Oregon faced their first true test of the 2016 season with a trip to Lincoln to face the Nebraska Cornhuskers. A sea of red almost as inescapable as the many amber hues along the highway, rolling in waves, awaited Oregon.

Once just a paycheck destination for Oregon, four quarters stood between two teams and a new destiny. Oregon, looking to dispel rumors of their demise, facing Nebraska looking to return to their seat of national power; with a familiar face, to Oregon fans, on the Nebraska sidelines. This Nebraska team, though, would be considerably different than Mike Riley’s charges in Corvallis. No longer lacking facilities, speed or athleticism, Riley entered his second season rebuilding the Nebraska brand with September 17 marked clearly on his calendar.

Nebraska had featured an aggressive run game against Fresno State followed by passing supremacy against Wyoming, but would use the pass early to set up an improving running attack over the course of the game.

Oregon came into the game with as many questions as ever on defense and looked strong on the first drive with a three-and-out. Dakota Prukop, the erstwhile FCS transfer looked shaky on some early throws, but looked to shake off some nerves with a scramble to pick up a first down on the second offensive drive of the game for the Ducks.

Following his lead, the Ducks marched down the field and scored the first touchdown of the game on a Tony Brooks-James run down the left sideline. A two-point conversion from Charles Nelson gave the Ducks an early 8-0 lead.

An apparent lower leg injury to Royce Freeman, though, seemed to take the air from under the wings of the Ducks as they stalled offensively afterward. With their star wrapped, and in ice, sitting on the sidelines, how would Oregon respond to its first true adversity of the 2016 season?

A much-maligned Oregon defense, the subject of disdain a season ago, had some moments early, but suffered a setback on a blitz leaving the middle of the field wide open as the Huskers cut the lead down to 8-7 in the first quarter. Despite some breakdowns, though, the Duck run defense was strong early giving up just 18 yards on 2.6 yards per carry through the first quarter.

A game many thought would be a shootout, the first half was played in throwback fashion with plenty of running plays, punts, and few explosion plays. With the help of a big play to convert a fourth-and-three, the Ducks were able to extend their lead to 14-7 on Tony Brooks-James’ second touchdown of the night, this one from two yards.

A tenuous lead, too much trickery, and trademark Oregon speed put the Ducks up 20-7 with 2:30 left in the first half. Capitalizing on a key mistake by Nebraska inside their own 20, the Ducks returned the backward lateral to the 50-yard line. On the first play following the turnover, Taj Griffin sprinted to the end zone for the Ducks.

It would be poor clock management, however, which would change momentum in favor of the home team. An incomplete pass on second down, deep in Oregon territory stopped the clock. Following a 45-yard punt return by De’Mornay Peirson-El, and two pass interference penalties, Nebraska scored to cut into the Oregon lead 20-14 heading into halftime.

Byron once said that adversity is the first path to truth. The Ducks would learn their truth beginning early in this second half as Nebraska calmly and quickly marched down the field to take their first lead of the game with a 22-yard touchdown pass from Tommy Armstrong to David Engelhaupt to cap a 7 play, 75-yard drive. With a quick three-and-out, the visiting team suddenly found itself in football quicksand, sinking into the potential abyss of mediocrity.

Missing their best offensive lineman and best running back, this version of Oregon resembled the 2008 squad which, at times, struggled to make positive plays on offense. With inconsistency on deep throws, an inability to run in the absence of Crosby and Freeman, Oregon mounted little challenge early in the second half as Nebraska scored on their first two possessions to take a 28-20 lead with 6:13 left in the third quarter.

Following a 21-point explosion, Oregon faced a challenge not just for the game, but its continued position at the forefront of the Pac-12 and as a nationally elite program. The Ducks, despite facing a third-and-26, used a long pass to Charles Nelson followed by a 41-yard touchdown run from Kani Benoit to claw their way back from the depths of mounting fatigue.

Suddenly, the shootout everyone expected had become a fierce reality. The home crowd pushed the Huskers to a slim lead after three quarters.

Ninety-seven yards. A familiar number which once again stood between the Ducks and destiny; a symmetry of two destinies twenty-two years apart. When the Ducks finally forced a punt, which sailed over the head of Charles Nelson and landed at the three-yard line, Oregon faced a long field between itself and a fourth quarter lead. The Ducks would use a blend of running and passing to quickly move down the field and retake the lead 32-28 with 10:31 left in the game.

A precarious four-point lead kept the game in doubt as the teams traded punts. With Nebraska taking the ball at their own 20-yard line, the Huskers needing to both score a touchdown and keep Oregon off the field, Mike Riley began mixing the run and pass, but stalled near midfield.

With few options left, the Cornhuskers would successfully complete a fourth down conversion with a 14-yard pass against a soft Oregon zone. With new life, Nebraska took the lead back from the Ducks with a 34-yard quarterback draw. With just 2:29 left, trailing by three, the Ducks again found themselves staring directly at a potential season defining loss.

Grit.

Sometimes, destiny requires fortitude and grit to be overcome. With a hostile crowd and seventy five yards of fiercely defended turf, the Ducks looked vulnerable. After a holding penalty and Prukop fumble inside the 45-yard line, the Ducks were faced with a fourth-and-18 and less than a minute on the clock. After a questionably conservative running play, the Ducks left Lincoln with the heartbreaking 35-32 loss.

The Ducks rushed the ball for 336 yards despite missing Freeman for most of the game. Oregon was led on the ground by Kani Benoit’s 6 carries for 100 yards and Prukop carrying the ball 18 times for 94 yards. But the Ducks were haunted by a lack of discipline and poor decision making throughout. Oregon never once attempted a kicked PAT conversion which, in the end, cost them victory. Having scored five touchdowns, and losing by three points, there is an obvious risk-reward failure.

Prukop struggled with deep passes missing open receivers too often and checking down frequently. He finished 14-23 for 146 yards, but for the first time since 2007, Oregon failed to throw a touchdown pass.

On the other side of the ball, the Oregon defense simply could not contain Tommy Armstrong who accounted for 292 total yards going 17-33 through the air for 200 yards while burning the Ducks for 92 yards on 17 carries.

Questions loom larger than ever over the Ducks. Always considered a rebuilding season, Oregon must return to Eugene, lick their wounds and face Colorado to open Pac-12 play. There is plenty to play for still, but the Ducks must mature over the next month before facing North Division foes Washington and Stanford in the second half of the season.