– by Adesina O. Koiki
A Lot of Sports Talk editor-in-chief
Follow @Koiki_Sport Follow @ALOST_Official
INDIANAPOLIS — Playing in its first season in the conference where they hoped they would face, then defeat, the league’s champion in the shadows of Hollywood while taking a trip down the Pacific Highway, the Oregon Ducks just went out and won the league’s title outright, playing in Middle America where, upon first glance, they appear a fish out of water.
But these Ducks found the colder water of the Rust Belt just as comfortable as the spring mountain water of the Cascades, and they’ll head to the College Football Playoff as the unquestioned No. 1 team in the country. Though they were made to work, and then some, to finish the job.
Dillon Gabriel threw four touchdown passes while backfield made Jordan James ran for two scores as the top-ranked Ducks prevailed in a shootout over No. 3 Penn State 45-37 to win the Big Ten Championship Game in their first season in the league. Wide receiver Tez Johnson, who only came back from injury last week in Oregon’s win over Washington, caught 11 of Gabriel’s 22 passes for 181 yards and a score.
The Ducks win their first conference championship since winning the Pac-12 in back-to-back years in 2019 and 2020.
“You live for these moments, you dream of these moments and you want to be in them,” Gabriel said. “I’m just smiling because we’re Big Ten champs.”
*Editor’s note: Above the byline is the photo gallery from Thursday evening’s game, with photos taken by ALOST staff photographer Aaron J. Thornton. After clicking on a photo to enlarge the picture, press the left and right arrow buttons on either side of the caption to scroll through the rest of the pictures that appear on the first page, Also, click on the numbers and/or arrow appearing immediately below the picture grid to load the next set of photos. There are 17 pictures in total.
Follow @Koiki_Sport Follow @ALOST_Official
