There was something almost absurd about watching Oregon celebrate its 17-14 victory over Nebraska on Saturday night. For three quarters, the Ducks looked incapable of moving the football against a competent defensive front, their quarterback situation appeared increasingly unsettled and an offensive line that entered the season with considerable expectations continued struggling to establish anything resembling consistency.
Then, with Dylan Raiola back behind center, Oregon suddenly began doing the ordinary things that had seemed almost impossible for the previous 45 minutes. The Ducks ran the football effectively enough to create manageable situations, sustained possessions that lasted longer than a handful of plays and converted critical fourth downs before delivering the winning touchdown with 28 seconds remaining.
The emotional significance of that comeback was considerable, particularly for a team that had spent the previous week confronting difficult questions about its direction. But the numbers tell a somewhat different story, one that makes the victory look less like evidence of a breakthrough and more like a narrow escape made possible by an outstanding defense and a brief period of offensive competence.
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