2005 Oregon Ducks football team

The 2005 Oregon Ducks football team represented the University of Oregon as a member of the Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10) during the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by 11th-year head coach Mike Bellotti, the Ducks compiled an overall record of 10–2 with a mark of 7–1 in conference play, placing second in the Pac-10. The team played home games at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon.

In 2005, Oregon had success behind senior quarterback Kellen Clemens and a new spread offense. During a game at Arizona, Clemens suffered a broken ankle. At that point Oregon was 8–1 with their only loss to top-ranked USC, 45–13, and still in the hunt for a Bowl Championship Series BCS bowl game. Oregon won their final three games and their success led them into contention for a bid to the Fiesta Bowl. The Ducks finished the regular season with a 10–1 record, their best finish since their Joey Harrington-led, Fiesta Bowl-winning 2001 team. They finished fifth overall in the BCS ranking system, which would in many years have been high enough to earn them a bid to a BCS bowl. In 2005, however, there were no at-large bids available to Oregon. Ohio State finished just ahead of the Ducks, in fourth place, guaranteeing them one of the at-large berths, although they had an inferior 10–2 record. Notre Dame finished sixth in the BCS, also securing a BCS bid due to a pre-existing clause in the BCS contract. Many college football fans were outraged that two teams with worse records were selected over the Ducks. Moreover, for the second consecutive year, the Pac-10 conference had a team that finished with a one-loss season snubbed by the BCS; the 2004 California Golden Bears football team finished 10–1. It was later demonstrated that Oregon drew the highest bowl ratings in college football, calling the argument that TV ratings hurt the Ducks' BCS chances into question. Instead of a BCS game, the Ducks were assigned to the Holiday Bowl versus the Oklahoma Sooners. Playing without Clemens, the Ducks fell in a close game, 17–14.