Medford, Oregon native Chase Cota didn’t take the traditional route to play in his first in-state rivalry game against the Oregon State.

Nine receptions and 136 yards later, he cemented his status in the rivalry’s history books.

Back in June, Cota left the sunshine after three seasons at UCLA to return to his father’s alma mater for his last year of eligibility. He immediately turned heads in spring camp by showcasing his ability to catch balls over, in between, and around multiple defenders.

He continued his reliability in every game he played this season until a leg injury against Cal sidelined him for the following three games, and his ability to play against Oregon State was in serious question.

Ducks head coach Dan Lanning kept Cota’s playing status confidential throughout the week of practice leading up to the heated matchup Saturday, but if you’ve talked to Cota, you would know he’d do whatever it takes to get ready to play in the game. This one has special meaning to the Cota Family.

“It means a lot to all of [the guys from Oregon],” Cota said. “It's just been a big game forever and it means so much to everyone in the state.”