2011 Pac-12 Championship
Week 14, UCLA at Oregon
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at Oregon 49 … UCLA 31
CFN Analysis: Oregon is officially a dynasty. It owns the Pac-12 right now and there’s no signs of slowing down. This is the third BCS game in three years and the second Rose Bowl appearance. Now it’s time to win one of them. … LaMichael James made his last ditch plea to get into the Heisman race. It might be too late, but his 219 yards and three scores. … This might have been the offensive line’s finest hour. It kept Darron Thomas clean and opened up ten-mile wide holes for the ground game. The ground game averaged seven yards per carry. … As if the Ducks needed something else to go right, punter Jackson Rice blasted away averaging 50 yards per punt on his two kicks.
The Bruins did what they could and they put up a great effort, but they were never alive. The run defense wasn’t even close early on, and even when the D came up with a big play, it wasn’t enough. … UCLA had to be perfect, and the four turnovers and the shaky pas protection didn’t help. … The ground game pounded away a bit with Derrick Coleman running for 83 yards on 16 carries and Johnathan Franklin doing a decent job, but it wasn’t enough to control the game and keep the Oregon offense off the field. … The new head man has pieces to work with, but the first thing he needs to do is get more physical on both sides of the line. The Bruins have to be better up front.
(AP) EUGENE, Ore. -- LaMichael James ran for 219 yards and three touchdowns and No. 8 Oregon beat UCLA 49-31 in the inaugural Pac-12 championship game Friday night for the Ducks' third straight conference title and a berth in the Rose Bowl.
Rick Neuheisel tipped his hat to the UCLA fans in his last game as coach. The former Bruins quarterback was fired this week after four seasons with his alma mater.
While the Bruins (6-7) played with passion for their outgoing coach and kept it closer than many thought they would, it was not enough to overcome the Ducks (11-2), who head to a BCS bowl for the third straight season.
Darron Thomas threw for 219 yards and three touchdowns, becoming Oregon's career leader with 63 TD passes.
James became the first rusher in Pac-12 history with three straight 1,500-yard seasons. He moved into a tie with USC's LenDale White (2003-05) for second on the league's career rushing TD list with 52.
Afterward, James and fellow running back Kenjon Barner danced, while other Ducks held roses clenched in their teeth. Fans swarmed the players as fireworks exploded above Autzen Stadium and confetti rained down.
"These guys go play," coach Chip Kelly said. "They're fearless competitors."
Neuheisel, fired following last weekend's 50-0 loss to No. 9 Southern California, hugged quarterback Kevin Prince as time ran out.
"Well, we weren't good enough, but it wasn't because we didn't have enough heart," he said.
Neuheisel's dismissal was part of a wave of coaching moves in the conference. Around the time he was fired, Arizona State let go of Dennis Erickson. Washington State parted ways with Paul Wulff, then quickly hired former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach a day later.
"They can take my job," Neuheisel said, gesturing to the locker room, "but they can't take those boys away from me."
Oregon will play the winner of the first Big 10 championship game Saturday between No. 11 Michigan State and No. 15 Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 2. The bowl pairings will be formally announced on Sunday.
The heavily favored Ducks scored on their first series when James ran 30 yards for a touchdown. James went into the game as the nation's top running back with an average of 142.7 yards per game.
UCLA tied it when linebacker Patrick Larimore intercepted Thomas and ran 35 yards for a touchdown. Neuheisel pumped his fist in celebration.
Thomas scored on a 10-yard keeper and then found true freshman tight end Colt Lyerla alone in the end zone with a 7-yard scoring pass to make it 21-7.
UCLA narrowed it with Prince's flea-flicker to Nelson Rosario for a 37-yard touchdown.
Oregon was stung early in the game when dynamic true freshman De'Anthony Thomas fumbled after a hit by Tevin McDonald. Shaken up on the play, the versatile running back who earlier this week was named the Pac-12's co-freshman of the year on offense did not return.
James added a 3-yard touchdown run to make it 28-14 before Darron Thomas connected with Daryle Hawkins for a 25-yard TD reception.
UCLA's Tyler Gonzalez kicked a 44-yard field goal to make it 37-17 at halftime.
Prince scored on a 1-yard run early in the third quarter to pull UCLA closer to the Ducks, but James answered with a 5-yard TD dash to make it 42-24.
A Heisman Trophy finalist last season as a sophomore, James fell out of the running for the most part this season because he missed two games with a dislocated right elbow.
There has been speculation that James may skip his senior season at Oregon to go to the NFL. After the game, fans on the field chanted "One More Year!"
"Just being with my teammates, I cherish that," he said. "I don't think about `one more year.' I just think about today."
David Paulson caught a 22-yard touchdown pass midway through the third, which put Darron Thomas in front of Danny O'Neil (1991-94) for most passing TDs at Oregon.
Rosario pulled down a one-handed, 19-yard touchdown pass from Prince with less than two minutes to play. Prince completed 13 of 26 passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns.
The addition of Colorado and Utah to the Pac-12 paved the way for a league championship game this season. In previous years, the team with the best conference record claimed the title.
While No. 9 USC (10-2, 7-2) finished atop the Pac-12 South, the Trojans are ineligible to play in the postseason because of NCAA sanctions, which put UCLA in the title game.
This week, the NCAA ruled that the Bruins could accept a bowl invitation even if they lost Friday. Because of Neuheisel's dismissal, offensive coordinator Mike Johnson will take over if UCLA is selected.
The Bruins have reached just one bowl game in the past three seasons. Athletic director Dan Guerrero said he wants to reward the Bruins' 18 seniors by going to a bowl even while the program is in upheaval.
Oregon went to the 2010 Rose Bowl in its first season under Kelly, losing to Ohio State. Last season the Ducks went to the BCS championship, where they fell to Auburn.
Oregon had appeared to be in the running for another shot at the national championship game before losing 38-35 to USC at Autzen Stadium on Nov. 19.
UCLA (6-6) at Oregon (10-2) Dec. 2, 8:00, Fox Network
Here’s The Deal … That’s why they play the games.
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National
Rankings
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UCLA |
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O |
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56th |
Total Offense |
6th |
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84th |
Total Defense |
64th |
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88th |
Scoring Offense |
3rd |
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87th |
Scoring Defense |
43rd |
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29th |
Rushing Offense |
5th |
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29th |
Run Defense |
47th |
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81st |
Passing Offense |
68th |
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68th |
Passing Defense |
91st |
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74th |
Turnover Margin |
25th |
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Position Rankings
relative to each
other
5 Highest - 1 Lowest |
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UC |
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W |
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3 |
Quarterbacks |
4.5 |
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4 |
RBs |
5 |
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3 |
Receivers |
3 |
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4 |
O
Line |
4.5 |
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2 |
D
Line |
4.5 |
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2.5 |
Linebackers |
4 |
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3 |
Secondary |
3 |
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3 |
Spec
Teams |
4 |
|
3 |
Coaching |
5 |
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No championship pairing this weekend is more one-sided on paper than the inaugural Pac-12 Championship Game. UCLA backed in, the result of USC being ineligible for the postseason. And Oregon isn’t just hosting in unfriendly Autzen Stadium, but it’s the two-time defending conference champ. Why bother, right? Just earmark the hardware for Eugene, and start making the Ducks’ travel plans to Pasadena, right? History, though, has proven time and time again that strange things can happen, especially when a decided underdog plays with absolutely nothing to lose. Sure, it’s a longshot, but that won’t stop the Bruins from competing, or from taking their best shot at making history on Friday night.
Oregon is back in a familiar place under head coach Chip Kelly, standing on the brink of a league title and the BCS bowl game that comes with it, in this case the Rose Bowl. Although the Ducks won’t be playing for a national championship, like a year ago, it’s hard to argue with the results in Kelly’s third year since replacing Mike Bellotti. Their only losses came in the opener versus top-ranked LSU and to red-hot USC two weeks ago. The latter stung because it came at home, and against the rival Trojans, but probably did nothing to change the ultimate ceiling for this squad.
Despite all of the speculation to the contrary, Oregon wasn’t likely to jump Alabama in the battle for an LSU rematch anyway. Now, the program gets one more opportunity to flex its Pac-12 muscles in front of a captive national audience, before awaiting the winner of Saturday night’s showdown between Wisconsin and Michigan State.
UCLA might be the strangest division winner … ever. Beyond being just 6-6, it’ll be led by Rick Neuheisel, the lame duck head coach who was fired on Monday. So, barring a waiver exemption from the NCAA, the Bruins are staring at a boom or bust scenario this week. With an epic upset, they’ll represent the league in the Rose Bowl, and be led by interim coach Mike Johnson. With a loss, they’ll dip below .500, and possibly miss the postseason altogether.
Neuheisel was never able to gain a foothold—or narrow the divide on USC—in four years at his alma mater, compiling a mark of 21-28. Sure, there were flickering moments along the way, but too few to offset the collapses. And last weekend’s 50-0 demolition at the hands of the crosstown Trojans officially ended any hopes of returning for a fifth season. UCLA is flat broke, but it’s still holding a coveted lottery ticket, which is more than 10 other league members can boast.
The Bruins have a lot to play for in this rather unique first Pac-12 championship match up. There’s a league title and a spot in the Rose Bowl at stake, and an opportunity to send Neuheisel out with the biggest win of his checkered career. Oregon’s objective, besides the obvious, will be to keep its eye on the ball. Absolutely no one expects UCLA to deliver the shocker in Eugene, and it’ll be up to the Ducks to make sure that history doesn’t happen in their house.
Players to Watch: When UCLA has had success during the regular season, it’s run the ball with authority. Mimicking those results will be the pathway to competitiveness. Not only will the Bruins want to spring backs Johnathan Franklin and Derrick Coleman, who’ve combined for 1,555 yards and 16 scores on the ground, but they’d also like to create daylight for QB Kevin Prince. The 6-2, 230-pounder has fullback-like qualities when he leaves the pocket, barreling through tacklers for extra yards. Since its unlikely that No. 4 will carry his team through the air, he’ll be forced to do so with smaller Ducks hanging on his back.
So, what’s the status of superstar Oregon RB LaMichael James? The nation’s leading rusher dinged his elbow in last week’s Civil War rout of Oregon State, but does expect to be available this week.
The junior claims he could have finished Saturday’s game if it was necessary. His speed and elusiveness will be a handful, particularly for a mediocre UCLA defense allowing a robust five yards per carry. If linebackers Patrick Larimore and Eric Kendricks are unable to seal the lanes, James and backups Kenjon Barner and De’Anthony Thomas will spend most of the night in the Bruins’ secondary. No ground game in America produces more big plays or averages more yards per touch—6.5—than the one from Eugene.
The hidden gem at Oregon this fall has been Nick Aliotti’s defense, which regrouped from graduations in time to exceed expectations. Sure, the unit is going to allow some yards, and bite when it shouldn’t, but it compensates with the speed and tenacity to frustrate opponents. The Ducks figure to be too quick and aggressive for a monotone UCLA attack, flooding ballcarriers with athletic linebackers Josh Kaddu and Michael Clay, and hard-hitting safeties John Boyett and Eddie Pleasant. Unless the Bruins can jump out early, it’s only a matter of time before Prince has to drop back to pass, where he’ll find ends Terrell Turner and Dion Jordan bolting around the tackles.
UCLA will win if … it runs for at least 275 yards.
Any hope that the Bruins have of doing the unlikely will require them to control the clock, keep the chains moving and prevent the Oregon offense from getting on the field for long stretches of time. It’s imperative for UCLA that it owns the tempo of the game, inhibiting the Ducks’ ability to transform this meeting into a track meet. Heck, when the team churned out even 200 yards between the tackles, it’s gone 5-1 this season. More than that will be needed against this opponent, which means it’ll need to be a collaborative effort involving Prince, Franklin and Coleman. The Bruins will need to keep everyone fresh, while pounding away at an Oregon front that trades speed for size.
Oregon will win if … it doesn’t get trounced in the turnover battle.
The Ducks will be fine as long as they don’t suffer through an epic collapse with the ball. They enjoy enough of an edge in overall talent to survive being minus one or two, but anything beyond that point could narrow the divide with the Bruins. Oregon essentially wants to play its game, striking quick on offense, and wreaking havoc on D. When the program’s thoroughbreds, like James, Barner and the Thomas’, De’Anthony and QB Darron, are getting into space, the Ducks are virtually impossible to stop. The one way to put a spoke in their well-greased wheels is to generate a spate of takeaways. Stopping the Quack Attack with the basics, like running to the ball and tackling, won’t happen on Friday night.
What Will Happen: UCLA is playing with house money. On Friday, it’ll be relegated to a house of cards.
This is a terrible matchup for the beleaguered Bruins, which lack the overall speed and offensive electricity to run with Oregon, particularly at Autzen Stadium. The Ducks will start fast, buoyed by the home crowd, and not let up until this one is well out of reach. The offense will jump all over an average UCLA D, forcing the Bruins offense to abandon its usual plan of attack. With the Bruins compelled to throw more than they’d prefer, it’ll make Prince an easy target, and errant throws the death knell for the visitors. The first Pac-12 Championship Game will mark the end of an era in Westwood, and the continuation of a borderline dynastic run in Eugene.
CFN Prediction: Oregon 48 … UCLA 17
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Click For Latest Line From ATS: Oregon -31.5 O/U: 65.5
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