Bo Nix has a variety of name, image and likeness deals and another might need to be in the works after the Oregon quarterback worked some voodoo magic to rally the Ducks from a deficit 10 points with 9:13 to go in the Holiday Bowl.
With the Ducks favored two touchdowns 24-14, Nix capped a dramatic comeback going 9-of-10 for 103 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning six-yard score to Chase Cota in fourth-and-2 with 19 seconds left. . in No. 15 Oregon won 28-27 over North Carolina Wednesday night at Petco Park.
During Oregon’s timeout with 24 seconds left, Nix called the play that ended the rally: Donut.
“It’s one of our must-have games,” Nix said. We feel really good about this game. We’ve run it many times. It’s hard to stop against guys in good situations. It puts Troy (Franklin) and (Terrance Ferguson) and Chase and those guys in situations to do what they do best.
“Indeed, they brought a house blitz. Chase knows again and again that’s the throw. If we go home, he’s going to get a natural pick there going through the middle, and Bucky (Irving) did a great job of picking up protection, and we threw him in the middle and got a completion for a touchdown.
It was a fitting end act to the 2022 season for the Nix, who traveled from Auburn, Oregon to reunite with offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham and help lead the Ducks to a bid for a Pac-12 championship and a bid potential in the college football playoffs. Until the Nix got hurt against Washington, those dreams were still possible.
Dillingham left to become the head coach of Arizona State, but Nix retained the autonomy he had all season to make adjustments and call plays. Acting offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer called the plays on Wednesday, but Nix had the last laugh with the game on the line.
Bo did a good job calling what he wanted on that one. But we all agree that you believe in your quarterback,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. Credit to Bo and credit to Drew and the offensive staff and every player on offense. They believed in what we were going to perform and how we were going to perform it, and when the suggestion was made, it was like, ‘Damn, let’s go.
It was also fitting that Cota, the Oregon legacy whose career began at UCLA, was on the receiving side of the deciding score. Cota had all three catches for 42 yards in the 9:03 final.
“All the preparation for the bowl against our defense, we never had that look once, but we had it here at our training site for the bowl once and we missed it and we had it. we passed, and of course it appeared in the game he was exactly the same,” Cota said. “It was perfect. Bo saw it, it was an easy touchdown.
When it was time to make the donuts, Nix delivered.
“It’s an optional road, and it’s got a lot of different angles, so it’s tough to stop defensively,” said Nix, who was 23 of 30 for 205 yards with two touchdowns. and an interception. “As much as we touched on that, that’s when my mind went to fourth-and-2 from the 6-yard line. That’s what I want to call it because we’ve had the most reps, and I know exactly where every guy is going to be.
“Chase did a good job flying over the field in men’s coverage, watching the ball and catching it, and putting it in the end zone. Extremely proud of Chase. He deserved this.
Even after Nix and Cota’s heroics, Camden Lewis’ PAT to give Oregon the lead bounced up the left post and through.
“We talked about coming tonight and really finishing the season without a point, but with an exclamation point,” Lanning said. And I would say that was an exclamation point.
— James Crepea reported from San Diego.
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