The No. 5 Oregon Ducks' hard-fought comeback in the Pac-12 Championship fell short, with the No. 3 Washington Huskies emerging victorious, 37-34. That effectively ends Oregon's postseason bid. It could also spell the end of Bo Nix's historic, five-year college career.
Nix spent his last two years at Oregon. His final campaign was, beyond a doubt, his best. He made a strong case for the 2023 Heisman award, completing 77.2 percent of his passes with 4,415 yards, 40 touchdowns, and only three interceptions across 13 games.
It may be too early to use past tense when discussing Nix's time at Oregon. The Ducks are expected to participate in a New Year's Six bowl. Nix would be more than welcome to participate. The question is, will he?
With his college eligibility finally expired, Nix will eventually turn his attention toward the 2024 NFL Draft next April. He has a chance to emerge as a first or second-round prospect based on the strength of his final season with the Ducks. Most top prospects skip meaningless bowl games. When asked if he plans to play for Oregon again, Nix would not commit either way.
Instead, he noted the importance of savoring the moment and expressed a deep appreciation for his time as a college quarterback.
"Can we just enjoy the moment right now and enjoy our season?" Nix asked ESPN. "That's not today's decision. I have no idea."
Nix spent the first three years of his career at Auburn prior to transferring to Oregon. A rare five-year starter, his career numbers leap off the page — 14,989 yards, 108 touchdowns. Nix wasn't ever considered great until his triumphant senior campaign in Eugene, but he accomplished a lot playing for two prestige programs.
Now, just like that, it's all over. Or almost over. It's a lot to take in.
"I'm just trying to get over that loss," Nix told ESPN. "I'm not thinking about anything else. I think that's why I'm in shock because I'm expecting a game next week and I'm expecting another opponent. It's tough when you're used to go, go, go, and then when it ends, it happens very quickly... Each year was something different, each year was something new. I'm going to miss college football."
Bo Nix unsure if he will play in Oregon's bowl game
It's clear Nix loves college football. He said his dream was to play quarterback in college. Not in the NFL, but in college. Those were probably simultaneous dreams as a kid, but Nix was never looking past college. Not until recently. He embraced the experience and stuck around the college ranks for five years.
If any top QB prospect is going to tough it out for one last game, it's probably Nix. That said, the Ducks have nothing left to play for beyond pride. It's important to appreciate the scale and importance of a New Year's Six bowl, but the Ducks were aiming for the playoffs and fell short. There's little Nix can do to bolster his résumé at this point.
A strong bowl performance could improve his draft stock, but NFL scouts will rely on the larger body of work, not a single game sample size. There's far greater risk of a poor performance or, in the worst-case scenario, an injury. Nix probably shouldn't play if he's making his decision based strictly on what is best for him professionally.
That said, there is an admirable quality to players who fight for their team all the way to the bitter end. Oregon can save face with a dominant victory on the New Year's stage. If Nix is a part of that, he is going to gain the respect of NFL decision-makers and fans alike.
