One more loss will end the Oregon Ducks’ postseason hopes this season, yet the team remains focused and united despite a 3-2 record and mounting pressure. After starting the year ranked No. 2, the Ducks have fallen out of the rankings following upset defeats to Oklahoma State and No. 12 UCLA. Still, players and coaches say the locker room atmosphere remains strong.
“We haven’t let the losses last week and against Oklahoma State bring us down,” punter Bailey Ettridge said. “The team is very connected and maintains its composure whether we’re winning or losing.” Sophomore cornerback Brandon Finney Jr. echoed the sentiment: “One thing I really love is the way the people in the locker room have been responding to this adversity.”
Head coach Dan Lanning acknowledged the challenges but praised the team’s response. “I’ve been proud of the way that they’ve worked,” he said after the recent loss to UCLA. “I don’t see a lot of hanging heads, right? I think that’s challenging, too, especially when you’re young, to not lose a little bit of gusto and not lose a little bit of belief.”
Oregon’s season has swung dramatically. After a tough 39-31 loss at Oklahoma State on September 12, the Ducks rebounded with two wins, including a 41-27 victory at USC on September 26. That seemed to reset their momentum, but the subsequent loss to UCLA dropped them out of the rankings. Now Oregon must win every remaining game to have a realistic chance at the College Football Playoff.
Wide receiver Dakorien Moore said the team still believes its goals remain within reach. “The team is filled with players who came to Oregon to win and be great,” he said. “Team leaders have worked to encourage togetherness and mutual trust. If you can’t trust your teammate, then everything ain’t going to form in the way that it’s supposed to.”
Players have adopted a mentality summed up by the motto F.E.B.U., which stands for “Forget Everyone But Us.” Finney said the phrase guides the team’s outlook on outside criticism. “Why would I let your opinion inflict me or my thoughts on my performance or my thoughts on our performance?” he said. “Because people are going to be there when you’re doing good, when you’re bad; when you’re doing bad, they’re going to leave you.”
The Ducks have faced social media backlash from frustrated fans, but players say they mostly ignore the negativity. “I am active on social media but ignore negativity,” Moore said.
On the field, the team has shown resilience. Fifth-year linebacker Devon Jackson said the defense played one of its best games of the season in the 17-15 loss to UCLA, even as the offense struggled without starting quarterback Dante Moore, who remains in concussion protocol. Jackson said the team’s closeness has prevented blame from dividing them. “It’s not like, the defense won the game and offense lost, or special teams won or lost. We all lost together and we all win together. So, we got each other’s back no matter what.”
Jackson described a conversation he had with senior center Iapani Laloulu after the loss, emphasizing mutual support. “I told him I didn’t care what was going on with the offense; the defense had its back,” he said. “I wouldn’t trade that group with anybody else in the country despite what other people may think. And we’re going to continue to lean on each other because it’s we all we got and we all we need.”
The Ducks prepare to host Nebraska, who currently hold a 5-1 record, in a Big Ten matchup Saturday at 8 p.m. Oregon’s upcoming schedule leaves no room for error if they hope to reach the playoffs.
Despite Oregon’s top-tier facilities and a roster with an estimated payroll of $50 million, the team knows outsiders are unlikely to sympathize with their struggles. “Ain’t nobody going to feel sorry for us,” linebacker Matayo Uiagalelei said. “So just came back in the next day with the mindset ready to work.”
Lanning said the team has elevated its work ethic and embraced accountability since the setbacks. “Everybody knows what we want to attack this next week, being that Nebraska is a good team,” he said.
The Ducks remain a team under intense scrutiny, but their focus is clear: handling each day, each game, one step at a time. Jackson put it simply: “At the end of the year, what happens, happens, but I promise if we focus on the day and focus on one game at a time, we will be okay.”
According to Yahoo Sports.
