IOWA CITY, Iowa – Oregon running back Noah Whittington stood on the sidelines, head in his hands, not wanting to watch Ducks’ kicker Atticus Sappington’s late field goal attempt Saturday at Iowa with UO trailing 16-15.
But quarterback Dante Moore encouraged Whittington to watch the pivotal 39-yard attempt.
“When Tay told me to watch, I was like, ‘Why wouldn’t I watch?’” Whittington said. “I’ve seen him make this kick 100 times.”
Whittington’s faith was repaid when the kick sailed between the uprights with three seconds remaining to give the Ducks an 18-16 win at Kinnick Stadium, just under two minutes after Iowa had taken the lead with a touchdown at the other end.
“I was super-blessed to be in that position to go out and win it for the boys,” said Sappington, an Oregon State transfer who graduated from Central Catholic High.
Too bad Whittington didn’t know recent history.
Since 2000, Oregon has won six games on last-minute field goals. Three of them came off Sappington’s foot.
The list of game-winners before Saturday:
Nov. 16, 2024: Sappington’s 24-yard field goal with 2:36 to go put the Ducks ahead for good during a 16-13 win at Wisconsin.
Sept. 7, 2024: Sappington’s 25-yard field goal as time expired gave the Ducks a 37-34 win over Boise State at Autzen Stadium.
Oregon kicker Atticus Sappington is carried off the field by linebacker Jeffrey Bassa after kicking the game-wining field goal as time expired to send the No. 7 Ducks past the Boise State Broncos, 37-34, in a college game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene on Saturday Sept. 7, 2024. Sean Meagher/The Oregonian
Nov. 19, 2019: Camden Lewis hit a 26-yarder as time expired, lifting the Ducks to a 37-35 win over Washington State at Autzen Stadium.
Sept. 22, 2001: Jared Siegel kicked a 32-yard field goal with 12 seconds remaining to give the Ducks a 24-22 victory over USC at Autzen Stadium.
Nov. 11, 2000: Josh Frankel kicked a career-long 47-yarder in overtime to give Oregon a 27-24 win at Washington State.
Saturday’s game-winner came after Iowa drove 93 yards to take the lead on a three-yard run from quarterback Mark Gronowski with 1:51 remaining.
At that moment, Sappington said he began mentally preparing for the offense to drive to within field-goal range.
He works on his breathing, gets in some practice kicks and waits.
“I’m nervous for him because it shouldn’t come down to that moment for Atticus and that guy’s going to feel an unbelievable amount of pressure, however that goes,” UO coach Dan Lanning said.
The Ducks’ offense managed to reach Iowa’s 21-yard line with seven seconds remaining.
Sappington set up for the kick, but Iowa called a timeout to ice him.
In that moment, Sappington began his breathing process again.
Oregon place kicker Atticus Sappington (36) celebrates with Oregon punter James Ferguson-Reynolds (46) after kicking a game-winning 36\yard field goal during a Big Ten Conference college football game between the Oregon Ducks and the Iowa Hawkeyes, on November 8, 2025, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, IA. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
“For me, it’s just, all right, focus on the kick, breathe,” Sappington said. “You got it. I’m going to go out and make it.”
Oregon works on situational kicks during practices. Sappington has made many such kicks before, as Whittington noted.
But kicking in front of teammates at Autzen on a weekday morning is not the same as doing so on the road in front of 69,250 mostly hostile, raucous fans.
“Can’t recreate that in practice and Atticus handled it like a champ,” Lanning said.
Sappington entered the game 8-of-11 on field goals this season before making three against the Hawkeyes. His 46-yard field goal just before halftime extended the Ducks’ slim lead to 12-7.
Late in the third quarter, he made a 40-yard kick to increase the Ducks’ lead to 15-7.
So, when he lined up for his third attempt, Sappington felt comfortable.
“That moment was made for me,” Sappington said. “I truly believe that.”
It sure seemed that way. The kick appeared effortless and accurate with three seconds remaining.
“You can’t say too many good things about Atticus Sappington,” Lanning said. “You want to talk about ice in your veins in a moment like that.”
No. 7 Oregon (8-1, 5-1 Big Ten) vs Minnesota (6-3, 4-2)
When: Friday, Nov. 14Time: 6 p.m. PTWhere: Autzen StadiumTV: FOXStream: DirecTV (free trial) or Fubo (promotional offers) or Sling (college football season pass is just $199). Streaming broadcasts for this game will be available on these streaming services locally in Oregon and Washington, but may not be available outside of the Pacific Northwest, depending on your location.
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