The Oregon Ducks had a chance to buck recent trends against the Utah Utes in the Pac-12 Championship Game on Friday night, but they couldn’t get the job done. In fact, they were demolished by Utah, and also by analyst Kirk Herbstreit.
Following Oregon’s 38-10 ugly loss, Herbstreit ripped into Ducks head coach Mario Cristobal and his team. Herbstreit said Oregon’s play against Utah was an “embarrassment.”
Kirk Herbstreit on #Oregon: "This is an embarrassment, on this big a stage."
Chris Fowler: "I agree. It's inexplicable."
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) December 4, 2021
Kirk Herbstreit can’t stop ripping Oregon’s effort tonight.
He’s comparing this game to the 2020 Miami UNC game where Miami allowed 778 total yards and 554 rushing yards.
Feels Oregon has put up a similar effort tonight.
Miami lost that game 62-26 at home.
— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) December 4, 2021
"I'm a huge fan of this Oregon program and have been for a long time but this is an embarrassment. Only one team showed up to play" – Kirk Herbstreit #Pac12FCG
— Pint Glass Football Podcast🎙️ (@PGFpodcast) December 4, 2021
Herbstreit isn’t wrong. With the world watching and everything on the line, Oregon got the doors blown off them. The loss came as Cristobal is at the center of rumor and speculation about his future as Oregon’s head coach.
The Utes held Oregon’s offense to just 221 total yards, while limiting them to 3-of-12 on third down. The Ducks were also 0-for-1 on fourth down. The game was never as close as the score indicated, which is saying something. The Ducks were down 23-0 at halftime and 38-3 before a garbage time touchdown in the fourth quarter.
It’s the second time in three weeks Utah put a hurting on Oregon. They had previously embarrassed the Ducks, 38-7, on November 20 in Salt Lake City.
Utah will go onto appear in the Rose Bowl for the first time in school history. Oregon, meanwhile, will sit around and wait for whatever scraps are thrown their way.
Photo: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
