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Oregon quarterback Bo Nix surprised many when he announced that he would be returning for another season to play for the Ducks. His 2022 season was his fourth as a college football player. Nix not only had four full seasons of college football under his belt, but he had also earned a degree from Auburn.
Considering this, he shouldn’t have been eligible to play another season of college football. But here we are in 2023, and Bo Nix is the Oregon Ducks’ starting quarterback, playing his fifth full college football season. How is that possible?
Well, the answer is really not far-fetched. It lies in a simple exception made by the NCAA because of the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The NCAA allows an extra year of eligibility for college athletes who played during the 2020 season disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nix falls into this category, hence his eligibility to still play college football this season.
Exploring Bo Nix’s college football career
Bo Nix is one of the few college football players fortunate enough to have been starters throughout their playing careers. Nix enrolled at Auburn University in 2019 and was named the starting quarterback for the Tigers as a true freshman.
Nix justified the faith invested in him as he led the Tigers to a winning season with a 9-4 record and an Iron Bowl victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide. He threw for 2,542 yards and 16 touchdowns and was voted the SEC Freshman of the Season.
As a sophomore in the 2020 season, Nix started 11 games for the Auburn Tigers. He passed for 2,415 yards and 12 touchdowns as the COVID-19 pandemic hindered the season and the Tigers only managed a 6-5 record. The 2021 season did not go any better, with Nix starting in 10 games and throwing for just 11 touchdowns.
Following the 2021 season, Nix entered the transfer portal and completed a switch to the Oregon Ducks in an attempt to revive his career. It proved to be just what he needed as he led the Ducks to a 10-3 finish in 2022. In the process, he passed for 3,594 yards and 29 touchdowns.
Bo Nix didn’t lose any momentum in the 2023 season. having compiled 4,508 passing yards and 45 touchdowns in his second season with the Ducks. The 6-foot-2 QB did not finish the season with a Heisman but ended his season on a high note with career-highs across the board.
