For more than 95 years, the Oregon Ducks had been waiting to win another Rose Bowl, and the last few seconds of the 2012 matchup with Wisconsin stretched for what seemed like an eternity. The players in mirrored helmets held each other back on the sideline, waiting for a video review to confirm Wisconsin was out of time.
Oregon's incredible offense busted up Wisconsin and the record books on the way to the Ducks' first Rose Bowl victory since 1917.
Darron Thomas passed for three touchdowns, De'Anthony Thomas scored on runs of 91 and 64 yards, and the No. 6 Ducks earned their first bowl victory under coach Chip Kelly, holding off Wisconsin 45-38 in the highest-scoring Rose Bowl ever played. Lavasier Tuinei caught eight passes for 158 yards and two TDs for the Ducks.
Wisconsin's Montee Ball rushed for 122 of his 164 yards in the first half for the Badgers, who lost the Rose Bowl for the second straight year despite managing 508 yards of their own. Wilson repeatedly moved Wisconsin in the final minutes of his spectacular single season, but mistakes and the expiring clock were too much.
With the Ducks wearing new uniforms and playing at their usual speedy pace of play, Oregon racked up 621 total yards, just shy of the Rose Bowl record.
Oregon showed that extra time to prepare for the Ducks' inventive offense doesn't equal the ability to stop it. The Ducks were 1-4 in bowl games and season openers under Kelly until they carved up Wisconsin with the second-biggest yardage performance in Rose Bowl history.
Both teams won their respective conferences' first-ever league title games to earn a trip to Pasadena. Although the Ducks' drought was generations longer, Wisconsin hasn't won in Pasadena since 2000.
