LaMichael James Has the Highlight of Week 2 in Oregon's Win Over Tennessee

Oregon’s ground game just couldn’t get started in the first half of their game tonight in Tennessee and trailed the Volunteers early 13-3.

It looked as though the inexperienced Volunteers were going to run away with contest against the No. 7 Ducks.

But Darron Thomas’ passing and a third down personal foul against Tennessee gave Oregon new life deep in Volunteer territory.  Thomas then hit David Paulson for a 27-yard score to tie the game 13-13 at halftime.

But LaMichael James exploded to start off the second half with an amazing 72-yard broken field run that has to be the highlight of Week Two.

He put on the types of moves that USC fans were used to seeing from Reggie Bush.  James started right, found the hole blocked, eluded a couple of tacklers, then broke to the left, found an opening, and dashed to the sideline.

Adeptly hugging the sideline for 72 yards, James left tacklers strewn in his wake to break to put Oregon up 20-13.

Although that play broke the deadlock, it did not break Tennessee’s spirit.  But this next one did.    

The Volunteers came right back with a drive of their own.  It looked like they were about to answer the Oregon score when Matt Simms threw to the wide side of the field, where Cliff Harris stepped in front of the receiver and rambled 76 yard for the score.

That put Oregon up 27-13 halfway through the third quarter.  The teams traded possessions to end the quarter.

Then Oregon began to look like the team that hung 72 points on New Mexico last week.

Thomas hit Lavasier Tuinei on for 29 yards and his second TD pass of the night.  Then Kenjon Barner returned Chad Cunningham’s punt 80 yards.  And just like that the Ducks were ahead 41-13.

What had started out as possibly the upset of the week faded into the misty Rocky Top night.

The backups came in for Oregon at that point and drove 51 yards in ten plays to put Ducks up 48-13 and establish them as the dominant team in the Pac-10.