It’S A Day Made For Rivalries

Finally, for the first time since Johnny came marching home, the Civil War means something.

Oregon wins, it goes to the Rose Bowl.

Oregon State wins and Dennis Erickson starts rooting for Washington State like it’s 1988 all over again.

“The two best teams in the conference are playing in Corvallis on Saturday,” Oregon coach Mike Bellotti said in his Sunday press conference.

Actually, two of the best teams in the nation are playing Saturday. The only other in-state rivalry with as much significance in the next two weeks will be Saturday’s Florida-Florida State game.

Forget about USC-UCLA. Not even Hollywood special effects could make this entertaining. Texas-Texas A&M? Just something to watch until the Thanksgiving L-tryptophan kicks in. Auburn-Alabama? Iron Bowl, yeah right. More like the Iron Pyrite Bowl.

At least outside Florida, Oregon-Oregon State is where it’s at this weekend. Both teams are riding win streaks - the Lucky Ducks have won eight straight, the Beavers five straight - both are in the Top 10 - Oregon’s No. 5, Oregon State’s No. 8 and now there is a smidge of bad feelings in the air around Eugene and Corvallis.

“Their fans and little kids were rude, and the old people were rude,” Oregon defensive end Saul Patu told the Portland Oregonian about the last time his team played in Corvallis. “We couldn’t even make a prayer without someone cussing in our ears and telling us to get off their field and out of their stadium. We remember that, and we keep that in the back of our minds.”

“Everything Saul said was true; in fact, it was much worse,” Bellotti said. “There was no security, no attempt to remove the fans from our sideline. It was a very difficult situation. Our kids remember it; I remember it personally. It is something I will never forget.

“That was an out-of-control situation that was detrimental to the game.”

Erickson acknowledged the quotes but didn’t respond in his Monday press conference.

There is also the tidbit about the Beavers being favored.

“We should be the favorite,” said Bellotti. “We’re undefeated.”

He’s right there, the Ducks are undefeated in Pacific-10 Conference play. But their big win was at home over Washington. And in the last four weeks, the Ducks have been about as convincing as an infomercial. They barely beat Arizona, had to go overtime to beat Arizona State and Washington State and made Cal look legitimate.

Oregon’s margin of victory in the Pac-10 is barely eight points. Oregon State, despite one loss and having to play at Washington and UCLA, the other two teams in the league’s top four, has a margin of victory almost double that.

Still this is all just talk, posturing and hype. All the players want to do is get to the game.

“We’ve been answering questions about Oregon for the last four weeks, so it is nice to finally be playing them on Saturday,” OSU quarterback Jonathan Smith told the Oregonian. “We all get excited about big games, and they are not much bigger than this.”

Erickson’s Apple Cup outlook

Obviously, the Beavers will be rooting for the Cougars this weekend in the Apple Cup. An Oregon State win coupled with a Washington State win puts the Beavers in the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1965.

So naturally, all the Beaver fans at Erickson’s weekly luncheon wanted to know the former WSU coach’s take on the Apple Cup.

“If I wanted to make predictions, I’d take Lee Corso’s place on ESPN,” Erickson told the crowd. “When they fired me in Seattle, they gave me that opportunity, on KJR radio at $5 a show.

“It’s very similar to (the Civil War), so you just never know what’s going to happen,” he continued. “I can’t make a prediction; I just know a lot of times in Pullman it’s usually about 10 above, snowing like crazy and real slippery, and (the Huskies) don’t like playing in that.

“You never know what’s going to happen. Washington State can win, but I just don’t know what’s going to happen.”

Snyder sliding

Arizona State has already produced one press release denying that coach Bruce Snyder was being fired. That came after an Internet report surfaced that the ninth-year man had gotten the ax.

But there is no denying Snyder’s job is on the line. A loss at Arizona next week and the team would be 5-6. In 1999, the Sun Devils were 6-6. In 1998, 5-6. For those around Arizona State, these numbers are intolerable. For those who write about ASU football, the possible replacement talk has already begun.

The Arizona Daily Star in Tucson has named Boise State coach Dirk Koetter or TCU coach Dennis Franchione as possible replacements for Snyder. Danny White, a former ASU quarterback now coaching in the Arena League, has also been thrown into the mix.

Notes

Cal averaged 13.8 points per game over its first five game. Over its last five, it has averaged 29.4… . In 35 Pac-10 games, 20 have been decided by a touchdown or less… . Oregon State junior Ken Simonton is fifth on the Pac-10 career rushing list with 3,875 yards… . Oregon State has locked up a second straight bowl bid for the first time in school history… . Washington State is 12 of 15 on fourth-down conversions this season.

This sidebar appeared with the story: Big games

Matchups that impact the Pac-10:

Oregon at Oregon State: Ducks take the Pac-10 and go to the Rose Bowl with a win; OSU can do the same with a win and a UW loss.

Washington at Washington State: Huskies need a win, plus an Oregon loss, to smell the roses.

Purdue at Indiana: Purdue cements a spot in the Rose Bowl with a win, the only sure thing in a complicated Big Ten race.

Ohio State at Michigan: Buckeyes can tie for the Big Ten title, but need a Purdue loss for a trip to Pasadena.