Bo Nix is one of the best Oregon Ducks of the past 25 years, coming in at No. 13 in our rankings of the best players of this century.
Over the last 25 years, the Oregon Ducks have been one of the single best teams in all of college football, sitting near the top of the sport for the better part of a quarter-century.
Since 2000, Oregon has compiled an overall record of 239-83 (.742), with just two losing seasons during that span. They’ve been to 24 bowl games, won three Rose Bowls, been to a pair of College Football Playoffs, and appeared in two National Championships. They’ve seen a Heisman Trophy winner in Marcus Mariota and had 99 players selected in the NFL Draft.
It’s safe to say that when looking at the nation’s best in this millennium, Oregon belongs in the conversation. But who are the players who helped get Nike University into that conversation? That’s a different question entirely.
To celebrate the quarter-century mark, we’re going to dive into that question over the next month as we approach the start of the 2025 season. The Ducks have had hundreds of memorable and beloved players over the years, many of whom will live on forever in some way.
But who is the best of the best?
That answer, of course, is subjective. When reviewing the numbers and conducting our research, we took several factors into account: career statistics, overall impact and success, legacy, fan adoration, and NFL success.
Boiling 25 years of Oregon football down to 25 players is no easy task, and not one that we took lightly. Dozens of players were left on the cutting room floor who deserve a spot in the top 25, and at some point, subtracting names off the list started to feel like pulling teeth. But in the end, we were left with 25 players, whom we will honor over the next few weeks.
If you want to catch up, let’s take a look at how we’ve gotten to where we’re at in the rankings:
- No. 25 — Bucky Irving
- No. 24 — TJ Ward
- No. 23 — Tez Johnson
- No. 22 — Troy Dye
- No. 21 — Samie Parker
- No. 20 — Patrick Chung
- No. 19 — Kayvon Thibodeaux
- No. 18 — Troy Franklin
- No. 17 — Nick Reed
- No. 16 — Jairus Byrd
- No. 15 — Jeff Maehl
- No. 14 — Walter Thurmond III
Today, let's continue with No. 13 — the accuracy king, Bo Nix.
Player Overview
After three up-and-down seasons as the starter for the Auburn Tigers, it was clear that quarterback Bo Nix would need a fresh start in order to reach his full potential. He found exactly that with the Oregon Ducks, quickly establishing himself as one of the top passers in the Pac-12 and eventually the nation with two strong campaigns in Eugene.
His pinpoint accuracy mixed with excellent decision-making skills led to a lot of wins with Nix at quarterback for the Ducks, as he authored two consecutive double-digit winning seasons. Also a presence on the ground, the 6-foot-2, 215-pound QB ran the Ducks' offense to perfection during his two-year tenure at Oregon.
Bo Nix Career Stats
61 Games — 8,101 yards, 74 TD, 10 INT
Single Best Season
2023 — 14 Games, 4,508 yards, 45 TD, 3 INT
It's hard to imagine Nix orchestrating the Ducks' offense in a much better manner than in 2023. In addition to leading the nation in passing touchdowns and posting a jaw-dropping TD-to-INT ratio of 15:1, he tied an NCAA record by completing 77.4% of his passes. He also added six touchdowns on the ground, making him responsible for 51 total scores on the season.
Team success came with it, as the Ducks had the fourth-highest FBS scoring offense and won 12 games, culminating in a blowout victory in the Fiesta Bowl.
Historical Records
- 5th Most Career Wins in Oregon History (22)
- 5th Most Career Passing Yards in Oregon History (8,101)
- Most Single-Season Passing Yards in Oregon History (4,508 in 2023)
- 6th Most Single-Season Passing Yards in Oregon History (3,594 in 2022)
- 3rd Most Career Passing Touchdowns in Oregon History (74)
- Most Single-Season Passing Touchdowns in Oregon History (45 in 2023)
- Tied-10th Single Season Passing Touchdowns in Oregon Football History (29 in 2022)
- Tied-Most Single-Game Passing Touchdowns in Oregon Football History (6)
- Tied-2nd Single-Game Passing Touchdowns in Oregon Football History (5, Twice)
Bo Nix NFL Draft
Amongst a highly-talented QB class, Nix was selected by the Denver Broncos with the 12th overall pick in the first round of the 2024 draft. He was the sixth QB selected, filling a dire need at the position in Denver.
Bo Nix NFL Success
After a slow start to his rookie campaign in which he threw four interceptions versus zero touchdowns in his first three games, Nix rebounded and ended the season with 3,775 passing yards and 29 touchdown passes (second-most in NFL history for a rookie behind fellow Duck Justin Herbert). He led the rookie class in both categories.
With Nix, who was named a captain, leading the way, the Broncos finished 10-7 and made the playoffs as the seventh seed. The second-seeded Buffalo Bills bounced them in the wild-card round — but appear to have found their franchise QB.
Bo Nix's Lasting Legacy
Though his transfer was met with skepticism in Eugene at first, Nix became a beloved figure in Eugene for his intensity and fierce leadership at the QB position as soon as he took the field for the Ducks. Putting together one of the most impressive passing seasons in college football history before departing for the NFL, Nix rewrote the Oregon record books and earned an entire fan base's support for the rest of his career.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon Ducks football's top 25 players since 2000: No. 13 Bo Nix
Category: General Sports
