Oregon was ranked in the top 10 in both major pre-season football polls for 2015. Following the departure of Marcus Mariota to the NFL, Oregon found itself without a proven option at quarterback. Vernon Adams, a highly regarded player for three years at FCS Eastern Washington, moved to Oregon for his final season of eligibility as a graduate transfer. Adams was injured in his first game as a Duck—ironically, against his old team, Eastern Washington—and either sat out of or played ineffectively in the next five games of 2015, as Oregon opened 3-3. Once Adams returned to full health, the team went on a run through conference play, winning the last six games of the regular season to finish 9–3, earning a bid in the 2016 Alamo Bowl against Texas Christian. In the Alamo Bowl, Oregon raced to a 31–0 lead in the first half, but Adams exited the game after an injury; TCU made one of the greatest comebacks in bowl game history in the second half, eventually tying the game and winning the game in the third overtime period, 47–41. Oregon was ranked No. 19 AP /No. 20 Coaches in the polls following the 2015 season.