Canzano: Oregon Ducks desperate for a bounce-back

Ohio State looms large, doesn't it?

Oregon coach Dan Lanning encouraging his players before the Idaho game. (Photo: Serena Morones)

It was November of 2022, just a few days after Thanksgiving. Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks were leading rival Oregon State by 21 points late in the third quarter at Reser Stadium.

It was such a convincing and dominant performance that a prominent UO booster picked up the phone on the spot and bought a luxury suite at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas for the Pac-12 Championship game.

The cost: $11,000, plus catering.

The Beavers went on a 28-3 scoring run in the final 18 minutes. OSU won 38-35 despite having only 60 passing yards. Oregon had the youngest coaching staff in major college football. It got outfoxed, particularly in the fourth quarter, by the Beavers braintrust. And worst of all — the loss knocked the Ducks out of the conference title game.

The booster was fuming.