Oregon was 9–3 in the regular season and won their first ever outright conference championship (7–1); they appeared in the Rose Bowl for the first time in 37 years.
[4] [5][6][7] [8][9][10][11][12] In previous matchups, Oregon had their share of disappointment: Mark Lee returned a punt 59 yards for touchdown to win the game in 1979.
This, combined with Washington's 17–4 record against the Ducks, including a five-game win streak, had many Oregon fans fearing the worst.
Washington quarterback Damon Huard guided the Huskies to a first down on the 9 yard line with plenty of time remaining.
Ducks freshman cornerback Kenny Wheaton stepped in front of the pass, intercepted it and headed up the sideline for a clinching touchdown, putting Oregon ahead for good 31–20.