FINAL: Oregon defeats Washington 26-14, will return to College Football Playoff

The Oregon Ducks will be making a return trip to the College Football Playoff. 

The No. 6 Ducks defeated Washington 26-14 on Saturday to improve to 11-1 on the season and end their second Big Ten schedule with an 8-1 record in conference play. 

Atticus Sappington led the Ducks with four field goals, Dante Moore passed for 286 yards and a touchdown, and rushed for a touchdown, while Oregon’s defense limited the Huskies to 283 yards. 

With Ohio State’s win over Michigan earlier in the day, the Buckeyes will face Indiana in next week’s Big Ten Championship game — giving the Ducks a week until their seeding is decided during Dec. 7’s College Football Playoff selection show. 

A full story will be posted later this evening.

Live updates:

7:55 4th: Oregon 26, Washington 14

Heck of a response from the Ducks, who used a 64-yard touchdown pass from Dante Moore to Malik Benson to once again make this a two-score game.

8:54 4th: Oregon 19, Washington 14

Hey now, we have ourselves a game. Facing a fourth-and-8 from Oregon’s 13, Demond Williams hit Denzel Boston for a 13-yard score to make this a 5-point game with 8:54 to play.

2:34 3rd: Oregon 19, Washington 7

Sappington. Again. This one from 51 yards out.

9:07 3rd: Oregon 16, Washington 7

Atticus Sappington is having himself quite the game. While the rest of the Ducks are picking up penalties and dropping balls, Sappington just kicked his third field goal of the day — a 37-yarder — to push Oregon’s lead to 8.

00:10 2nd: Oregon 13, Washington 7

The Huskies have life. After struggling to move the ball all game, Washington goes on a 12-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that ate up 3:08 of play clock.

Denzel Boston gets the score on a three-yard screen pass from Demond Williams.

3:18 2nd: Oregon 13, Washington 0.

Atticus Sappington is taking care of some of Oregon’s Husky Stadium kicking demons: the senior place kicker just converted his second attempt of the game — a 32-yarder — to give Oregon a 13-0 lead here late in the second.

10:54 2nd: Oregon 10, Washington 0

We have a touchdown. After Oregon converted a fourth-and-1 with a speed option from Dante Moore to Noah Whittington, Moore took it himself in from the goal line for the 10-0 Oregon lead.

Ducks largely in control of this one, outgaining the Huskies 114-67.

End of first: Oregon 3, Washington 0

5:23 1Q: A bit of a snoozefest so far at Husky Stadium. Oregon has a 3-0 lead thanks to a 46-yard Atticus Sappington field goal, but otherwise we’ve seen four punts in the game’s first five drives.

First quarter updates

Pregame: A quick note here in Seattle before things kick off: Ohio State defeated Michigan, which means that it’ll be the Buckeyes vs. Indiana in the Big Ten Championship game.

Oregon still had a chance to defend its conference title had Michigan pulled the upset and the Ducks beat the Huskies.

***

A longstanding college football rivalry can sometimes feel like basketball — it’s a game of runs.

For the Ducks and Huskies, that’s meant alternating stretches of domination. Washington owned much of the pre-1990s. Oregon swung back and controlled the 2000s. And for most of the 2020s, we’ve landed in something close to a sweet spot.

The Ducks have had some big ones. The Huskies have had some big ones — including three wins over Dan Lanning in four tries. But Lanning finally beat Washington last season, something the fourth-year coach hopes can segue into another one of those long Oregon periods of success.

“It’s one that I struggled with early on when I was here,” Lanning said. “They had some success against us. It means a lot to me. It’s one that I want to have success in. … You see a complete team and then two fan bases which don’t like each other, which makes it fun.”

The stakes are simple: If the Ducks (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten) win the 118th meeting between these programs, they’ll be in the College Football Playoff for a second straight year. Lose, and it’s in the committee’s hands.

Here’s what you need to know — and make sure to bookmark this page for live updates throughout the day.

📺 how to watch or listen 📻

When: 12:30 p.m. Pacific time, Nov. 29

Where: Husky Stadium, Seattle, Washington

TV Channel: CBS

Radio: KUGN-AM 590 and KUJZ 95.3 in Eugene 

who’s playing

Opponent: Washington (8-3, 5-3 Big Ten) 

Depth Chart/rosters: Oregon; Washington

Washington player to watch: Demond Williams Jr., quarterback

Here’s something I don’t remember from Oregon’s 49-21 win over Washington in 2024: Williams going 17-of-20 for 201 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions.

No turnovers and an 85% completion rate against the No. 1 team in the country? How did the Huskies lose so badly?

Ah, yes — those 10 sacks. That part I do remember.

The Huskies’ line is better in 2025 — and so is Williams, who in his sophomore season has thrown for 2,721 yards, rushed for 568 more and totaled 25 touchdowns. He’s accurate with the football, and his legs can cause the Ducks fits on third down.

And if Washington can keep him upright — he hasn’t been sacked in the two games since Wisconsin got to him five times in a 13-10 Badgers win on Nov. 8 — the Huskies will have a chance.

“You always have to know where he’s at,” Lanning said Wednesday. “It’s hard to take away a player like that with his speed. It’s hard to have guys on the field with speed to match his ability, so we have to do a great job in our rush lanes and have great vision with him, and that certainly is difficult with his ability to scramble.”

Oregon player to watch: Dante Moore, quarterback

Look, we don’t want to be cliché or repetitive by listing another quarterback here, but let’s be real: Saturday is a massive game for the Ducks. It’s on the road, against their biggest rival, with major postseason implications.

The Ducks have played in tough places this year — Penn State was unbelievable. But Husky Stadium, when it smells blood, ranks right at the top.

And while Oregon will need everyone to be at their best, this is one of those games that can come down to whether your quarterback can handle the pressure and the environment.

“A lot of preparation has been put in by Dante,” Lanning said. “To piece all the pieces together, it’s a lot of hard work on his part and work by the wideouts knowing that they’re going to be where he trusts them to be.”

fit check

🔖 reads to get ready for the game 🔖

In case you missed any of our coverage earlier this week: 

From Babe Ruth summers to Autzen nights: The unexpected rise of Brock Thomas

With everything on the line, Ducks and Huskies meet again — and so do we

On the USC win, Air Sadiq and the stability that defines Lanning’s Oregon

Learn more about Washington

How this standout UW safety bet on himself and won

Here’s what a win vs. Oregon would mean for the Huskies and Jedd Fisch

Final thoughts before Washington-Oregon

📷 Relive Week 13 📷

🎥 watch the inside look 🎥