PAC-12 FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: OREGON VS WASHINGTON

December 1, 2023

Bo Nix

Allegiant Stadium

Oregon Ducks

Postgame Press Conference

Washington 34, Oregon 31

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. On the late third down run, Dan was explaining about it being dime in a light box. What was your vantage point? What didn't get executed there to free you up?

BO NIX: Yeah, they had a good twist game with their defensive end. We didn't get it passed off.

We thought they would be able to play two man. They were still in man, but it was kind of more of a one look. The defensive end just made a good play.

Q. That first quarter, so hard for the offense to get going. What wasn't working for you guys?

BO NIX: Well, I think they were just really good. When you look at it, we didn't really get a first down. We didn't get a momentum play. In the second quarter, we finally did and started to move the ball a little bit better.

I just thought the explosive plays weren't there for us tonight.

Q. It was very visible how tough this loss was. I was watching you from upstairs, towel over your head. You took some time to yourself. You beelined it right for Michael. Take us through the process of the collective thoughts sitting there.

BO NIX: Well, football is a tough game. Sometimes you put it all out there and you come up short.

There at the end it was just one of those things where you want the moment to last longer than what it can. Even though we lost, it was one of those type of games that it was really fun to play in.

It was just a shocking end. It's tough when you're so used to go, go, go, go, go. When it ends, it just happens very quickly. I got all the respect in the world for Michael. He's played his butt off this year. I respect him a lot because I know how it is to play through some adversity, to play when you're not necessarily feeling your best.

He showed up tonight and he did a really good job of making the explosive play when he needed it. That just shows what kind of team they are. They battled in a lot of games down the stretch and they pulled them all out. So that's a really good football team.

I think what sometimes hurts is when you put it all out there and it's still not good enough.

Q. You had an amazing run down the left side. Did you think you was going to take it all the way to the house?

BO NIX: I thought there for a second I could. I thought I had a chance. They did a good job of keeping me down, attacking me with angles. They did a good job of keeping me inside. It wasn't necessarily a designed run. The play kind of broke down, got the corner. I thought we showed some really good effort there on that play. We had guys blocking downfield. I think Jackson was running with me.

We unfortunately didn't make enough of those kind of plays tonight. It just kind of put us back. In a game like this, you want to make those explosive plays.

Q. Knowing that you guys are the last two teams to play in the Pac-12, what does it mean to you as a player?

BO NIX: It meant a lot. The Pac-12 has been a historical conference for a long time. I don't know what necessarily the future holds or what it looks like.

To have the year we had with the Pac-12, have the conference as talented as it was for the last one, it's just huge respect level for the whole entire Pac-12, for every team.

Like I said, I don't know what it looks like moving forward. I know there's a lot of good teams in this region and in this conference. It will be interesting moving forward to watch them go.

Q. Obviously the bowl won't be decided for a couple days, but is your intent to play?

BO NIX: I knew somebody was going to ask this.

Can't we just enjoy the moment right now and enjoy our season? That's not today, that decision. I have no idea. I'm looking forward to whatever bowl game that is chosen for us. I'm just trying to get over that loss. I'm not really thinking about anything after today.

Q. With you being so close to being an undefeated team, what are the biggest lessons that you're going to take away from the season that you were able to learn about yourself and your team?

BO NIX: I think when you look at our season, you can take a lot it from, to be honest with you. I think coming off of last year, we had similar goals, similar aspirations. We fell short there at the end.

This year we were able to make it to the championship. We lost to Washington two times. They were both really close games. You can look at both games and go back and nitpick the film and say you could have done this, you could have done that. You can beat yourself up over it.

I'm in an interesting position because I've been flat on my face at times in college football. I've been counted out, just kind of thrown out. The Lord picked me back up, put me right back on the field with a great team.

I know that doesn't always happen. I think it's a testimony to many people out there who are going through difficult times. No matter what happens, I think the Lord has a plan for each one of us. He has a plan for our lives.

I'm extremely honored to be in the position that I'm in because I can have influence on a lot of people. It's an honor to me. I don't take it for granted.

At times like this, you can ask why or you can look up and pout. I mean, look where He's brought me. Look how far He's brought me. Obviously He's not done. The path is still being created. It's just up to have to have faith and follow our hearts.

I think my college career is a huge testament to that. A lot of people can learn from it, that even though you may fall flat on your face, there's an opportunity to get back up if you really want to keep pushing at it.

Q. You mentioned the nature of the game being go, go, go. That's been your career 60 starts. Has the finality of tonight sunk in for you?

BO NIX: No.

Q. Can you take us inside your head and heart, what it's like in this moment when this has been your life for five years and been chasing kind of a fairly singular thing?

BO NIX: I think that's why I'm in shock. Expecting a game next week. I'm expecting to go prepare for another opponent.

I played five really long seasons in college football. A lot of stuff has been going on from conference realignment to NIL to COVID. I think me and several other guys, our year, we're one of the few guys that got to experience normal and crazy football in college. We really experienced each year something different. Each year was something new.

So, I mean, I'm going to miss college football. I know it was my goal my whole entire life to be a college quarterback, to play and win a national championship. Even though that may be off the table and it's not necessarily something that can be obtained anymore, it was still a goal and I work for it every day.

It's disappointing to lose in a game like this, obviously, for many reasons. I just think going into the game, you don't prepare for losing 'cause that would be a loser's mentality.

When it does happen, it just kind of puts you in shock and you just kind of have to think about it, kind of battle your feelings, battle those negative thoughts.

This is a time to where, again, you get knocked back down, things didn't go the way you wanted them to. But that is life. I know tomorrow the sun will come up and the Lord will still be sitting on the throne. There's way more to life than football and college football. Right now I'm just going to enjoy the moments I have with my teammates. As crazy as it sounds, I'm going to enjoy this plane ride home around the guys because I've had many of 'em before, but not sure how many of 'em I have in front of me.

I don't know. It's just a lot of emotions. A lot going on that, man, you wish you could change. You wish you could go back and do so many different things.

I mean, they're over there on the same side. They wanted to win, too. That's what is the good and bad thing about any kind of competition, any kind of sports, is there has to be a loser.

As bad as it feels, that's why you play the game. That's why you go out there and put it all out there, not be ashamed to do it. I think one of my critical errors was the turnover. We had a chance to go right back down and score. They just gave us one. I gave it right back, so...

It's those kind of things that just leaves you scratching your head. Just hurts. Like I said, it's life. I'm going to be okay. We're all going to be okay. We're going to get up tomorrow and go back to work and see what life provides in the future.

I appreciate you guys. Thank you.