LaMichael James recalls inhaling deeply when he entered the Rose Bowl field in 2012.
James told The Oregonian/OregonLive over the phone on Tuesday that the grass smells different when you enter the Rose Bowl. It nearly seems as though the history is odorous.
In his final game at Oregon, James would carry for 159 yards and a touchdown, helping the Ducks defeat Wisconsin 45-38 in an exciting contest that was the program’s first major bowl victory in the modern period.
This year, the legendary Ducks running back will be inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame, solidifying his place in the annals of the Granddaddy of Them All. He and fellow inductees Mark Dantonio (Michigan State) and Reggie Bush (USC) will be honored on the field at the Rose Bowl game, where Oregon will face the winner of the No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 9 Tennessee game, as well as at a ceremony on December 31 and the 136th Rose Parade the following day.
“To be honest, I was a little on the fence when I found out a few months ago,” James remarked. I wasn’t very interested in spending New Year’s Day in Los Angeles. I just wanted to relax. However, it’s a tremendous accomplishment, particularly to be included with someone like Reggie Bush, who I admired as a child. It’s unbelievable.
In 2023, James joined Bush in being inducted into the Oregon and collegiate football halls of fame following three thrilling seasons in Eugene and four in the NFL. James, 35, who owns and runs three Killer Burger locations in Oregon, claimed to have closely followed the Ducks’ unbeaten 2024 campaign.
James said he was thrilled to learn that No. 1 Oregon will be traveling to the Rose Bowl for its College Football Playoff quarterfinal matchup.
“Obviously, I was hoping Oregon would defeat Penn State so they could advance to the Rose Bowl,” James remarked. And I thought, “Dude, Oregon is going to the Rose Bowl,” when the clock struck zero. I’m entering the Hall of Fame at Rose Bowl. This is the best thing you could have written.
This is a huge blessing for me. I m really excited, too, because I haven t made it to a game this year. I m really happy for Oregon, for (Dan) Lanning. This weekend is going to be fantastic.
Now that Oregon has returned to the national spotlight, James is not just another well-known alumnus jumping on the bandwagon. He has seen every game this season and describes himself as a devoted fan, laughing as he acknowledges how engrossed he is.
I base my entire life around watching Oregon, James said with a laugh. I m pretty sure I ve missed something with my kids this year just to watch Oregon. Just a huge fan of Lanning. They play the game the right way, and you can tell they work well together as a team. There s no fluff, there s no hype. They just get the job done. They re physical, they re big, they re fast, they re strong, they re disciplined. Everything you want in a championship team.
Those around the Oregon football program credit theteams of the mid-1990sfor laying the foundation, and inspiring mega-donor and alum Phil Knight to start investing in football. After a steady ascent in the 2000s including a Fiesta Bowl win over Colorado in 2002, it was James teams from 2009 to 2011 that turbocharged the Ducks arrival on the national scene and growth as a brand.
A loss to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl in 2010, and to Auburn in the BCS national championship game in 2011, preceded the Ducks and James moment of Rose Bowl glory against the Badgers. In James view, players of his era (and of Marcus Mariota s soon after) ran fast and in flashy uniforms so that Lanning s 2024 team could eventually walk up and take a sledgehammer to the Big Ten.
When you re in that moment, you don t realize it s bigger than just you, James said. When you re winning, it impacts people around you who built that foundation. The university, the city, the state, everybody cares. It s an honor to put that Oregon jersey on, and that means something. Especially to people who laid the foundation. Players, fans, coaches, Phil Knight. Being in the position to get it done. I m extremely proud of how this (2024) team has built on that foundation.
James has been negotiating with Rose Bowl officials to wear an Oregon jacket instead of his Rose Bowl Hall of Fame jacket when he s honored on the field Jan. 1. If all else fails, he joked that he plans to wear the Ducks jacket under the Hall of Fame one, no matter how much it makes him sweat.
But what James said his Oregon teams and this one have proven is it doesn t matter what you wear.
I remember going to Oregon and it was all about the uniforms. Everything had swag, they switched uniforms every week, they had so many different combinations, James said. Chip Kelly told us, We need to make it less about the uniforms, and more about how we play. Soon, it started to come. Oregon was fly and all that, but then you had to also say, Oregon is really good.
Physical. Flashy, but ultimately taking care of business between the lines. And you see that playing out this year especially. My teams and Marcus teams, we set the foundation. It s about the person underneath the uniforms.
CFP quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl
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Who:
No. 1 Oregon Ducks (13-0) vs. No. 8 Ohio State/No. 9 Tennessee
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When:
Wednesday, Jan. 1
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Time:
2 p.m. PT
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Where:
Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
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TV channel:
ESPN
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Stream:
You canwatch this game live for FREE with Fubo
(free trial) or
by signing up for Sling
(cheapest streaming plans, $25 off your first month). If you already have cable, you can also watch this game live on
Watch ESPN
with your cable or satellite provider login information.
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–Ryan Clarkecovers theOregon Ducksand Big Ten Conference. Listen to theDucks Confidentialpodcast or subscribe to theDucks Roundup newsletter.
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