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On a cold, rainy night at Kinnick Stadium, Oregon left it late. Drilling a game-winning field goal with just three seconds to go, they escaped with an 18-16 win over an Iowa team riding a three-game streak. The Hawkeyes, ranked among the nation’s best in rushing and total defense, had made the Ducks fight for every yard, but in the end, it wasn’t enough. Emotions were running high. And as the clock expired, Oregon’s players headed toward a section of Iowa fans to celebrate the victory. Naturally, the home fans didn’t like it. “Just an ugly scene at the end of the game,” shared reporter Owen Siebring, taking to his X account. “A group of Oregon players went to the north endzone to taunt the Hawkeye fans, and then the Iowa fans responded by hurling beer cans and other debris at the Ducks. Not a great way to end a classic game at Kinnick Stadium.” Some staff members came to remove the players, but the damage was already done. It was, of course, not the ideal way to culminate after a hard-fought win. But the Ducks have done it before. ADVERTISEMENT Just weeks earlier, after their double-overtime win at Penn State, several Ducks players had sprinted toward the Nittany Lions’ student section at Beaver Stadium, waving their arms and yelling in celebration after Dillon Thieneman’s game-sealing interception. The tension had been brewing all night. Penn State’s “White Out” crowd is one of the loudest in college football, and the Ducks didn’t hold back once the final whistle blew. Some objects were reportedly tossed from the stands, and Oregon’s social media team only fanned the flames by posting a victory reel soundtracked by “Mo Bamba,” a song deeply tied to Penn State’s game-day culture. Even head coach Dan Lanning later admitted the atmosphere was “worth seven points,” suggesting he expected his players to respond with emotion. In this game, even though kicker Atticus Sappington drilled a game-winning, 39-yard field goal in the closing seconds, Dante Moore was equally outstanding. The QB hadn’t completed a pass in the second half before completing five consecutive passes, and the 47-yard game-changing drive came. ADVERTISEMENT They limited Iowa’s rushing game to just 101 yards. In the absence of that, the Hawkeyes turned to their passing game, which was ranked 130th nationally, had its moments, but ultimately couldn’t salvage the game. The win may look narrow for Oregon, but overcoming one of the best O-lines in the country was always going to be far from surmountable. Iowa’s QB1, Mark Gronowski, passed for 138 yards and was inch-perfect with his passes. Not to mention, he scored a rushing touchdown, too. However, Oregon, this time in the absence of ace WRs, turned to its rushing game. Noah Whittingon Jr alone rushed for 118 yards, and Jordon Davison rushed another 52. The rushing offense then became the difference maker. ADVERTISEMENT Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports “Oregon’s always been the team of flashy uniforms and fast, spread offense, explosive. Coming to the Big Ten, I get it. Iowa’s always been a classic team, running the ball, I-formation, and we did it better than them tonight, which is pretty cool to see,” said linebacker Bryce Boettcher. In total, the team accumulated 261 yards and gave Iowa’s elite D-line a run for their money. Not to mention, the Ducks forced two crucial turnovers, too. All in all, it was a hard-fought win in a tough environment and weather conditions. That may be why the Ducks’ players tried to rattle Iowa fans. Could this lowkey be the start of a Big 10 rivalry? ADVERTISEMENT Is Oregon bringing high tempers in the Big 10, potentially starting new rivalries? It isn’t a surprise, but most rivalries in college football have started similarly. For instance, the Mississippi State and Ole Miss ‘ Egg Bowl’ rivalry was born out of a similar fight. From students tearing down Mississippi State’s goalposts to players and fans having massive fistfights, it was never beautiful. Not just that, Oregon and Oregon State’s ‘Civil War’ also started after a physical altercation between fans and players in 1894. While these instances may look like ancient history, recent examples abound as well. Miami and Florida International’s rivalry is quite recent, starting with the 2006 Miami Brawl. Benches were cleared, players used helmets as weapons, and even crutches were swung. 31 players were suspended, and the matchup was even discontinued for years. That said, it’s not like Oregon and Iowa resulted in a brawl, right? It isn’t, but college football rivalries are organic. One instance of grudge carries over to the next game, and the cycle never ends. All of that may look ugly, and it surely is. But that’s exactly what makes college football unique, something pro teams can never boast. As for Oregon, the team might have finally convinced the CFP committee, as the committee dropped Oregon to 9th position from AP’s 6th in their rankings.
