Droughns Helps Ducks Get Moment in the Sun

Reuben Droughns rushed for 197 yards and a touchdown as Oregon earned a trip to the Sun Bowl by holding off Oregon State, 25-14, Saturday night in the 103rd Civil War.

Oregon, 8-3 overall and 6-2 in the Pacific 10, finished with the same conference record as Washington, but the Huskies are headed to the Holiday Bowl in San Diego because they defeated the Ducks, 34-20. The Sun Bowl, in El Paso, Texas, probably will match Oregon against Purdue, although the Big Ten will meet today to decide the opponent.

“The pressure was against us,” Droughns said. “A lot of people felt we were going to lose this game, and the Beavers were a better team. That’s saying all that we’ve worked for means nothing. They were talking smack to me, so I had to let them know I wasn’t backing down.”

Droughns missed last year’s Civil War after breaking his right leg against UCLA five weeks earlier.

Without him, the Ducks rushed for only 38 yards and lost to the Beavers, 44-41, in two overtimes.

But he was healthy and then some Saturday night, bowling over defenders and helping the Ducks outrush the Beavers, 210-27.

Droughns writes poetry, and to inspire his teammates before the game he read a poem he wrote just for the Civil War.

Asked about the substance of the poem, Droughns said he couldn’t remember; it moved him and his teammates so much he tore it up.

Ken Simonton had two short touchdown runs to lead the Beavers (7-4, 4-4) back from a 22-0 deficit.

Simonton was stopped cold for most of the game, finishing with only 63 yards in 24 carries. But his touchdown runs of five and two yards pulled the Beavers within 22-14 with 10:17 left.

The Ducks held the ball for the next 7:35, however, and Nathan Villegas kicked a 20-yard field goal with 2:32 to play.