The mood in Oregon’s postgame locker room Friday evening illustrated just how far the Ducks have come this season.
In the wake of the team’s 3-3 start, the Ducks were downright jubilant after wins on the road at Arizona State and Stanford. But as Oregon strung together five straight wins entering Friday, they began to expect more of themselves.
And so, in the wake of Friday’s 52-42 Civil War win over Oregon State, in which the Beavers twice rallied within three during a 35-point second half, Oregon’s mood was far from celebratory.
“I think we let ourselves get a little too relaxed,” said left tackle Tyler Johnstone, a member of the senior class honored before kickoff.