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After manhandling the Cougars yesterday, the OSU defense will have its hands full against Oregon. (Photo: Brock Ameele)
Official Sports Report: November 22, 2009 It's All for the Roses Now Commentary Exclusive to Beavers OSR
by Brian Brooks, Managing Editor CORVALLIS, Ore. – As of about 10 p.m. Pacific last night, your Oregon State Beavers were placed squarely in the middle of the national college football conversation, and they will stay there for awhile – until Dec. 3 and a big date with destiny in Eugene.
For the first time in the storied rivalry's history, the Civil War is winner-take-all for the Rose Bowl.
ESPN's Brent Musburger first called that contest a "Civil War for the ages" on national television late in the evening, and that's about as much gridiron run the Beaver State has received since Ken Simonton and Joey Harrington both graced the cover of Sports Illustrated in August of 2001, when the Beavers and Ducks were presumed national title contenders.
Musburger's broadcast partner, Kirk Herbstreit, went on to say that having the Civil War decide the Rose Bowl was good for the conference, before wrapping the segment by calling Mike Riley and the Beavers "the best-kept secret in the Pac-10."
Which means, of course, they aren't anymore. Not when you make a statement like that on ESPN's wildly popular Saturday evening college football program.
The Beavers are playing for the Rose Bowl for a second consecutive year. Let that one sink in, Beaver Nation.
That fact hasn't been explored much by the national media, yet, but it probably will over the coming days as much will be made of the shift in the conference's power base not just to the ‘Northwest,' but to Oregon specifically.
The house of our rivals to the south, Autzen Stadium, has hosted some big, important, nationally televised games – but none like the contest two Thursdays from now.
"We'll have one of the great matchups for the Civil War, ever," head coach Mike Riley said afterward. "It's pretty exciting stuff."
It's a shame a game as meaningful as yesterday's – the prelude to history – had to be played in frigid, windy conditions and in front of just 16,167 fans in Pullman. That has to be the fewest fans to witness an Oregon State football game in quite some time. Apparently very few students chose to delay their fall break and stick around to support their team, and most of the locals also elected to stay home and warm as well.
The Beavers won the game easily – but not too easily, which is actually a good thing. Though the game was never really in doubt, the Beavers did check out late in the second half in what OSR contributor Jim Wilson accurately called a ‘malfunction.'
A penalty-aided drive basically handed the Cougars their only touchdown of the day, and there were a couple of other sputters before the half expired that might have cost the Beavers a win against a more formidable opponent.
Against Washington State, however, it only serves as a reality bite – something to let the team know that there are still things to work on and that nothing less than 60 minutes of tightly focused, near-flawless football will be needed to take care of Oregon.
Aside from that, everything went as hoped for at an empty Martin Stadium. Everyone pretty much remained healthy, save for DT Brennan Olander, who went down in the first half but returned and was moving well on the sidelines later on.
The Beaver offense clicked to perfection. Jacquizz Rodgers ran for 165 yards and two touchdowns. Sean Canfield remained on track to shatter OSU's single-season passing percentage record, going 22 of 29 for 231 yards and two scores.
One of those strikes was to Joe Halahuni, and the breakout tight end had another score that was called back. We'll go ahead and say it right now, he is the next Joe Newton, and he gives Riley and offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf yet another weapon to throw at a Duck defense that has given up a ton of points to Stanford and Arizona this year.
This year in the big game, we will have healthy Rodgers brothers, a big tight end target and a quarterback on a roll.
It will be Canfield's first shot at Oregon, a team he has never played. His only first-hand taste of the rivalry will come with everything on the line.
"It will be loud," he said of the Autzen environment. "And a lot of fun."
It doesn't get any more fun than this.
Brian Brooks is the Managing Editor of Oregon State OSR. Feel free to contact him with questions, comments or story ideas at osueditor@officialsportsreport.com.
