Oregon
Oregon Ducks’ Jabbar Muhammad Evaluates Former Team Washington Huskies: ‘Fierce Rivalry’
The No.1 Oregon Ducks take on rival Washington Huskies Saturday evening at Autzen Stadium. Ducks cornerback Jabbar Muhammad will be taking on his former team for the first time since transferring this past offseason.
What did he have to say about the Oregon-Washington rivalry?
Jabbar Muhammad: “It’s a Really Fierce Rivalry”
Defensive back Jabbar Muhammad has been in his fair share of big rivalry games throughout his career. Prior to joining Oregon this season, Muhammad had spent three seasons at Oklahoma State and last season at Washington. He has played in the Bedlam rivalry game between Oklahoma-Oklahoma State and also was on the other side of the Washington-Oregon rivalry a season ago.
He was asked about what it has been like on each side of the Washington-Oregon rivalry.
“It’s a really fierce rivalry. Obviously, the fans don’t really get along too well,” Muhammad said. “Me coming from the south, I didn’t know it was that crazy. I’m used to Texas-OU and Auburn-Bama. This is up there with those rivalries. Just to be a part of it is pretty cool.”
Muhammad recalled one of the craziest experiences he’s had in a rivalry game before, and cited “Bedlam” when he was with Oklahoma State.
“I remember getting egged on the bus,” Muhammad said. “Like I said, this (UW-UO rivalry) is up there with it.”
Even with the added juice of a rivalry game, the approach for the Ducks will be the same as any other game.
“It’s just another game honestly. Ready to go out there and compete with my bros,” Muhammad said. “We just need to be us.”
Jabbar Muhammad Previews Washington Offense
The Washington Huskies passing attack is led by quarterback Will Rogers and wide receivers Denzel Boston and Giles Jackson.
This is what Jabbar Muhammad had to say about Denzel Boston.
“He’s (Boston) really good in intermediate game, the quick game, and the deep game,” Muhammad said. “He’s a really complete wide receiver so I’m looking forward to go against him Saturday,”
Here’s what he said about Giles Jackson.
“Agile. Really quick in the slot. Really good with yards after the catch so going to have to do a good job trying to contain him,” Muhammad said.
As for the quarterback position, the Huskies are led by Will Rogers. Backup Demond Williams Jr. is also utilized at times as a dual threat option.
“(Rogers) is a really good pocket passer. Doesn’t really do any running like No. 2 (Williams Jr.), but he has a complete game,” Muhammad said. “No. 2 (Williams Jr.) is more of a dual threat. Can kill you with his legs and throw the ball too. Going to have to do a good job trying to cage up those too.”
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The good times keep on rolling for the Oregon Ducks in the recruiting world. Dan Lanning and the Ducks scored a massive commitment from five-star quarterback Will Mencl out of Chandler, Arizona.
Oregon had been rumored to be leading the race for Mencl’s services for months, but the No. 1 quarterback in the country, per Rivals, cleared the air and committed to the Ducks on Wednesday evening. Mencl chose the Ducks over Auburn and Penn State, both of which battled hard for him down the stretch.
However, Mencl has been connected to Oregon for a long time. While he was offered last fall before breaking out in his junior season, Mencl has been a fan of the program long before he popped up on the Ducks’ recruiting radar. In a post shared by Rivals recruiting expert Steve Wiltfong, Mencl was announced as a quarterback for the Ducks when he was a kid at the 2019 NFL Draft fan experience in 2019.
Now, Mencl is ready to don the green and yellow for real and make his childhood dreams come true. The Ducks have made a point to get Mencl on campus as often as possible and as recently as last week. The continued connection between both sides is ultimately what made the decision easy for the nation’s top passer. Mencl said he told Lanning and the Oregon staff about his decision on Sunday.
“The biggest thing was the relationship with the staff,” Mencl said after committing. “I feel like that continued to grow over time, especially when I first got there last spring. Being able to sit down with Coach Koa, really being an underlooked guy at that time, and kind of blowing up my junior season. And then, the path to the NFL. You can’t deny what they do with quarterbacks and the type of scheme they run. I felt like that was the best fit for me and my family to get to the next level.”
Koa Ka’ai, Oregon’s new quarterback coach, made waves earlier in the offseason after his recruiting test about ice cream flavors went viral, but that doesn’t appear to have scared Mencl off. In fact, the two have a close connection that Oregon hopes will translate to success on the field in the near future.
“My relationship with Coach Koa, I feel like that is super, super strong,” Mencl told Rivals. “I’ve had a lot of discussions with Coach Lanning about the culture there and how they’re going to continue to sustain greatness throughout the program.”
Mencl exploded onto the national recruiting scene with a massive junior season for Chandler. He completed more than 70% of his passes for 3,815 yards and 33 touchdowns against five interceptions in his junior season, leading Chandler to a state title berth. He also rushed for 741 yards and an additional 17 touchdowns.
The Ducks expect to have some competition for Mencl to compete with when he joins the team for the 2027 season, with Dylan Raiola and Akili Smith Jr. already on the roster and competing for a role as the backup. Oregon has gone to the transfer portal as well in recent seasons, finding success with Bo Nix, Dillon Gabriel, and now Dante Moore.
Oregon has recruited well at quarterback in the past, establishing an NFL pedigree that attracted Mencl. Maybe he will be the one to buck the trend and give the Ducks a true, homegrown product under center.
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‘Pour in the largest glass you can find while slow dancing in your socks,’ a Wine Enthusiast contributor said of an Oregon wine
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Wine Enthusiast released a list of the top 40 sparkling wines around the world in 2026 – highlighting two bottles of bubbly from Oregon.
“While it can seem like you need a fortune to enjoy high quality sparkling wine, you honestly don’t. Excellent affordable bubbles are being produced around the world, often in places you might not expect. Each of the selections on our inaugural Top 40 Sparkling Wines list delivers personality, freshness, and celebration for under $75,” Wine Enthusiast wrote.
Wine Enthusiast divided its list into separate sparkling categories including, Champagne, Italian Bollicine, American sparkling and bottles $25 and under.
Snagging a spot on the American sparkling list: Corollary Wines in McMinnville.
Corollarly’s 2021 Momtazi Carbonic Rosé Pinot Noir scored 96 points from Wine Enthusiast.
“This is a Peter Max print of a wine, with vivid aromas and flavors to match the wine’s electric Kool-Aid color. It is filled to the brim with aromas and flavors of macerated strawberries, candied rose petals, apricots, and a bitter note similar to watermelon rind. Pour in the largest glass you can find while slow dancing in your socks,” wrote Wine Enthusiast contributor Michael Alberty.
The second Oregon winery to earn a spot on the list: Lytle-Barnett in Dundee.
Wine Enthusiast also gave Lytle-Barnett’s 2018 Brut Rosé Pinot Noir Chardonnay 96 points.
“Bubbles as persistent as an eight-year-old with a question deliver aromas of dried rose petals, macerated strawberries, and a touch of fresh hay and talc. This 70/30 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay blend is packed with flavors of lemon zest, Honeycrisp apple slices drizzled in caramel, and a dollop of raspberry,” Alberty wrote.
The nods to Corollary and Lytle-Barnett come as the wineries recently helped launch Method Oregon, a nonprofit made up of 50 Oregon wineries aiming to turn Oregon into a global sparkling wine destination.
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