The Hidden Story Behind Oregon Ducks’ Uniforms vs. Washington

On Wednesday, the No. 6 Oregon Ducks debuted another Generation O uniform combination for their final regular season game on the road against the Washington Huskies. The new uniform features the "Mighty Oregon" Generation O jersey with green pants and a yellow helmet with glossy green Oregon "O" decals. The accessories for the combination are white, with white and green cleats to match.

According to graphic designer and uniform enthusiast Jonah Henderson, a yellow helmet, white jersey, and green pants combination is the first time Oregon wore that succession of colors in a uniform since 1998, and is the 21st time in school history the Ducks wore that combination.

Looking deeper into the uniform release, it becomes obvious why Oregon unearthed this old uniform design to reference a shining moment in the history of the Ducks and Huskies rivalry.

Noah Whittington wears the Oregon Duck's final regular season color combination for the game against Washington. | @GoDucks on X

Remember the Catch

With running back Noah Whittington modeling this particular uniform, the Ducks spliced in shots of their threads alongside footage of Oregon's game against Washington from 1997, where Oregon wore the same color combination.

The Ducks, who entered that particular matchup as a 21-point underdog on the road in Seattle, ended then-ranked No. 6 Washington's 12-game Pac-10 winning streak with a final score of 31-28. Believe it or not, the Ducks were up 24-6 exiting the half, but lost the lead after halftime. What sealed the deal for Oregon was a play referred to by longtime Duck fans as "the catch".

"The catch" is when wide receiver Pat Johnson caught a 29 yard touchdown pass from quarterback Akili Smith on a 3rd down play with 20 yards to go. Johnson, who was in the far right of the endzone and covered by a Washington defender, miraculously grabbed the ball with a little over two minutes left in the game, putting the Ducks up to 31-28. After getting a fourth down stop, the Ducks sealed the Husky's fate.

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The Akili Connection

The former quarterback himself, Smith, commented on the uniform announcement. The former Duck under center encouraged Oregon to repeat a similar victory in Seattle on social media.

We finished!!! #goducks https://t.co/xmc0DYTfq4
— Akili Smith (@akili_smith) November 27, 2025

"We finished!!!" Smith said.

Smith continues to be a presence for Oregon on social media, consistently encouraging the team. Smith's son, Akili Smith Jr., is a redshirt freshman quarterback on the Ducks currently who will be wearing the uniform honoring his father on the sidelines of Husky Stadium. Smith Jr. had a few impressive passes in the 2025 Oregon spring game, exciting fans about his potential in Eugene.

“With everything my dad accomplished there, with as often as I’ve been there since I was a little kid, it really has always felt like home. But it’s even more than that,” The younger Smith said to Jason Reid of AndScape in Jan. of 2025. “There’s this little competition between me and him to see who has the better career at Oregon. I’m trying to make my legacy better than his. That’s my goal.”

Combat Ducks quarterback Akili Smith Jr. carries the ball as the Fighting Ducks face off against Mighty Oregon in the Oregon Ducks spring game on April 26, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oregon's History Against Washington

Washington currently leads the all-time series against Oregon 63-49-5. In the past 10 years, Oregon has only won half of the games they play against the Huskies. Oregon's away record against Washington is 18-28-1, proving that being on the road against Oregon's biggest rival tends to be a tough environment.