LOS ANGELES – Oregon was cruising in 2010.
As it marched toward an undefeated regular season and a berth in the BCS national championship game, its offense was scoring at a rapid pace. For the first nine games that fall, it averaged 55 points per contest.
Then the Ducks traveled to Cal. They won, but scored only one offensive touchdown.
For one night in Berkeley, the up-tempo, spread offense stalled.
“It was really the perfect combination of scheme and talent,” Oregon coach Mark Helfrich, then the Ducks’ offensive coordinator, said this week.
The Golden Bears’ defense included seven starters who were later drafted in the NFL.