(Photo: Statesman Journal)
Campus Clash
(15) Oregon State Beavers at (6) Oregon Ducks
Oregon State: Saturday was such a tough loss for them. After looking flat in the first half against the Washington Huskies, they adjusted well at the half and dominated the time of possession battle whereas in the first half, Washington did all they could to bottle up the running game and dared them to compete in a shootout, but they didn’t take the bait which I liked. Sadly, they couldn’t execute when it mattered the most which is why they took an L to a tough Karen DeBour team. The Oregon State Beavers had a prime opportunity not only to hand one of the best teams in the Pac-12 their first loss on the year, they also would’ve clinched a spot in the conference title game. Although they’ve had their share of let down games, they have been a very competitive group this year and that’s all you can ask for as a Head Coach is that your men at least try on the field and they do just that. It’s understandable as to why they’d fall under the radar in their conference because there’s Oregon, Washington, USC, UCLA and remember all the talk the Colorado Buffaloes were getting in Deion Sanders’ first season as the Colorado Head Coach. Record wise, the Beavers have been one of the best teams in the Pac-12 which is saying something. What I enjoy about this team is they’re a physical group that remains true to their identity and they will never jump out their box of what they are as a football team. This Black Friday, they will do battle with their arch rivals for the final time as members of the Pac-12.
Oregon: I’ve had so much fun watching this team this year. Before each season starts, you go out on a limb to make predictions on who will standout to you and there were three teams I was looking forward to watching this year. The first was Notre Dame with Sam Hartman as their starting Quarterback but they were inconsistent and the other was the Florida State Seminoles and they’ve been good, but now, I wonder where they go and how far they can go without Jordan Travis who just suffered a gruesome leg injury. The other was the Oregon Ducks and here they are with just one loss on the year. If they don’t slip up in Seattle that one Saturday against the Washington Huskies, they would be considered one of the elite teams in college football. As of now, there are three teams each with one loss that stand out to me. That’s the Texas Longhorns, the Alabama Crimson Tide and again, these Ducks in Eugene, Oregon and I truly feel they are the best one-loss team out of everyone in the country. What impressed me even more with this group was the game in Salt Lake City against the Utah Utes. They went into a hostile environment and handled their business, but most importantly, they played angry which I loved as they were physical from the get go. Bo Nix threw six touchdown passes in their last game against the Arizona State Sun Devils. This kid has been the real deal this year. They return home on Friday for a rivalry game.
Oregon State X-Factor: John McCartan– He’s the leader of this Beavers defense and will be playing in his final “Civil War” showdown. John leads the team in sacks with 4.5. He’s so quick and always finds a way to the football. John is a 6’5 Outside Linebacker with tremendous burst and speed. He’s consistent in rushing the passer and collapsing their pocket, but he’s also strong when it comes to stopping the run. John will have to be ready to apply all the pressure he can on Bo Nix.
Oregon X-Factor: Bucky Irving– He is the shiftiest Running Back in the nation, or one of them. Bucky is that slippery runner that makes people miss in the open field each time he carries the football. When you think you have him, he finds a way out and he’s picking up more yards. Bucky puts constant pressure on a defense because he’s also a threat out of the backfield as a pass catcher as he is when he’s taking handoffs. The Beavers will have their hands full attempting to contain this guy.
Final Thoughts: This will be the last matchup between these two schools for the foreseeable future as both are moving to the Big Ten next year. This is one of the things I strongly dislike about all of these conference realignments because it takes away from classic rivalries such as this one. Oregon State gave Washington all they could handle in week 12, but couldn’t pull the upset and Oregon just had their way with the Sun Devils of Arizona State. I need to see the Beavers slow this game down and not try to get into a shootout with a team whose speciality is a shootout. Establish Damien Martinez and keep D.J. Uiagaleilei protected at all costs. Oregon must keep their emotions in check for this one and not take this Beavers team too lightly. The scenario is simple for the Ducks. Win and it’s a rematch with the Washington Huskies in the Pac-12 championship game next Friday night. There’s nothing more the Beavers would want than to spoil their rivals chances of playing in a conference title game. I like Oregon to end the regular season with a win at home.
Prediction: Oregon 34, Oregon State 24
