EUGENE, Ore. — Two days before rectifying two years of wrong, Oregon added another touted commitment to its touted 2019 recruiting class.



A pledge from four-star linebacker Jared Casey of Louisville, another instance in which the Ducks mined the backyard of traditional hotbeds, means Oregon’s class currently is fourth best in the nation. This doesn’t happen around these parts. Mario Cristobal, it’s been said, is building something. The future is bright.



Fast-forward two days. The 17th-ranked Ducks (5-1 overall, 2-1 Pac-12) were down a defensive lineman to a targeting call and two offensive linemen to injury, then survived a field-goal attempt at the end of regulation that sailed just right. They made stops on fourth-and-short, overcame a holding call to convert on third-and-long in overtime and found themselves 6 yards from an exorcism against No. 7 Washington (5-2, 3-1).



The weight of 70-21 hung in the air. Down three in overtime,...