Washington running back Dillon Johnson could have run for more yards, instead he slid to a stop at the Oregon 24 yard line. Getting up, he was surrounded by teammates knowing that his carry had just iced the Pac-12 Championship for the Huskies. The next cut was of Ducks’ quarterback Bo Nix with a towel draped over his head–unable to watch the ending of the game.
The Ducks got the ball back with 2:44 remaining and scored lightening quick going 75 yards on 2 plays. That set up Washington’s final drive. Oregon had 3 timeouts in their back pocket, in order to get back the ball back Oregon would have to stop Washington on what were obvious runs.
The first two carries were Dillon Johnson 3-yard carries setting up a 3rd and 4 connection between Michael Penix and Jalen McMillan.
In the end, there was too much Parker Brailsford, too much Troy Fautanu, too much Roger Rosengarten, too much Nate Kalepo, and too much Julius Buelow.
Oh, and too much Dillon Johnson.
With just under 2 minutes left in the 3rd quarter, the Ducks took a 24-20 lead. The Huskies played their best keep-away from that point on. On their next two drives they ate up 10:48 of the game clock with 22 plays covering 157 yards–the second drive covering 82 yards on 12 plays in 6 minutes and 20 seconds.
In fact, of the final 13:01 minutes of the game the Oregon defense was on the field for nearly 10 minutes.
Earlier in the week Oregon defender Brandon Dolrus stated that the Ducks were going to try to get after Washington QB Michael Penix. The problem with that strategy is that the constant pursuit was like a prize fighter always looking for the knockout blow, never being able to land it and by the end of the fight they have not fight.
In the 4th quarter alone, Johnson had 12 carries for 66 yards as Oregon put up very little resistance.
And Washington was content to let Oregon punch themselves out. The Ducks spent so much of the time trying to get to Penix that the defensive line was clearly gassed.
Washington, on the other hand had been in so many of these fist fights that they were the much fresher team down the stretch.
In the end, it was Dillon Johnson who delivered the knockout blow.
