2010 Oregon Ducks football team

American college football season March 2012 December 2025 2010 Oregon Ducks football Oregon Ducks logo.svg 125 Pacific-10 Conference Pac-10 3 3 12–1 9–0 Chip Kelly 2nd Mark Helfrich 2nd No-huddle spread option Nick Aliotti 14th Hybrid 3–4 Game captains Autzen Stadium Pac-10 champion BCS National Championship Game L Lost 19–22 vs. Auburn Pac-10-Uniform-UO-2010.png The 2010 Oregon Ducks football team represented the University of Oregon in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was led by Chip Kelly in his second season as a head coach. The Ducks played their home games at Autzen Stadium for the 44th straight year. On October 16, 2010, Oregon was ranked number 1 in the AP Poll for the first time in program history. On October 31, 2010, after beating USC and moving to 8–0, Oregon achieved the number 1 ranking in the BCS rankings. The Ducks repeated as Pac-10 Conference champions and finished the regular season undefeated with a school-record 12 wins, the first undefeated and untied regular season in the school's 117-year football history. They earned a berth in the BCS National Championship Game, which they narrowly lost to Auburn on a field goal as time expired. It was the closest that a team from the Pacific Northwest has come to winning a share of the national championship since Washington was crowned national champion by most outlets in 1991. In recognition of the team's performance during the season, Kelly received the Eddie Robinson Award and the Associated Press College Football Coach of the Year Award. Running back LaMichael James, who finished third in balloting in for the Heisman Trophy, received the Doak Walker Award. Before the season The team was plagued with numerous off-field incidents during the off-season, which saw nine separate players either be dismissed from the team or be involved in criminal activities starting in January 2010.Hunt John 2010-03-13 Oregon football: The rap sheet https://www.oregonlive.com/behindducksbeat/2010/03/oregon_football_the_rap_sheet.html 2024-11-22 OregonLive en On March 12, 2010, Coach Chip Kelly suspended starting quarterback Jeremiah Masoli for the 2010 season for his role in an Oregon fraternity house theft that resulted in a guilty plea to misdemeanor second-degree burglary, and left the option for Masoli to redshirt in 2010 and return to the Ducks in 2011.Oregon suspends quarterback Jeremiah Masoli for the 2010 season Los Angeles Times 2010-03-12 https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/sports-now/story/2010-03-12/oregon-suspends-quarterback-jeremiah-masoli-for-the-2010-season 2025-06-15 On the same day Kelly also suspended LaMichael James and Rob Beard for the season opener after pleading guilty to harassment.http://university.kval.com/content/kelly-meets-press-james-beard-miss-one-game-masoli-suspended-entire-season James, Beard, Masoli punished 2010 January 9, 2011 https://archive.today/20120728170024/http://university.kval.com/content/kelly-meets-press-james-beard-miss-one-game-masoli-suspended-entire-season July 28, 2012 dead mdy-all The trend continued into the summer time, as on June 7, 2010 suspended Oregon QB, Jeremiah Masoli, was arrested for a second time for marijuana possession and driving with a suspended license. Two days later Masoli was dismissed from the football program.Oregon Ducks dismiss quarterback Masoli, Associated Press, June 9, 2010 with the Ducks naming sophomore Darron Thomas the starting quarterback. On March 19, 2010, athletic director Mike Bellotti left Oregon to join the cable sports network, ESPN, as a football analyst. Recruiting yes no 2011 Lache Seastrunk RB Temple, Texas Temple HS 5 11 188 4.4 2010-01-27 5 5 83 Curtis White TE Eugene, Oregon Henry D. Sheldon HS 6 5 240 4.8 2008-02-29 5 4 81 Dior Mathis CB Detroit, Michigan Cass Technical HS 5 9 170 4.4 2010-01-09 4 4 81 Ricky Heimuli DT Salt Lake City, Utah Brighton HS 6 4 283 4.9 2010-02-03 4 4 81 Bryan Bennett QB Encino, California Crespi Carmelite HS 6 3 185 4.6 2009-06-18 4 4 77 Erick Dargan S Pittsburg, California Pittsburg Senior HS 6 1 195 4.7 2010-02-03 4 4 77 Nick Rowland OG Peoria, Arizona Centennial HS 6 5 298 5.2 2009-10-07 4 4 77 Ryan Clanton OT San Francisco, California City College of San Francisco 6 6 305 5.1 2009-11-30 4 4 – Dontae Williams RB Houston, Texas Aldine HS 5 11 204 4.5 2009-11-18 3 4 80 Keanon Lowe ATH Portland, Oregon Jesuit HS 5 10 170 4.4 2010-01-24 3 4 79 Benjamin Ansong CB Chicago, Illinois Amundsen HS 5 8 150 4.2 2010-02-02 2 4 74 Josh Huff RB Houston, Texas Chester W Nimitz HS 5 10 186 4.4 2010-02-03 3 4 76 James Scales CB Greensboro, North Carolina Central Carolina Sports Academy 5 10 180 4.7 2009-09-11 3 3 78 Issac Dixon OLB Miami Monsignor Pace HS 6 0 195 4.5 2009-10-08 3 3 77 Derrick Malone S Colton, California Colton HS 6 2 195 4.5 2009-12-06 3 3 77 Troy Hill CB Ventura, California St. Bonaventure HS 5 11 163 4.5 2009-12-09 3 3 76 Terrance Mitchell CB Sacramento, California Burbank HS 5 11 168 4.6 2009-05-27 3 3 76 Tony Washington DE Rancho Cucamonga, California Los Osos HS 6 4 233 4.7 2009-11-01 3 3 76 Hroniss Grasu C Encino, California Crespi Carmelite HS 6 3 255 4.9 2009-07-19 3 3 75 Isaac Remington DE Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix CC 6 6 265 NA 2009-12-13 3 3 – Brandon Williams TE Joliet, Illinois Joliet JC 6 4 240 4.5 2009-11-15 3 3 – Alejandro Maldonado K Colton, California Colton HS 5 11 185 NA 2010-01-31 3 2 73 Eric Dungy S Tampa, Florida Plant Senior HS 6 1 183 NA 2010-01-31 2 2 40 Drew Howell LS Tehachapi, California Tehachapi HS 6 2 210 NA 2009-11-23 2 2 40 yes 2010 Oregon Football Commitment List 2010 Oregon College Football Recruiting Commits 2010 Oregon Ducks Commits 2010 oregon 128 2483 April 15, 2011 13 13 22 no Schedule 2010 AP Pacific September 4 12:30 p.m. w y 11 New Mexico Autzen Stadium Eugene, OR OSN 72–0 59,104 https://www.espn.com/college-football/boxscore?gameId=302472483 New Mexico Lobos vs. Oregon Ducks Box Score ESPN September 4, 2010 September 4, 2010 September 11 4:00 p.m. w y y 7 Tennessee Neyland Stadium Knoxville, TN ESPN2 48–13 102,035   https://www.espn.com/college-football/boxscore?gameId=302542633 Oregon Ducks vs. Tennessee Volunteers Box Score ESPN September 11, 2010 September 11, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100914010205/http://espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=302542633 September 14, 2010 live September 18 3:15 p.m. w y 5 Portland State Autzen Stadium Eugene, OR OSN 69–0 58,086 https://www.espn.com/college-football/boxscore?gameId=302612483 Oregon Ducks vs. Portland State Vikings Box Score ESPN September 18, 2010 September 18, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100921103952/http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=302612483 September 21, 2010 live September 25 7:30 p.m. w y 5 Arizona State Sun Devil Stadium Tempe, AZ FSN 42–31 60,326 https://www.espn.com/college-football/boxscore?gameId=302680009 Oregon Ducks vs. Arizona State Sun Devils Box Score ESPN September 25, 2010 October 3, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100929075021/http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=302680009 September 29, 2010 live October 2 5:00 p.m. w 4 Stanford 9 Autzen Stadium Eugene, OR rivalry, College GameDay ABC/ESPN2 52–31 59,818 https://www.espn.com/college-football/boxscore?gameId=302752483 Stanford Cardinal vs. Oregon Ducks Box Score ESPN October 2, 2010 October 3, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20101006180051/http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=302752483 October 6, 2010 live October 9 2:00 p.m. w y 3 Washington State Martin Stadium Pullman, WA OSN 43–23 24,768 https://www.espn.com/college-football/boxscore?gameId=302820265 Oregon Ducks vs. Washington State Cougars Box Score ESPN October 9, 2010 October 10, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20101012234723/http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=302820265 October 12, 2010 live October 21, 2010 6:00 p.m. w 1 UCLA Autzen Stadium Eugene, OR ESPN 60–13 59,372 https://www.espn.com/college-football/boxscore?gameId=302942483 UCLA Bruins vs. Oregon Ducks Box Score ESPN October 21, 2010 October 21, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20101024221300/http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=302942483 October 24, 2010 live October 30 5:00 p.m. w y 1 USC 24 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA rivalry, College GameDay ABC/ESPN3 53–32 88,726 https://www.espn.com/college-football/boxscore?gameId=303030030 Oregon Ducks vs. USC Trojans Box Score ESPN October 30, 2010 October 30, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20101103002440/http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=303030030 November 3, 2010 live November 6 12:30 p.m. w y 1 Washington Autzen Stadium Eugene, OR rivalry ABC/ESPN2 53–16 60,017 https://www.espn.com/college-football/boxscore?gameId=303102483 Washington Huskies vs. Oregon Ducks Box Score ESPN November 6, 2010 January 17, 2011 November 13 4:30 p.m. w y 1 California California Memorial Stadium Berkeley, CA Versus 15–13 65,963 https://www.espn.com/college-football/boxscore?gameId=303170025 Oregon Ducks vs. California Golden Bears Box Score ESPN November 13, 2010 November 13, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20101117222047/http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=303170025 November 17, 2010 live November 26, 2010 4:00 p.m. w 1 Arizona 21 Autzen Stadium Eugene, OR ESPN 48–29 59,990 https://www.espn.com/college-football/boxscore?gameId=303302483 Arizona Wildcats vs. Oregon Ducks Box Score ESPN November 26, 2010 November 26, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20101201083309/http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=303302483 December 1, 2010 live December 4 12:30 p.m. w y 1 Oregon State Reser Stadium Corvallis, OR Civil War, College GameDay ABC 37–20 46,469 https://www.espn.com/college-football/boxscore?gameId=303380204 Oregon Ducks vs. Oregon State Beavers Box Score ESPN December 4, 2010 December 4, 2010 January 10, 2011, 2011 5:30 p.m. l y y 2 Auburn 1 University of Phoenix Stadium Glendale, AZ BCS National Championship Game ESPN 19–22 78,603 https://www.espn.com/college-football/boxscore?gameId=310102483 Auburn Tigers vs. Oregon Ducks Box Score ESPN January 10, 2011 January 17, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110226090945/http://espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=310102483 February 26, 2011 live Oregon Ducks Schedule 2010 https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/schedule/_/id/2483/season/2010 ESPN September 6, 2023 2010 Oregon Ducks Schedule and Results https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/oregon/2010-schedule.html College Football @ Sports-Reference.com Sports Reference September 6, 2023 2010 Football Schedule https://goducks.com/sports/football/schedule/2010 University of Oregon Athletics September 6, 2023 2023 Oregon Football Record Book https://goducks.com/documents/2023/8/24/2023_Oregon_Football_Record_Book.pdf University of Oregon Athletics 41 September 6, 2023 Roster On March 12, 2010, it was announced that 2008–09 starting quarterback Jeremiah Masoli would be suspended for the entire season following his guilty plea for burglary.Jeremiah Masoli suspended for 2010 season; LaMichael James, Rob Beard will sit one game OregonLive.com March 12, 2010 March 12, 2010 http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindducksbeat/2010/03/jeremiah_masoli_suspended_for.html He was dismissed from the football program on June 9 for an arrest while on his current suspension. On November 10, 2010, back-up quarterback Nate Costa was ruled out for the season with a knee injury. Darron Thomas took over as QB and played against Cam Newton in the BCS National Championship game. Rankings 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings 15 6 7 11 11 7 8 5 6 5 6 4 4 3 3 2 (15) 2 (6) 2 (23) 1 (39) 1 (42) 1 (77) 2 1 (44) 1 (50) 1 (91) 2 1 (49) 1 (51) 1 (92) 1 1 (49) 1 (50) 1 (93) 1 1 (38) 1 (46) 1 (65) 1 1 (37) 1 (48) 1 (68) 1 1 (36) 1 (46) 1 (70) 2 2 (23) 1 (34) 2 (38) 2 3 3 Game summaries New Mexico 2010 New Mexico Lobos football team Lobos 0 0 0 0 #11 Ducks 28 31 6 7 In the first-ever meeting between Oregon and New Mexico on the football field, the Ducks were victorious 72–0. With first-string tailback LaMichael James serving a one-game suspension by Chip Kelly, Kenjon Barner received the majority of carries offensively for the Ducks. Barner scored 5 touchdowns with only limited carries in the second quarter. Meanwhile, second-string punt returner Cliff Harris tied an Oregon Duck school record by returning the first two punts of his career for touchdowns. After the game, the Pac-10 announced Barner and Harris as players of the week. Tennessee 2010 Tennessee Volunteers football team #7 Ducks 3 10 14 21 Volunteers 6 7 0 0 Oregon faced Tennessee for the first time, with the teams playing at Neyland Stadium. The game was delayed for over an hour to lightning in the Knoxville area. The Volunteers jumped to a 6–0 lead until the first quarter delay. After the delay, the Ducks fell behind even more, 13–3. Despite falling behind early, Oregon took control in the 2nd half to win by 5 touchdowns. Portland State 2010 Portland State Vikings football team Vikings 0 0 0 0 #5 Ducks 21 24 24 0 On September 18, Oregon defeated Portland State 69–0. LaMichael James rushed for 227 yards on 14 carries and scored two touchdowns. Quarterback Darron Thomas completed 4 passing touchdowns with one interception and one fumble. No Ducks received Pac-10 player of the week honors for their performance, however.http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=3383&SPID=233&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=204996950, Oregon Football, Retrieved September 21, 2010 September 22, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20160304001107/http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=3383&SPID=233&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=204996950, March 4, 2016 dead The Oregonian, Retrieved September 21, 2010 Arizona State 2010 Arizona State Sun Devils football team #5 Ducks 14 14 14 0 Sun Devils 7 17 7 0 On September 25, 2010, Oregon defeated Arizona State in Tempe, Arizona by a score of 42–31. Though a night game, kickoff temperatures for the game soared at 100 °F °C. Arizona State took an early lead in the game, but Oregon responded with a season-high 4 team interceptions. The Sun Devils held primary running back LaMichael James to only 114 rushing yards, but the total was enough to move James past the 2,000 yard mark for his career. Oregon quarterback Darron Thomas had 290 passing yards in the game, including a 61-yard pass to tight end David Paulson, which were career longs for both players. The win moved the Ducks from 5th to 4th in the September 27 AP Poll.http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=3383&SPID=233&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205002786, Oregon, Retrieved September 28, 2010 September 28, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20160304052310/http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=3383&SPID=233&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205002786, March 4, 2016 dead http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=3383&SPID=233&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205001163, Oregon Release, Retrieved September 28, 2010 September 28, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20160304064700/http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=3383&SPID=233&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205001163, March 4, 2016 dead Stanford 2010 Stanford Cardinal football team Oregon–Stanford football rivalry #9 Stanford at #4 Oregon No. 9 Cardinal 21 10 0 0 No. 4 Ducks 3 21 14 14 October 2 Autzen Stadium 59,818 yes 1 11:01 Oregon Rob Beard 22-yard field goal Oregon 3–0 1 5:06 STAN Griff Whalen 18-yard pass from Andrew Luck (Nate Whitaker kick) STAN 7–3 1 4:02 STAN Andrew Luck 10-yard run (Nate Whitaker kick) STAN 14–3 1 1:08 STAN Stepfan Taylor 44-yard run (Nate Whitaker kick) STAN 21–3 2 13:17 Oregon Jeff Maehl 29-yard pass from Darron Thomas (Rob Beard kick) STAN 21–10 2 11:18 Oregon LaMichael James 5-yard run (Rob Beard kick) STAN 21–17 2 7:30 STAN Coby Fleener 36-yard pass from Andrew Luck (Nate Whitaker kick) STAN 28–17 2 5:41 Oregon Josh Huff 41-yard pass from Darron Thomas (Rob Beard kick) STAN 28–24 2 0:00 STAN Nate Whitaker 46-yard field goal STAN 31–24 3 8:20 Oregon Darron Thomas 6-yard run (Rob Beard kick) Tied 31–31 3 5:34 Oregon LaMichael James 3-yard run (Rob Beard kick) Oregon 38–31 4 14:55 Oregon D.J. Davis 25-yard pass from Darron Thomas (Rob Beard kick) Oregon 45–31 4 1:10 Oregon LaMichael James 76-yard run (Rob Beard kick) Oregon 52–31 yes The Ducks and Cardinal entered the game ranked 4th and 9th in the AP Poll, respectively. Stanford surged to an early 21–3 lead after the Cardinal recovered a fumbled kickoff return by Cliff Harris. Shortly thereafter, the Ducks would respond with a touchdown and recover a surprise on-side kickoff by specialist Rob Beard. With those scores, the Ducks gained momentum, outscoring Stanford 49–10 to close the game with a 52–31 victory. Turnovers were critical in the game as Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck was intercepted twice by defensive back Cliff Harris—opportunities upon which LaMichael James would then translate into touchdowns. James finished the day with over 250 rushing, moving him into 8th place all-time in Oregon's career rushing standings. Oregon quarterback Darron Thomas contributed 4 total offensive touchdowns and 355 yards of offense. The win was the 13th straight victory for Oregon in Autzen Stadium and helped move the Ducks into third place in the AP Poll.http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=3383&SPID=233&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205005378, Oregon Release, Retrieved October 3, 2010 October 4, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20160304202744/http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=3383&SPID=233&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205005378, March 4, 2016 dead http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=3383&SPID=233&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205005590, Oregon Release, Retrieved October 3, 2010 October 4, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20151022122426/http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=3383 October 22, 2015 dead Washington State 2010 Washington State Cougars football team #3 Ducks 15 14 7 7 Cougars 14 3 6 0 The Ducks went into this game as highly touted favorites, however they had to convert on 4th down twice in the opening drive to score. Backup running back Kenjon Barner suffered a big hit during a kickoff return and had to be carted off. Quarterback Darron Thomas suffered an injury to his right shoulder and was replaced by Nate Costa. Casey Matthews suffered an ankle injury but was able to continue playing. The Ducks moved up to No. 2 in the rankings after Alabama lost to South Carolina. UCLA 2010 UCLA Bruins football team Bruins 0 3 3 7 #2 Ducks 15 17 14 14 The Ducks started the game on defense and stalled a UCLA drive that was going well and racked up 15 first quarter points and held UCLA to 6 points going into the 4th quarter. Darron Thomas played his best game to date completing 22 of 31 passes for 308 yards 3 TD and no interceptions. LaMichael James rushed for 123 yards and 2 touchdowns. UCLA was only able to manage 290 total yards versus 582 yards by the Ducks. USC 2010 USC Trojans football team Oregon–USC football rivalry #2 Oregon at #24 USC Oregon 8 21 14 10 USC 10 7 15 0 October 30 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles 8:00 p.m. EST ABC yes 1 11:42 USC Joe Houston 42-yard field goal USC 3-0 1 9:17 ORE Jeff Maehl 17-yard pass from Darron Thomas (Nate Costa to Brandon Bair pass) ORE 8-3 1 1:30 USC Marc Tyler 1-yard run (Joe Houston kick) USC 10-8 2 12:27 ORE LaMichael James 42-yard run (Rob Beard kick) ORE 15-10 2 8:50 USC Marc Tyler 8-yard run (Joe Houston kick) USC 17-15 2 6:45 ORE Jeff Maehl 45-yard pass from Darron Thomas (Rob Beard kick) ORE 22-17 2 1:10 ORE Lavasier Tuinei 33-yard pass from Darron Thomas (Rob Beard kick) ORE 29-17 3 13:43 USC Ronald Johnson 5-yard pass from Matt Barkley (Joe Houston kick) ORE 29-24 3 11:19 USC Matt Barkley 1-yard run (Matt Barkley to Ronald Johnson pass) USC 32-29 3 6:46 ORE Jeff Maehl 30-yard pass from Darron Thomas (Rob Beard kick) ORE 36-32 3 1:14 ORE LaMichael James 2-yard run (Rob Beard kick) ORE 43-32 4 7:18 ORE Rob Beard 34-yard field goal ORE 46-32 4 2:45 ORE LaMichael James 8-yard run (Rob Beard kick) ORE 53-32 yes Jeff Maehl stepped up and caught 8 passes for 145 yards and 3 TD's. LaMichael James rushed for 239 yards including a 42-yard scamper in the 2nd quarter. Thomas threw for 288 yards and four touchdowns. The performance moved the Ducks to a top BCS ranking for the first time in school history. Washington 2010 Washington Huskies football team Oregon–Washington football rivalry Huskies 0 6 10 0 #1 Ducks 0 18 21 14 The Huskies entered the game without star quarterback Jake Locker on the road. Kenjon Barner also returned to the lineup for the Ducks after recovering from a concussion suffered against Washington State. The Ducks started slowly, being held scoreless in the first quarter, but wound up routing Washington 53–16. California 2010 California Golden Bears football team #1 Oregon at California Oregon 0 8 7 0 California 7 0 6 0 November 13 California Memorial Stadium, Berkeley, California 7:30 p.m. EST yes 1 10:29 CAL Shane Vereen 1-yard run (Giorgio Tavecchio kick) CAL 7-0 2 6:34 ORE Cliff Harris 64-yard punt return (Dion Jordan run) ORE 8-7 3 14:29 ORE Jeff Maehl 29-yard pass from Darron Thomas (Rob Beard kick) ORE 15-7 3 9:11 CAL Derrick Hill recovered fumble in end zone (pass failed) ORE 15-13 yes thumb|left|Cliff Harris scores on a 64-yard punt return, which earned him Pac-10 Special Teams Player of the Week honors The Ducks had not won in Berkeley since 2001 and Cal had been extremely dominant at home. The Bears began their first possession with good field position at the Oregon 48-yard line and behind Shane Vereen, were able to put together a drive that he finished off with a 2-yard touchdown run. The Oregon offense was held scoreless for the second week in a row, and the Ducks did not score until more than halfway through the second quarter on a 64-yard punt return for a touchdown by Cliff Harris, with a successful 2-point conversion. The Ducks failed to add to their lead when a 37-yard field goal attempt missed. The third quarter opened with a fumble by Vereen that Oregon recovered. Darron Thomas then connected with Jeff Maehl for a 29-yard touchdown, the Ducks' sole offensive touchdown of the game. A second Oregon field goal attempt, this one from 48 yards, missed. The final score of the game came when Thomas was sacked by Cal nose guard Derrick Hill on the Oregon 12-yard line and fumbled, with Hill recovering the fumble for a touchdown. The Bears were unable to tie the score when a 2-point conversion failed. Cal had a chance to take the lead to open the fourth quarter, but kicker Giorgio Tavecchio was penalized for an illegal motion after making a 24-yard attempt, then missed on the subsequent 29-yard attempt.https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Oregon-ducks-an-upset-at-Cal-3166646.php Oregon ducks an upset at Cal November 13, 2010 November 14, 2010 San Francisco Chronicle After the game, Tevecchio suggested that the noise caused by visiting Oregon fans contributed to the disruption of the kicking team's rhythm.Mosely Rob Dodging them blues http://special.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/sports/25540466-41/oregon-ducks-cal-game-field.csp April 12, 2011 The Register Guard November 14, 2010 After getting the ball back with nine and a half minutes left in the game, Oregon never relinquished the ball, sustaining a time-consuming drive that ended with Thomas taking three straight knees at Cal's 11-yard line to preserve the win and stave off an upset.https://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/boxscore?gid=201011130059&page=plays Oregon at California – Play by Play November 13, 2010 November 14, 2010 Yahoo! The Oregon offense was held to a season-low 317 yards, with LaMichael James, the leading rusher in the country, held to 91 yards, while Darron Thomas threw for 155 and a score. In his second career start, Cal quarterback Brock Mansion threw for only 69 yards as the Bears were unable to mount an effective offense with the exception of Shane Vereen, who rushed for 112 yards and a touchdown. After the game Cal head coach Jeff Tedford denied that his players had faked injuries in order to slow down the Oregon offense, a tactic Oregon's opponents were accused of all season.http://www.mercurynews.com/sports/ci_16652157?source=rss&nclick_check=1 Coach Jeff Tedford denies that his team was faking injuries on defense against Oregon November 18, 2010 San Jose Mercury News December 1, 2010 On November 27, defensive line coach Tosh Lupoi was suspended for Cal's final season game for instructing a player to fake an injury during the matchup against Oregon. Lupoi was determined to have been the only person involved in such behavior.https://www.espn.com/college-football/news/story?id=5857103 – Cal suspends coach vs. Washington November 27, 2010 ESPN Internet Ventures December 1, 2010 Arizona 2010 Arizona Wildcats football team #21 Wildcats 14 5 3 7 #1 Ducks 7 7 20 14 thumb|left|Fans storming the field following the 48–29 victory. Oregon once again started slow in the first half and took off in the second half. The first half featured two Darron Thomas touchdowns as the Wildcats played well. Both sides were heavily penalized as Adam Hall of Arizona was flagged for two personal fouls. The second half's opening Duck drive began with an option pitch to Josh Huff that went for the longest single play of all year. Arizona only managed 10 second-half points, but they did score a touchdown in the fourth quarter as Oregon racked up 35 second-half points. LaMichael James rushed for 126 yards and 2 touchdowns, surpassing LeGarrette Blount's single-season scoring record. With the win over Arizona the Ducks have their best start in history and matched 2001's team school record 11 wins. Oregon State #1 Oregon at Oregon State Oregon 6 10 7 14 Oregon State 7 0 3 10 December 4 Reser Stadium, Corvallis, Oregon 3:30 p.m. EST ABC yes 1 3:23 OSU Jacquizz Rodgers 6-yard pass from Ryan Katz (Justin Kahut kick) OSU 7-0 1 0:40 ORE Kenjon Barner 3-yard pass from Darron Thomas (kick blocked) OSU 7-6 2 12:09 ORE Rob Beard 36-yard field goal ORE 9-7 2 7:03 ORE LaMichael James 8-yard run (Rob Beard kick) ORE 16-7 3 8:39 ORE D.J. Davis 19-yard pass from Darron Thomas (Rob Beard kick) ORE 23-7 3 4:51 OSU Justin Kahut 26-yard field goal ORE 23-10 4 14:50 OSU Justin Kahut 22-yard field goal ORE 23-13 4 12:16 ORE Kenjon Barner 23-yard run (Rob Beard kick) ORE 30-13 4 4:27 ORE LaMichael James 10-yard run (Rob Beard kick) ORE 37-13 4 1:18 OSU Markus Wheaton 12-yard pass from Ryan Katz (Justin Kahut kick) ORE 37-20 yes 2010 Oregon State Beavers football team Oregon–Oregon State football rivalry The 114th meeting between the two teams in the rivalry came with high stakes for both sides. With a Rose Bowl berth already secured, the Oregon Ducks were playing for a spot in the BCS National Championship Game and the Oregon State Beavers were playing to earn a bowl berth by not finishing below a .500 win–loss record.Ducks wrap up BCS berth by bouncing Beavers https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=303380204 https://web.archive.org/web/20170719193534/http://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=303380204 dead July 19, 2017 April 12, 2011 ESPN December 4, 2010 The TCU Horned Frogs also had a vested interest in the game as they needed the Ducks to lose the game in order to be considered for the National Championship Game. The Beavers wore their throwback uniforms that paid tribute to their 1967 "Giant Killers" team.Oregon State unveils special football uniform http://www.democratherald.com/sports/college/article_8297af08-b60a-11df-aea3-001cc4c002e0.html April 12, 2011 Democrat Herald September 1, 2010 The game proved to be intense from the very first play when Oregon linebacker Casey Matthews hit the Beavers' quarterback Ryan Katz hard, causing him to sit out for the drive.Summers Steve We Ain't Done Yet http://oregon.scout.com/2/1028267.html April 12, 2011 eDuck December 4, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20110207151105/http://oregon.scout.com/2/1028267.html February 7, 2011 dead Oregon State scored first with a touchdown with 3:23 left in the first quarter, but would not score another touchdown until roughly the last minute in the game when victory was already out of reach. By halftime, the Ducks were up 16–7. In the third quarter, a touchdown pass from Ducks quarterback Darron Thomas to wide receiver DJ Davis was set up by a fake punt where upback Michael Clay took the snap and ran up the center for a 64-yard gain. The Beavers were able to whittle the Ducks' lead down with two field goals but the Ducks scored two consecutive touchdowns in the fourth quarter. The Beavers scored a touchdown with 1:18 left in the game and attempted an onside kick, but the Ducks recovered the football and took two knees to secure their spot in the National Championship Game.2010 Oregon vs Oregon State Play by Play https://www.espn.com/college-football/playbyplay?gameId=303380204&period=0 ESPN April 12, 2011 Auburn (BCS National Championship Game) #2 Ducks 0 11 0 8 #1 Tigers 0 16 3 3 2010 Auburn Tigers football team 2011 BCS National Championship Game This was the first meeting between the two schools. Coming into the game, Auburn had a 5–3 record against Pac-10 teams while Oregon was 4–4 against the SEC. The game was expected be a high-scoring shootout between two high-powered offenses, and while the teams combined for nearly 1,000 yards of total offense, both teams amassed their second-lowest point totals for the 2010 season. After a scoreless first quarter, Oregon went ahead 3–0 early in the second quarter on a 26-yard field goal by Rob Beard. On their next offensive possession, Auburn went ahead 7–3. Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton completed a 35-yard touchdown pass to former quarterback Kodi Burns and a successful PAT kick by Wes Byrum with 12:00 remaining in the first half. Oregon quickly retook the lead, scoring on 8-yard touchdown pass from Darron Thomas to LaMichael James and a two-point conversion run by Beard, the kicker, making the score 11–7 in favor of the Ducks with 10:58 remaining in the first half. The Tigers cut the deficit to two points when Mike Blanc tackled James in the end zone for a safety with 3:26 remaining in the half, making the score 11–9. They took the lead on a 30-yard touchdown pass from Newton to Emory Blake with 1:47 left in the first half. Byrum's successful PAT made the score 16–11. The only score in the third quarter came on a 28-yard field goal by Byrum. Auburn held onto its eight-point lead until Oregon's LaMichael James caught a two-yard touchdown pass from Darron Thomas with 2:33 remaining in the fourth quarter and another successful two-point conversion tied the score at 19–19 and gave Auburn one last chance to win the game. With 2:17 to play, the game-deciding play occurred on a Tigers first down from their own 40, where freshman running back Michael Dyer received a handoff and appeared to be tackled by Eddie Pleasant at the 46-yard-line. However, none of the referees blew their whistle, ruling that since Dyer had rolled over the top of Pleasant and his knee never touched the ground, he was not down. While the Oregon defenders and most of the Auburn players began lining up for the next play, Dyer took off down the sideline after a moment's hesitation and ran all the way to the Oregon 23, turning what looked like a 6-yard play into a 37-yard gain that set Auburn up well into field goal range. All senior kicker Wes Byrum had to do was kick a 19-yard field goal as time expired to give Auburn its first BCS National Championship and its second national championship officially recognized by Auburn. Dyer's run became a highly controversial play, with some arguing that since part of Dyer's ankle and lower leg touched the ground, he should have been down by rule.https://www.businessinsider.com/heres-the-photo-that-proves-auburns-michael-dyer-was-down-2011-1 Here's the Photo That Proves Auburn's Michael Dyer Was Down Business Insider RB Michael Dyer and DT Nick Fairley were voted offensive and defensive most-valuable-player respectively. Awards and honors Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year and Associated Press College Football Coach of the Year Chip Kelly Doak Walker Award LaMichael James, RB Coaching staff Chip Kelly – Head Coach Steve Greatwood – Offensive line Nick Aliotti – Defensive coordinator Mark Helfrich – Offensive coordinator Gary Campbell – Running backs Jerry Azzinaro – Defensive line John Neal – Secondary Tom Osborne – Tight ends & special teams Don Pellum – Linebackers & recruiting coordinator Scott Frost – Wide receivers Jim Radcliffe – Head strength and conditioning coach Alex Miller – Graduate assistant coach Peter Sirmon – Graduate assistant coach Jeff Hawkins – Senior associate athletics director, football operations Kyle Wiest – Asst. director of football operations Jim Fisher – Asst. director of football operations/recruiting References 2 External links Oregon Category:Oregon Ducks football seasons Category:Pac-12 Conference football champion seasons Oregon Ducks football