WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2015 DAILYEMERALD.COM #CIVILWAR ⚑ GAMEDAY IS IT STILL A RIVALRY?OREGON AND OREGON STATE HAVE BEEN PLAYING THE IN-STATE COMPETITION SINCE 1894. Oregon’s recent success in the national spotlight has turned the once competitive match up into a nearly guaranteed win. GRADING THE OREGON FOOTBALL SEASON HOW UO AND OSU STACK UP OREGON BOWL PREDICTIONS ⚑ GAMEDAY PLUMBING ELECTRICAL WHY OSU HARDWARE TOOLS WILL PAINT HOUSEWARES LAWN & GARDEN BEAT 2825 Willamette • Eugene, Oregon • 342-5191 OREGON **Editor’s Note: Each week during football season, we feature an essay from the opponent’s student newspaper on why Oregon will lose. This week’s edition is from Brian Rathbone, the sports editor at The Daily Barometer.** ➡ BRIAN RATHBONE, THE DAILY BAROMETER Go Ducks! When rivalry games such as games. Oregon State appeared the Civil War are played, all bets to have zero chance against are off. Records and winning the Marcus Mariota-led Ducks. streaks leading up to the game But the Beavers would push are tossed out the window. It the Ducks to the brink, almost doesn’t matter that this week pulling the upset 36-35. The University Florist the Ducks are 35-point favorites This season, Oregon is and have a 96.2 percent win stacked. Vernon Adams Jr., who UniversityOwned of Oregon by proud Alums! www.eugenesflowerhome.com probability, according to ESPN’s holds the Reser Stadium record 1313 Patterson, Eugene 458-201-8959 Power Football index. for total yards in a game when 1193 Harlow, Springfield 541-485-3655 When the two teams in he torched an OSU defense Oregon take the field on for 518 total yards and six Thanksgiving weekend, expect touchdowns as a member of the unexpected. A quick Eastern Washington, has jump walk down memory lane will started the offense this past prove that. month while Royce Freeman NEVER Let’s start in 1998. Oregon continues to be a 100-yard A was ranked in the top-20 and game machine. Stopping those near the top in the Pac-12 two alone will be a tall order for COVER standings. Oregon State was led an injury-riddled Oregon State by a freshman quarterback and defense that gives up over 35 freshman running back. What points per game. was supposed to be a an easy And while Oregon’s defense victory for the Ducks turned has gradually improved over into a double overtime thriller. the course of the season, they Ken Simonton took a handoff rank last in the conference in down the sideline for a winning both total defense and scoring score, which would become one defense. Even an offense of the iconic plays in Oregon that is struggling like Oregon State and Civil War history. State’s could find ways to move Then there is 2007, the last the ball. DANCER time the Beavers defeated the I felt pretty confident that Ducks. Oregon was once again the Ducks would roll past the AUDITIONS ranked in the top-20 and were Beavers on Friday — that was Call 541-517-7196 playing at Autzen. Oregon State, until the Oregon released the on the other hand, played that quasi-camouflage uniforms game without one of their best that the team will be wearing players in program history, in the game (insert “WHAT running back Yvenson Bernard. ARE THOSE!?” Vine). Haven’t Nude Hours Enter walk-on running back they learned from recent years 12pm - 2:15am Daily Matt Sieverson. Entering the that breaking out bizarre Civil War, the Bend, Oregon uniforms — the pink helmets Lottery native had carried the ball 57 vs. Arizona, the glittery helmets times for 202 yards. He would vs. Michigan State and Lewis Champagne Room go on to gash the Duck defense and Clark tribute outfits vs. Outside Smoking for 142 yards and a touchdown Washington State — hasn’t on 27 carries en route to a 38-31 worked for them? Drinking Patio double overtime victory. Oregon’s Civil War winning Finally, there is the 2013 streak isn’t going to last forever, Civil War, also played at and, in all likelihood, it will end Autzen. Similar to this year, when everyone least expects 1836 South ‘A’ St., Spfld • 541.762.1503 Oregon State was coming off a it. And I don’t think anyone is thrashing from the Washington expecting the Beavers to win Only 5 minutes from campus! Huskies, losing at home 69-27, on Friday. www.sweetillusions.biz pushing its losing streak to four PAGE 2 EMERALD GAMEDAY WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2015 ⚑ GAMEDAY STACK UP ➡ JUSTIN WISE, @JUSTINFWISE While Oregon’s matchup against USC was taking place, ESPN analyst Danny Kanell tweeted that based on the eye-test, the Ducks should be in the College Football Playoff committee’s top four: “If the committee truly went by “eye test” or “who is playing the best” right now — Oregon would be Top 4. No doubt”. It’s clear that Oregon has already knocked itself out of playoff contention due to its three early season losses. However, after consecutive wins over Pac-12 North champion Stanford and potential Pac-12 South champion USC, an argument can be made that the Ducks are playing just as competitive a brand of football as anyone in the nation. It’s why they come into this week’s 119th Civil War against Oregon State as 30-plus point favorites. The betting line has as much to do with Oregon’s recent dominance as Oregon State’s consistent struggles. The Beavers (2-9, 0-8 Pac-12) have lost eight straight games and gave up 45 first half points in its most recent loss to Washington. What it means is that the latest act in this longstanding rivalry could get ugly quick on Friday. While Oregon seems like an offense that can’t be stopped, Oregon State is struggling to keep teams off the scoreboard at such a high rate. Vernon Adams throws a pass in last Saturday’s home game against USC. (Cole Elsasser) OREGON OFFENSE OSU OFFENSE VS. VS. OSU DEFENSE OREGON DEFENSE Oregon’s offense leads the Pac-12 in scoring offense, total offense Oregon State quarterback Seth Collins started the first seven and rushing offense. Despite receiving virtually zero national games of the season and displayed gifted athleticism when acclaim, Royce Freeman has run at a rate comparable to Heisman running with the football. He was average at throwing it and Trophy candidates. He rushed 20 times for 147 yards against USC passed for 892 yards for six touchdowns. Since getting injured and is averaging 6.7 yards per carry on the year. against Colorado on Oct. 24, he hasn’t played, and Oregon State’s On the other hand, Oregon State ranks last in rushing defense offense appears to no longer have any type of playmaker who can and 11th in total defense. Its opponents are averaging 35.6 points create for himself. per game and Pac-12 teams have scored at least 41 points in each of Nick Mitchell replaced Collins, but was benched in favor of the team’s last three games. Rommel Mageo leads the team with 76 Marcus McMaryion during Washington’s route of the Beavers last tackles, but he’s playing with a group that lacks the depth needed. week. With all the uncertainty at quarterback, it is no surprise that The Oregonian reported that the defensive unit last week featured Oregon State has averaged 16.9 points per game. Wide receiver “one former fullback/tight end/H-back, two former wide receivers, Brandon Bolden poses the best threat Oregon State has in the two former walk-ons and one current walk-on.” passing attack. He’s caught 39 passes for 418 yards this season. When a group like that is compared to one that features Vernon Oregon State’s passing attack is facing an Oregon secondary Adams Jr., Freeman and a chorus of other playmakers, it’s hard to that is much better than it was a month ago. The unit stymied a think the Ducks will score anything less than 40 points. Trojans offense that was on a four-game winning streak, limiting it to just three touchdowns and forcing one turnover. The Emerald is published NEWSROOM BUSINESS ON THE COVER by Emerald Media Group, EDITOR IN CHIEF DESIGNERS A&C EDITORS PUBLISHER, PRESIDENT & CEO The cover image was photographed by Inc., the independent DAHLIA BAZZAZ X325 RAQUEL ORTEGA EMERSON MALONE CHARLIE WEAVER X317 Cole Elsasser. nonprofit media company JARRED GRAHAM CRAIG WRIGHT PRINT MANAGING EDITOR VP OPERATIONS at the University of GINA MILLS DANIEL BROMFIELD COOPER GREEN KATHY CARBONE X302 Oregon. Formerly the OPINION EDITOR PHOTO EDITOR DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR TANNER OWENS VP OF SALES AND MARKETING GET IN TOUCH Oregon Daily Emerald, COLE ELSASSER JACK HEFFERNAN ROB REILLY X303 EMERALD MEDIA GROUP the news organization was founded in SPORTS EDITORS MULTIMEDIA EDITOR 1222 E. 13TH AVE., #300 1900. 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