A lot of conclusions could be drawn from Oregon’s big win over Iowa on Saturday. Calling them a “paper tiger” is not one of them.
There is a bizarre opinion among some members of the national media and opposing fanbases that the Ducks haven’t played anyone. Apparently, September 27th was so long ago that it has completely left their memories.
Oregon has faced three ranked opponents so far this season. They have come away with two wins and a close loss to the #2 ranked Indiana Hoosiers at Autzen. They have faced injuries, torrential downpours, and nationally recognized hostile crowds… but I guess that’s not enough.
Oregon is a Paper Tiger?
Sep 6, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Gary Bryant Jr. (2) reacts after picking up a first down during the first half against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
They are if you believe Will Brackus of CBS Sports. He wrote, “Oregon will be exposed when it has to match up against one of the 12 best teams in the nation.” This is an interesting opinion. Was Oregon “exposed” against Indiana?
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Offensively the Ducks certainly struggled in that game. Defensively they held the Hoosiers to 111 rushing yards and 215 passing yards. This is a team that’s currently averaging 232 yards on the ground and 255 yards for the air. They are 6th in the nation with 487 total yards of offense per game. Exposed?
Brackus continued, “The Ducks don’t have the best résumé thus far. Their admittedly gritty win on the road against No. 20 Iowa Saturday was their first triumph against a ranked team all season.”
I guess in an alternate universe the Ducks faced the #3 ranked Nittany Lions in a white-out at Beaver Stadium. They pulled off a massive win, in overtime, over a top 5 team on the road. They did it in an environment that everyone said was arguably the toughest in college football. That means nothing now, apparently.
His final statement was, “Oregon has done nothing to show that it will compete well on a national stage.”
This Team has Shown Nothing?
Oregon players celebrate after winning the game. The University of Oregon Ducks football team defeated the Penn State Nittany Lions 30-24 at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pa., on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. Credit: Max Unkrich / maxunkrichphoto.com
We could debate if you think the Ducks haven’t shown enough to prove they’re a true contender this season. To think that they have done nothing to show that they would compete well on a national stage is ludicrous.
Right now the Ducks are the 13th best offense, averaging 471 yards per game. Their passing has fallen off a bit because of weather and injuries to key positions. Their run game, however, is 6th in the nation averaging 240 yards per game.
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Against the Iowa Hawkeyes, they put up 261 yards on the ground, averaging 7.3 yards per carry. This was the most total yardage that Iowa has given up since 2022. More impressively, it was the most yards per carry since 2014.
The Hawkeyes entered the game as the 3rd best defense in the nation in total yards allowed per game. They were 5th in passing yards allowed and 4th in total yards allowed. They had the 10th best run defense as well. This team was no pushover and it was on the road in the rain.
The Ducks are a physical, run first offense right now. They’re grinding out opponents and imposing their will in the trenches. This is not the Oregon Ducks of 15 years ago. The rest of college football has not woken up to that fact yet.
The Ducks have an Elite Defense
Oregon defensive back Dillon Thieneman, right, grabs the game-winning interception as Oregon inside linebacker Jerry Mixon celebrates as the Oregon Ducks face the Penn State Nittany Lions on Sept. 27, 2025, at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.
Even if you’re not ready to concede that Oregon has a solid offense, their defense is truly elite.
The Ducks are currently ranked 3rd in overall yards per game. They are #1 in passing defense, allowing only 126 yards through the air. Oregon is also 6th in points allowed per game at 14. They absolutely have a defense that could win a national championship right now.
PFF grades them as the 15th best defense but gives them the 4th best coverage grade in the nation (92.1). They are just barely behind Ohio State (92.2) and Alabama (92.3) on the season. The Ducks have been a no-fly zone for most of the season. They had a couple lapses against Iowa but overall teams have had a very difficult time throwing the ball.
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This is not going to be an easy out for any team… regardless of their ranking.
Despite beating one of the best defenses in the country, Oregon fell in the AP poll on Sunday. It was clearly much more impressive that Ole Miss defeated The Citadel Bulldogs 49-0 at home. Those late season FCS opponents are always a good litmus test for how legitimate a team is in the rankings.
Oregon dropped to 7th in the AP, but at this juncture this ranking is completely irrelevant. The only ranking that matters are the playoff rankings and we won’t know those for a couple days. Funny enough, the coaches poll kept the Ducks at 6th.
With #7 BYU losing to #8 Texas Tech, and Oregon defeating the #20 ranked Hawkeyes, it’s likely that the Ducks will move up into the top 8. This is a good spot, as it would secure Oregon a home playoff game as long as they win out.
One thing to keep an eye on is USC for the rest of the season. The Ducks play the Trojans at home in a couple weeks whicch will most likely will be the final ranked team on their schedule. Washington dropped to Wisconsin at home on Saturday and will assuredly fall out of the rankings.
Kam Wah Chung and Company was a home, a general store, a community center and a medical clinic, where co-owner Ing Hay served as a beloved doctor to residents across the region.
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Courtesy of the Oregon Historical Society / OPB
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In Eastern Oregon’s John Day, a 160-year-old building holds one of the biggest collections of traditional Chinese medicine in the world. Kam Wah Chung and Company, once part of a thriving Chinatown, was owned and operated by Lung On and Ing Hay for over half a century. It was a home, a general store, a community center and a medical clinic where Ing Hay served as a beloved doctor to residents across the region. His practice included herbal remedies, noninvasive treatments, essential women’s healthcare and more.
Archaeologists and historians are continuing to deepen our understanding of the legacy of Kam Wah Chung and traditional Chinese medicine in Eastern Oregon. We join them to learn more about Ing Hay’s important contributions to rural communities in John Day and beyond, as part of our special series in collaboration with OPB’s “Oregon Experience,” the Southern Oregon University Laboratory of Anthropology and Jefferson Public Radio about unearthing Oregon history.
Listen to all episodes of “The Evergreen” podcast here.
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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A shelter-in-place order has been lifted and a suspect is in custody following a shooting and domestic disturbance investigation in Sandy on Sunday, police said.
Around 8:30 p.m., the Sandy Police Department made the announcement on social media that the suspect was in custody with “no ongoing threat to the community.”
This comes after the suspect had been “confined to residence” one hour earlier.
Just after 5 p.m., an initial social media post by Sandy police said that officers and other agencies were on the scene near 39500 Evans Street due to a “domestic disturbance and reported shooting.”
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The shelter-in-place order remained in effect for hours and people were asked to avoid the area.
KOIN 6 News crews saw several ambulances lined up on the street near the site and armored vehicles entering the scene.
We will update this article as we find out more details.
Video shows retirement party for Oregon Fish & Wildlife Conservation K-9
Oregon’s first Fish & Wildlife Conservation K-9, Buck, was deployed 184 times across the state before his retirement.
Oregonians can fish, clam and crab for free during Oregon’s annual Free Fishing Weekend in June.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said it will hold another free fishing weekend June 6-7, offering all Oregonians and nonresidents the chance to fish for free across the state for two days.
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No fishing or shellfish licenses or tags, endorsements or validations are required on these days. Oregon State Parks will also offer free parking at state parks on June 6.
While fishing may be free, ODFW said that all other fishing regulations apply. That includes single rod limitations, bag limits, size restrictions and closures.
Fishing regulations are available online and MyODFW.com for any in-season regulation updates.
Here’s what to know about Oregon June 2026 free fishing weekend.
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Will Oregon lakes be stocked for 2026 free fishing weekend?
ODFW will be stocking many of Oregon’s lakes and ponds with rainbow trout for free fishing weekend.
People are encouraged to visit the recreation report at ODFW’s website to find the best fishing spots, and to check out the trout stocking schedule for stocking locations.
ODFW said that drought conditions will make a difference this year and some smaller lakes and ponds might be warmer than usual. The agency suggested fishing earlier in the day or fishing for warm water fish like bass, bluegill and crappie.
How to go crabbing and clamming during Oregon’s June 2026 free fishing weekend
For Oregonians who have never tried crabbing or clamming, free fishing weekend can be a good opportunity to learn.
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ODFW provides information on how to get started crabbing on its website. It includes tips and tricks on how to crab, where to crab, how to measure a crab and how to tell if it is male or female.
People can also visit the website for information on how to get started clamming, including how to dig for clams, where to dig for clams and what species to look for.
As of May 26, crabbing is open coastwide. Razor clamming is only allowed from the Washington border to Cape Blanco. It is currently prohibited from Cape Blanco to the California border.
The agency warns that closures can happen at any time, especially closures related to shellfish biotoxins, or toxins carried by shellfish that can cause serious illness.
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For updated recreational shellfish biotoxin closures, visit the ODA website or call the shellfish biotoxin hotline at 1-800-448-2474.
To get updated harvesting statuses, people can visit the Oregon Department of Agriculture website.
To check for additional closures during free fishing weekend, people can visit myodfw.com.
What are some events happening during fishing weekend?
ODFW and volunteers will be hosting free events around Oregon on June 6. These events will offer equipment and hands-on instruction for beginners learning how to fish.
Some of the scheduled events include:
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Twin Ponds in Ukiah from 9 a.m. to noon on June 6
Olalla Reservoir in Toledo from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 6
Silverton Marine Park in Silverton from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on June 6
Cleawox Lake in Florence from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 6
Henry Hagg Lake in Gaston from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on June 6
Alton Baker Park in Eugene will hold a youth-only event for anglers 17 and younger from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on June 6
Small Fry Lake in Estacada from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on June 6.
Ginnie Sandoval is the Oregon Connect reporter for the Statesman Journal. Sandoval is a lifelong Oregonian who covers trending news, entertainment, food and outdoors. She can be reached at GSandoval@statesmanjournal.com or on X at @GinnieSandoval.