Ducks Digest

Oregon Duck Mascot’s Unexpected Goodyear Blimp Move Turns Heads

It's a bird, it's a plane, or is it a blimp? The Oregon Duck mascot partnered with the Goodyear Blimp to announce the iconic vessel will help cover Oregon's game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Autzen Stadium.
Ally Osborne|
The Oregon Ducks mascot walks the sideline during the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025. Ohio State won 41-21.
The Oregon Ducks mascot walks the sideline during the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025. Ohio State won 41-21. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Oregon DucksOklahoma State Cowboys

The Oregon Duck mascot is well known to take flight. However, the beloved feathered friend got a birds eye view of Autzen Stadium on Friday to help announce the Goodyear Blimp will help cover Oregon's upcoming game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

Set to the tune of Frank Sinatra's "Come Fly With Me," The Duck and a few Oregon cheerleaders spent an afternoon on the updated version of the iconic blimp named the Wingfoot Three, which is used for filming arial shots of sporting events across the country, including Oregon's upcoming second game of the 2025 season.

With this year marking the 100th anniversary of the Goodyear Blimp, Eugene, Oregon is one of 100 cities the vessel plans to visit for it's celebratory tour. This is the only Oregon game the blimp is slated to cover this season.

oregon duck mascot goodyear blimp viral shock college football best mascots dan lanning nike phil knight eugene autzen stadiu
Nov 16, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Oregon Ducks mascot The Duck performs with cheerleaders during the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

The video with The Duck includes the fuzzy mascot looking out the window at Autzen Stadium below, dancing with the cheerleaders on board, and running away from the blimp to kiss the ground once the crew landed.

Goodyear Blimp's College Football September Shooting Schedule:

Sept. 6: San Jose State @ Texas | Austin, Texas

Sept. 6: Oklahoma State @ Oregon | Eugene, Oregon

Sept, 20: Florida @ Miami | Miami Gardens, Florida

Sept. 27: Alabama @ Georgia | Athens, Georgia

A Stop on the Way to Eugene

The blimp covering Oregon's game against the Cowboys also made headlines this week for an unconventional landing. The Wingfoot 3, the youngest blimp in Goodyear's arsenal, made a surprise stop in Redding, California, on its way to Eugene due to inclement weather.

Mar 21, 2025; Seattle, WA, USA; The Oregon Ducks mascot performs against the Liberty Flames during the second half in the fir
Mar 21, 2025; Seattle, WA, USA; The Oregon Ducks mascot performs against the Liberty Flames during the second half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

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A Mascot of Many Heads

The Duck is one to keep himself in the headlines, as the mascot went viral last weekend for an unfortunate incident when the Ducks played the Montana State Bobcats.

Running out of the tunnel, the mascot fell and lost it's head in front of the Autzen Stadium crowd. Without hesitation, the mascot turned around and entered the Autzen tunnel towards the Marcus Mariota Performance Center with a staff member following close behind carrying the mascot head.

This snafu went viral, along with Oregon's touching tribute at the end of the game to Coach Lee Corso.

The Duck Continues His Flight Antics

During the offseason, The Duck took quite the trip overseas to Australia, where the mascot posted upside down photos with several landmarks and the famous family of former wildlife conservationist Steve Irwin.

The trip down under for the popular college football mascot seems to be part of a new marketing campaign for the University of Oregon. In a video posted by the University's official social media account called "The Duck Goes Global," The Duck searches for places for his next "Big" trip, eventually landing on Australia.

The Oregon Ducks play the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. PT at Autzen Stadium.

Published | Modified
Ally Osborne
ALLY OSBORNE

A reporter for Oregon Ducks on SI, Ally Osborne is a born and raised Oregonian. She graduated from the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communications in 2021 after interning for the Oregon Sports Network with experience working on live sporting broadcasts for ESPN, FOX Sports, the PAC 12 Network, and Runnerspace. Osborne continued her career in Bend, Oregon as a broadcast reporter in 2021 for Central Oregon Daily News while writing for Oregon Ducks on SI. Since then, Osborne is entering her third season reporting for the publication and is frequently the on-site reporter for home games at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. She is currently the host of lifestyle shows "Everyday Northwest" and "Tower Talk Live" for KOIN 6 News in Portland, Oregon. Osborne also works as a sports reporter for KOIN 6's "Game On" sports department. In her free time, Osborne is an avid graphic designer, making art commissions for athletes across her home state. Osborne's designs have even become tattoos for a few Duck athletes.

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