Things looked bleak for a while in the Oregon Ducks Week 12 matchup with the Wisconsin Badgers, but ultimately, the Ducks came out on top, winning 16-13. Oregon is now 11-0, but without running back Jordan James, the Ducks may not still be undefeated.
On a night when offense came at a premium for both teams, James was electric. The junior RB finished with 121 rushing yards on 25 carries (4.8 YPC), 25 receiving yards on two catches, and he scored the Ducks’ only touchdown. James also eclipsed 1,000 season rushing yards in Saturday’s game, the first time he’s done so in his career.
James was playing through an injury this Saturday, after after getting dinged up last week against Maryland. But even below full capacity, James was able to carry the Ducks to a win. James runs angry, and it makes him a powerful back. But as strong as he is, James is just as fast. That mix of skills has served him well throughout his career, and this week, an injury wasn’t enough to prevent James from playing like his typical self.
This game, and this win, can be boiled down to one drive. After Oregon was fortunate enough to hold Wisconsin to a field goal after a long third-quarter series, the Ducks started their march inside the 20-yard line — down 13-6 with an offense running on nothing. On that drive, James was given a much heavier dose of the football, and he finished the drive with 38 yards. His final touch was an 11-yard dash to the pylon which tied the game 13-13.
Oregon finished the game with 354 total yards, 146 of which came from James (41.2%). That’s a staggering statistic, but it still doesn’t encapsulate James’ full impact. Oregon’s offense struggled for so long because the ball wasn’t in James’ hands enough, and once Will Stein committed to James as the leader on offense, the Ducks instantly began to move the football. Without James’s impact, the Ducks would’ve lost.
The Ducks are looking forward to a much-needed bye week before their rivalry week matchup against Washington. After not looking great against Maryland, the Ducks looked flat and had a major scare. With some rest, Oregon will, hopefully, be better prepared for Washington and the pending postseason.
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