On Saturday evening, the Oregon football program went into College Station and picked up a huge road win over the Penn State Nittany Lions that should have them vaulting into the top three of the college football rankings when they are announced later this week. It was arguably the biggest win of Dan Lanning's career so far as the Oregon head coach, as the team silenced any doubt about their legitimacy as a national championship contender this season.
Oregon football got off to a great start to this one, taking a 17-3 lead in the second half. However, James Franklin's Nittany Lions squad did not quit, battling their way back to tie the game in the final minute and send things to overtime.
There, Penn State actually took a lead in the first extra period before Oregon came back to tie things up. The Ducks only needed two plays in the second overtime to wrap things up, the first of which was a touchdown to reclaim the lead, and the second an interception of Penn State quarterback Drew Allard to officially end things.
It was an impressive display of resilience for a Ducks team that has come under criticism for not showing up in big moments in the past.
A huge win for Oregon football
The last time we saw Oregon football on a truly big stage was when they were absolutely demolished by Ohio State in last year's Rose Bowl game. Of course, that contest was a rematch of an earlier regular season between the two teams, which the Ducks won and had them drawing similar praises to what they are experiencing now in the wake of the Penn State win.
However, still, the win in College Station has to feel good for Lanning and the Ducks, who haven't necessarily been seen as a bona fide contender by the larger college football world, even when their ranking would suggest they are.
In any case, Oregon doesn't have any time to rest on its laurels, as it will next hit the field on October 11 for a home game against No. 11 Indiana.
