It was so quiet in the Oregon locker room you could hear a season end. Amid the near silence Wednesday night, Ducks cornerback Jabbar Muhammad found himself offering a way-too-early state-of-the union assessment of his program.

The Ducks are not unique in their relationship with the unforgiving, but it doesn't make the sting less painful.

For decades, the Ducks have knocked at the door of becoming a desired member of college football's elite. All they're missing is the trophy.