Pasadena, California Oregon’s fastest player was gone

In the closing seconds of the Rose Bowl’s first quarter Monday, freshman De’Anthony Thomas — 5 feet 9 and 173 pounds of speed — took a handoff on the Oregon 9-yard line and was in the end zone in a matter of seconds.

“I just saw open field and tried to take it for a touchdown,” said Thomas, who credited his offensive line for the longest run and scoring play in Rose Bowl history.

Thomas only had one more carry in the game, and that was a 64-yard touchdown run on the third play of the second half. He ended the game with 314 all-purpose yards (also a Rose Bowl record) in the 45-38 win over Wisconsin — an exciting contest that will be remembered

“Well, No. 6 (Thomas) is special. . . . We talk about tackling, but on a couple of those plays, you look at the 98-yarder, or whatever that was, nobody put a hand on (him),” said Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema, whose Badgers fell in their second straight Rose Bowl appearance. (For the record, it was a 91-yard TD run.)

It wasn’t a bad day for the Los Angeles native, who verbally committed to USC before switching to Oregon before National Signing Day last year.

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Oregon wins thriller over Wisconsin
Hear from both head coaches after Oregon's 45-38 victory over Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl.
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Oregon wins thriller over Wisconsin

Hear from both head coaches after Oregon's 45-38 victory over Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl.


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“I'm going to have to be a better play-caller,” joked Oregon coach Chip Kelly, whose program is 1-2 overall in BCS bowls. “I don’t know if I’ve ever had a kid average 77 yards a carry. I’ll see if next year we can get him an extra carry or two.”