Tez Johnson first dreamed of playing at Oregon as a 5-year-old growing up in Alabama, when his stepfather showed him the Ducks on TV.
Enchanted by the vibrant colors, the pace, and the triumphs, he was captivated. Despite being a recent transfer from Troy, where he shared the high school football field with Bo Nix and even lived together, his exposure to the Oregon football experience has been brief, encompassing just 11 games. Yet, there’s a certainty that he has absorbed the essence of Oregon football.
The two Pacific Northwest juggernauts, who engaged in a season-long dance, finally collided in a formidable showdown. Although the encounter dealt a blow to the Ducks, it didn’t knock them out, setting the stage for the highly anticipated rematch in the Pac-12 title game.
On Friday night, the Ducks dominated, overpowering No. 16 Oregon State with a convincing 31-7 victory. This decisive win marked the end of one storied conference rivalry, while simultaneously redirecting their focus towards another impending challenge. Tez Johnson first dreamed
“U-Dub and Oregon State,” Johnson remarked, “are the main two teams that we want to beat.”
Johnson hauled in 11 catches for 137 yards from Nix, whom he calls a brother, while Troy Franklin added 128 receiving yards.
What Johnson used to watch on a screen has come to life in blazing technicolor, with the Ducks now heading to Vegas to bet it all on green and yellow.