's first national championship this year. The Ducks have had a phenomenal first year in the Big Ten. They are currently the only undefeated team in the country and have three wins over teams in the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff.
Still, the road to a perfect season is not easy. To come away with the title, Oregon will have to win this game, then the Peach Bowl against possibly No. 3 Texas, and the national championship game potentially against No. 2 Georgia in Atlanta. While that path is brutal, Dan Lanning is already embracing the challenge. And the Ducks are the most well-rounded team in the country.
The offense is led by quarterback Dillon Gabriel, the 2024 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. Alongside him are 1,200-yard rusher Jordan James and one of the country's best receiving cores. Oregon also has an elite offensive line, which did a phenomenal job protecting Gabriel against the Buckeyes earlier this year. The Ducks put up 32 points against the Buckeyes and were the only team to score more than 20 on Ohio State this year.
While the offense must perform well to win this game, what happens on the other side of the ball for Dan Lanning's team might be even more critical. Ohio State showed a level on offense in its 42-17 win over Tennessee, which will be very hard for anyone to beat. The key was the Buckeyes gave quarterback Will Howard ample time to survey the field and throw to his talented wideouts. That included freshman sensation Jeremiah Smith, who recorded 103 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
The Ducks' pass rush ultimately has to put Howard under duress if they want to prove Bucky Irving's claim right. And also prove many pundits wrong who continue to doubt this great team.
