Twenty years ago, the fortunes of the University of Oregon’s football program turned on a single play. Sure, the team’s victories throughout the 1994 season piled up, putting the Ducks in a position where they were able to change those fortunes, but it was Kenny Wheaton’s 97-yard interception return for a touchdown against the arch-rival Washington Huskies — a play that sealed a 31-20 victory for the Ducks — that can be pointed to as a catalyst of sorts.
“The Pick,” as it’s familiarly and universally known and celebrated among Oregon fans, didn’t just galvanize that ’94 squad, which, upon beating UW, went on to its first conference championship and Rose Bowl in 37 years, but Oregon Football as a program, which went from woebegone to national power. In the ensuing 19 seasons, the Ducks have tallied up 17 bowl game berths, five conference championships, an appearance in the national championship game, and the best winning percentage in the Pac-12. And it all started with The Pick.
On this Saturday, October 18, four days shy of the 20th anniversary of that fateful interception, the Ducks will take the field against that familiar foe in Washington, and they’ll mark the occasion with a special 1994 Oregon throwback uniform. A modernized take on the look Wheaton & co. wore on October 22, 1994, the new jersey boasts bright Kelly green, offset by deep yellow numbers and letters in the exact same font as the original. The interlocking “UO” logo adorns the yellow (“university gold”) pants and helmet, meanwhile, and the famed Duck mark will again appear on either sleeve.
But while the looks are classic, the technology is anything but, as Nike utilized its innovative Nike Mach Speed uniform to render the new set, a line of gear that’s predicated on maximum speed and enhanced ventilation.
Although the new 1994 Oregon throwback uniform won’t hit the gridiron until Saturday, you can get your first detailed look here today. You can practically hear Jerry Allen screaming, “Kenny Wheaton’s gonna score!”