The resurgent Oregon Ducks have spent their first ten games trying to ditch the quitter’s moniker they justifiably earned in 2006. They got the national media to buy into their sham and even their players did their best to show that a leopard could change their spots. But the crumbling of Dennis Dixon’s left knee proved to be a metaphor for who the Ducks really are.

Faced with real adversity for the first time this season, Oregon decided to hide in the corner rather than come out and fight. When their Heisman hopeful hobbled off the field and was reduced the tears, his teamwas leading 11-7 and was having no trouble stopping a discombobulated Wildcat offense. At a time when you would hope Oregon would come together as a team, they did so by giving up big play touchdowns on offense, defense and special teams.

Backup quarterback Brady Leaf lived up to his legacy and wasted little time before throwing a 42 yard interception for a touchdown, which was followed by the defense giving up a 46 yard touchdown pass moments later. “Gut check” time came to a close as Arizona returned a punt 56 yards for what proved to be the winning touchdown.

It’s a shame to see Dixon go down the way he did, forcing Duck Nation to realize as Dixon goes, so do the Ducks. It took the team two and half real time hours to snap out of their funk. At no point did Mike Bellotti get the team together and rally his troops. Even ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews summoned the booth to report on the despondent Oregon sideline that was melting in the desert heat.

Leaf spent the second and third quarters looking confused, despite seeing substantial playing time in 24 games over the past three seasons. Wide receivers ran crummy routes and then dropped about half the passes thrown to them. Only junior running back Jonathan Stewart seemed like he wanted to win. Leading the team on a 17 play drive in the fourth quarter, it looked like Stewart and company could steal the game back. It was not to be as the Ducks defense could not get needed stops on crucial fourth and third down plays that led to the Cats salting away the game.

The good news for Oregon is they no longer have to worry about various BCS scenarios and the potential of settling for the Rose Bowl. This season has proved that you need a survivor’s mentality if you want to be a contender and if not, you get to go to the Holiday Bowl.

Merry Christmas Big 12.