The Orange Bowl was different. But Oregon? Same as always. 

MIAMI GARDENS – The postgame was far from normal.

There was confetti falling. There was an awards presentation that featured Oregon players throwing oranges into a cheering crowd. There was Malik Benson jumping into the stands to celebrate with friends and family, cheerleaders making snow angels on the grass, Dan Lanning leaving the field with a finger pointed to the sky and the overwhelming waft of cigar smoke billowing out of the Ducks’ locker room.

No. 5 Oregon won the Orange Bowl 23-0 over No. 4 Texas Tech — a game the Ducks had never played in — to advance to the College Football Playoff semifinals in Atlanta next week for yet another new experience at the Peach Bowl.

“It means a lot,” Oregon linebacker Teitum Tuioti said after his two sacks helped propel one of the best big-game defensive efforts in program history. “It’s the Orange Bowl, man. We dreamt about this as a kid.”

But as the cigar smoke dissipated and players began to pack up their things before flying back across the country to Eugene, Charlie Pickard took a moment to do something very familiar.

See, Pickard didn’t play much on Thursday. He’s a backup offensive lineman from Portland, playing his final season with the Ducks. He didn’t snag two interceptions like cornerback Brandon Finney Jr. did. He didn’t rush for a pair of touchdowns like running back Jordon Davison, or find himself up on the podium accepting the offensive player of the game trophy like quarterback Dante Moore.

He was on the field for 10 snaps — mostly on special teams — and spent his final moments inside the visiting team locker room at Hard Rock Stadium carefully taking the name plate off his locker and sliding it into a bag.

He’s done this after every game since the 2021 Alamo Bowl and hangs them up on his wall at home. He has big wins up there. He also has a big loss up there, too, from 365 days ago.

“Our season ended in the Rose Bowl and some of my best friends walked off that field bawling their eyes out, and it’s something I never want to experience again,” Pickard said. “Hanging this one is going to mean so much more — it’s a win, but what it symbolizes is that I get at least eight more days with these guys. I get to see Poncho (Oregon center Iapani Laloulu) in the morning.”

Sticking to the familiar

And in an era of college football where the Ducks are now heading into uncharted waters — Oregon has never advanced to the semifinals in the 12-team field — Pickard said it’s the sense of familiarity and bond the Ducks have with each other that has Oregon charging through the tournament.

Yes, this game was played at 9 a.m. West Coast time, on a Thursday, against a Big 12 team in 65-degree weather on New Year’s Day.

But according to the Ducks, the Orange Bowl might as well have been a Saturday at Autzen.

“There wasn’t a wasted second while we were here,” Pickard said. “I promise you, Thursday, Friday, Saturday — what it would look like in Eugene for a normal game — it was the exact same thing. Not a single drop-off. We had some free time. It was New Year’s Eve, right? But what are you going to do? Every single person hunkered down in that hotel and hung out with one another. Stayed in the hospitality room. Watched some ball. Not a single person missed bed check.

“And I’ll be honest with you, that’s a hard thing to do when you’re either a young freshman or not playing much and Flo Rida and Marshmello are playing just outside your window. It’s just a testament to everyone’s lock-in.”

Dominant defense

Oregon’s defense has rarely been this engaged. While the Ducks couldn’t find the end zone until the second half and managed to build a small lead thanks to Atticus Sappington’s kicking leg, the defense had it from the start.

The Ducks forced four turnovers, recorded four sacks and punched the ball free for a pair of fumbles — none more important than early in the third quarter.

With Oregon holding a 6-0 lead, Texas Tech was finally in position to ramp up the game’s intensity when the Red Raiders began their second possession of the half following a failed Oregon fourth-down attempt.

Their momentum lasted all of three plays — ending when Matayo Uiagalelei ripped the ball out of the hands of quarterback Behren Morton for the turnover.

Oregon got the ball on Texas Tech’s 6-yard line, and one play later, Davison busted through Tech’s line for the first touchdown of the game.

The Ducks led 13-0. It was more than enough to win.

It wasn’t enough, though, after the conversation that surrounded this group following a first-round win over James Madison that saw the Ducks allow 28 points in the second half.

Oregon allowed 312 yards to JMU in the second half two weeks ago. Against the 12-1 Red Raiders — a team that never scored fewer than 22 points in a game this season — Oregon gave up 215 yards all game.

“We just came out and played as hard as we could,” Uiagalelei said. “Respect to them, but I feel like we came out and dominated on defense.”

To a historic level: Oregon’s shutout of the Red Raiders was the first at the Orange Bowl since the 1991 season and Oregon’s first in a bowl game since shutting out Penn 14-0 in the 1917 Rose Bowl.

So yes, that was different.

But just like Pickard, Tuioti kept his postgame routine as normal as possible. After Tuioti spoke at the podium, took a shower and returned to his stall, he was one of the few Ducks in the locker room without a cigar in hand.

Was Tuioti waiting for a bigger game to light up his stogie?

No. 

“I’m not a cigar guy,” he said. “I’m going to grab my snacks, grab my water and then I’m going to go out and see my family.”

With things rolling as well as they are, why change now?