*Quick disclaimer*: I am an extremely biased Ducks fan, so if you’re not here for some Buckeye belittlement, see ya.

As a realistic Ducks fan, I did not have high hopes for Saturday’s game at the “Shoe.” With our formerly 0-9 record against Ohio State, a spread of -10, and a ~12% chance of winning, I knew this may be just like the others. Even sitting in my friend’s apartment in Eugene watching the game, my Yahoo Sports app kept showing Ohio State having a >50% chance of winning until the fourth quarter.

I’m a very superstitious sports fan, and it felt like anytime the Ducks were ahead (so most of the game), I had to knock on wood so it wouldn’t go away. It felt unreal watching this win happen. The tiny, green-filled visiting fan section in a sea of red felt like the hope I’ve had of beating Ohio State since leaving the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1, 2010. I left that weird, flat bowl of a stadium a crushed kid, and last Saturday at about 1 p.m., I was happier than I could’ve imagined.

Over 11 years of listening to over-confident, inflated ego Buckeyes are no more. They paid us $3.5 million to fly to Ohio and kick their sorry asses on national television. Down two of our best players, after a not-so-stellar opening game performance, the mighty Ducks went out there and showed those Big 10 brutes what the Pac-12 is made of.

If the last game’s performance doesn’t scream “contender” I don’t know what does. Of course, we still have to face our conference opponents, including the Chip Kelly-led UCLA, and Ohio State could crumble throughout the season. But as a Ducks fan, I think we needed this win, and nothing can take it away. Now excuse me while I talk my shit until we meet again, Brutus.