Oregon Fans Will Love What Bryce Boettcher Said About Senior Night

The Oregon Ducks have their final home game of the regular season coming up vs. the USC Trojans. Bryce Boettcher, the Ducks' leading tackler, has mixed emotions about his potentially last game at Autzen Stadium.

Oregon inside linebacker Bryce Boettcher dances to “Shout” as the No. 1 Oregon Ducks host the Washington Huskies Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Oregon Ducks have one of the best defenses in the country, and the numbers prove it. They are currently the No. 6 scoring defense and the No. 3 defense in yards allowed per game.

At the center of their defensive success is linebacker Bryce Boettcher, the Ducks' leading tackler. Boettcher has his last regular season game at Autzen Stadium on Saturday with USC coming to town.

Senior Night

Dec 30, 2024; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Oregon Ducks linebacker Bryce Boettcher (28) during Rose Bowl media day at Sheraton Grand LA. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

It's been a long journey for Boettcher, who enters his fourth season with the Ducks and his second year as a full-time starter at linebacker. The dual-sport athlete originally came to Oregon to play baseball for the Ducks, but joined the football team his sophomore year during coach Dan Lanning's first year at Oregon.

Since then, Boettcher has blossomed from a special teams player to a high-level linebacker. On the season he has 77 tackles, one sack, and one interception. The Eugene native said he has mixed emotions about potentially his final game at Autzen.

"i'm excited. It's obviously a bit bittersweet, but it's a cool opportunity especially to end it in this fashion. So yeah, I'm excited," Boettcher said.

Depending on how the remainder of the season goes, Oregon could potentially host a College Football Playoff game next month, giving Boettcher and the rest of the Ducks' seniors another chance to pick up a win at Autzen Stadium.

"It's what you live for. Starts getting cold and then leaves start falling off the trees. Big games like this, especially senior night, the magnitude of it is what you play for," Boettcher said.

Keys To Beating The Trojans

Oct 18, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Southern California Trojans running back King Miller (30) runs the ball while Notre Dame Fighting Irish safety Tae Johnson (9) defends in the second half at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Although USC has been known for their high-flying pass attack under coach Lincoln Riley, Boettcher said that it's their run game that Oregon must stop before all else. USC running back King Miller has been running wild over the Trojans' last three games. He ran for:

• 129 yards vs. Nebraska
• 127 yards vs. Northwestern
• 83 yards vs. Iowa

"We gotta knock out their run game first. I think it starts up front," Boettcher said. "They got a good quarterback and good couple of receivers, so we got to knock out their pass game. I think it starts up front."

MORE: How Bo Nix Boosted His NFL Future After Win vs. Chiefs

MORE: New Big Ten Power Rankings As Playoff Picture Comes Into View

MORE: Ticket Prices For Oregon vs. USC At Autzen Stadium Are Wild

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER HERE! 

Late Season, Big Games

Jan 1, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Oregon Ducks linebacker Bryce Boettcher (28) against the Liberty Flames during the 2024 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

With only two games left in the regular season, the Ducks have a 9-1 record and are in the driver's seat for a CFP bid. However, a loss vs. USC could really change things up.

Boettcher understands that his next few games could be his last in an Oregon unifrom. But instead of being worried, Boettcher instead looks forward to what's coming up for the Ducks.

The weather forecast for the Ducks' upcoming game this weekend calls for a cold, cloudy fall afternoon with a 12:30 p.m. PT kickoff, giving Boettcher the game environment he's looking for.