The most satisfying Civil War

by jtlight on Dec 1, 2008 9:48 AM PST in Football Comment 60 comments

I'm not gonna lie, Saturday was an incredibly satisfying day.

Every Civil War has meaning. But some have more meaning than others.

And really, since the epic game of 2000, the Civil War hasn't had meaning outside of state pride. We lost in both 2006 and 2007, and yes, it sucked. But those seasons were lost before the Civil War. A victory would have put a nice salve on the season, but the main damage had already been done. Those losses stung, but not that much. It just meant we had to hear about it for two years. And from 2002-2005, the team won that should have fun, with very little on the line.

But this Civil War, there was a lot on the line. For Oregon, a 2nd place Pac-10 finish and a trip to the Holiday Bowl. For OSU, the Rose Bowl, which would have been their first in over 40 years. There was a national audience. The game was discussed in depth on ESPN and throughout the blogosphere, something that rarely happens.

And Oregon came out and dominated the Beavers. The numbers say it all: 694 total yards. Over 10 yards per play on the offense. As bad as Oregon's 3rd down defense was, the 3rd down offense was even better. The much maligned pass defense took two picks to the house. It all led to a 27 point win in a place where Oregon hadn't won is 12 years.

For many OSU fans, we know their pain. The loss in 2000 was very tough. It was a storybook year. Oregon had great wins of UCLA, UW, and the miracle at ASU. Then, they eked out the final few games going into the Civil War, and were dominated. Our star QB turned the ball over 6 times, and OSU went on to a BCS bowl.

Finally, we had a chance to return the favor. And the favor was returned, and then some. I'm happy for all the players and coaches, that have received unfair criticism from many, on the blogs and in the traditional media. They came out and silenced the critics. Well, for a while anyways.

For me, I'm still drinking this one in, watching replays, and reading every scrap of material on the game. I still get a huge grin when I think about the game. And, the only was to describe this feeling is satisfied.

So, savor this moment Duck fans. It was a perfect way to end the regular season.

GO DUCKS!

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Minor quibble

But didn’t the 2001 Civil war have this kind of meaning?
At the time we thought we could get into the national championship, and had we lost it would have resulted in a 4 way tie for the pac-10

I know it’s not the point of the post, but it’s been bugging me

by bradLL99 on Dec 1, 2008 9:56 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

2001

In 2001, the Beavers went 5-6 and finished 7th in the conference. The references to 2000 are because the game had significant meaning to both schools and the top of the pac-10 conference. A Beaver win in 2001 would have made them bowl eligible, but not much more than that.

by ntrebon on Dec 1, 2008 10:02 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

OSU was 5-5...

They were playing for a weak bowl game at best.

It had meaning for Oregon, but not as much for OSU.

Also…I’m pretty sure that if Oregon had lost the game, they would have still gone to the Fiesta Bowl (Rose had the NC game that year), due to the tiebreakers. While we were playing for the Pac-10 championship, it was wrapped up, and at the time, I’m pretty sure that other teams (like Tennessee) had to lose before we had a shot. And Tennessee would have lost the next weekend in the SEC champ game.

--www.AddictedToQuack.com, SBNation's Oregon Ducks blog

by jtlight on Dec 1, 2008 10:02 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Tennessee?

We finished third narrowly behind a Nebraska team that just lost it’s conference title game and Miami. After Nebraska lost I remember thinking we were going to be #2.

by bradLL99 on Dec 1, 2008 12:50 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Polls

I’m pretty sure we were #2 in the human polls and got passed over because of the computers, strength of schedule, and margin of victory. They changed the formula after that year, but those things used to matter. I can’t find the polls anywhere though so I could be wrong.

Death before Dishonor.

by MarineCorpsDuck on Dec 1, 2008 1:06 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Polls

Here is a PDF of every BCS poll from that season…

Nebraska lost the weekend of Thanksgiving, when they play Colorado. They were still ahead of us at that point, after the loss, even though they didn’t win their conference. Colorado was also ahead of us going into their Big 12 title game vs. Texas, after after they won that on Dec 1st. Tennessee also won on Dec 1st over Florida (I think this was makeup for Sept 11th weekend game).

So, there really wasn’t an argument for an Oregon birth in the title game until after the Tennessee loss, which occured on Dec 8th, a week after Oregon had finished it’s regular season.

At that point, after December 1st, when UO beat OSU, Oregon was

--www.AddictedToQuack.com, SBNation's Oregon Ducks blog

by jtlight on Dec 1, 2008 1:17 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

#2

The last poll has us #2 in both human polls. This was before the selection for the national title game, right? Since that game I have said that I think there’s a simpler solution to the BCS mess. If the top 2 teams are the same in both human polls, those 2 teams play for the title. If there’s not agreement on who the top 2 teams are, go to the BCS formula as a tie breaker. Really I’m a big proponent of a playoff, but I’ve just about given up on that.

Death before Dishonor.

by MarineCorpsDuck on Dec 1, 2008 1:31 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Hmm....

I don’t know…I hate the polls. The harris poll and the coaches polls are jokes. The only two I semi-trust are the AP and the Blogpoll.

So, for those reasons, I’m glad that the computers are involved. But it’s incredibly stupid that margin of victory can’t be taken into account.

The BCS sucks, basically. So they need some sort of playoff, with conference champions getting automatic births.

--www.AddictedToQuack.com, SBNation's Oregon Ducks blog

by jtlight on Dec 1, 2008 3:09 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Curious

I’m interested to know if UCLA wins against USC, will Beaver nation be able to put this loss behind them as they prepare for another Rose Bowl? Oregon would slip down the bowl rankings, most likely to either Emerald or Vegas bowl even though they will be tied at the top of the conference. Yeah, we may have won the civil war but there is still a game to be played on Saturday. USC fans don’t seem happy about going to another Rose Bowl. Is there potential to overlook this game?

--Dominic

Autzen Stadium is where great teams go to die." - J. Brady McCullough, The Michigan Daily.

by dvieira on Dec 1, 2008 10:11 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I like the new tag line

“Ruining Rose Bowl Hopes Since 2008”

Much catchier than “I like bread” or “J-Will drops the ball a lot” or what have you.

by DavisDuck on Dec 1, 2008 10:19 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I Like Bread

is a classic. You had to be there.

I like the yellow helmets!

by MarineCorpsDuck on Dec 1, 2008 10:25 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I've already heard this from three different people

this morning who don’t know each other, so each heard it independently:

How do you make Beaver cookies? You beat them then take them out of the bowl.

by grimc on Dec 1, 2008 10:31 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

It is a fanshot already:

http://www.addictedtoquack.com/2008/11/30/676344/how-do-you-make-beaver-coo

I like the yellow helmets!

by MarineCorpsDuck on Dec 1, 2008 10:39 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Aaaaaagh!

by grimc on Dec 1, 2008 10:56 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

It happens :)

I like the yellow helmets!

by MarineCorpsDuck on Dec 1, 2008 10:57 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

How do you make Duck cookies?

Put in bowl and beat for 3 hours

Just had to defend :-)

I support takimoto in his effort to support Roger Kieschnick in his quest to becoming the best Kieschnick ever to play professional baseball.

by The VD Special on Dec 1, 2008 11:34 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Nicely played

Nicely played, indeed…

by grimc on Dec 1, 2008 11:40 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

the pain…the suffering…

--Dominic

Autzen Stadium is where great teams go to die." - J. Brady McCullough, The Michigan Daily.

by dvieira on Dec 1, 2008 1:42 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

At least some Beaver found a way to defend something. :-)

It's spelled "S-h-u-n-b-o-w-l"

by JShufelt on Dec 1, 2008 2:07 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs

Oh Snap

no you didn’t.

Death before Dishonor.

by MarineCorpsDuck on Dec 1, 2008 2:08 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Too soon?

It's spelled "S-h-u-n-b-o-w-l"

by JShufelt on Dec 1, 2008 2:10 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

It’s spelled “t-o-o-S-h-u-n”

by ArbyOSU on Dec 1, 2008 2:27 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Wow

….That’s all I have to say. Wow

Well played, sir

I support Takimoto in his effort to support Roger Kieschnick in his quest to becoming the best Kieschnick ever to play professional baseball.

by The VD Special on Dec 1, 2008 2:15 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Rose Bowl

If USC were to somehow get into the National Championship Game, lets say if Alabama and Missouri win, by jumping Texas in the BCS…..would Oregon then have any shot at making into the Rose Bowl? Or would the Rose Bowl offer that to another top 10 BCS team not affiliated with the Pac-10? It may be a dumb question but I have friends who were talking about it and I knew this was the place to find the REAL answer to my my question.

Icey

by ChicagoQuack503 on Dec 1, 2008 10:52 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Quote from BCS site

At-Large Eligibility

If there are fewer than 10 automatic qualifiers, then the bowls will select at-large participants to fill the remaining berths. An at-large team is any Football Bowl Subdivision team that is bowl-eligible and meets the following requirements:

A. Has won at least nine regular-season games, and
B. Is among the top 14 teams in the final BCS Standings.

http://www.bcsfootball.org/bcsfb/eligibility

I like the yellow helmets!

by MarineCorpsDuck on Dec 1, 2008 10:55 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Our BCS Ranking = 19th

If some teams above us lose we could sneak into the top 14. I don’t see this happening, but I suppose it’s possible.

I like the yellow helmets!

by MarineCorpsDuck on Dec 1, 2008 10:57 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

The BCS has already stated (before the Civil War) that Oregon would not be in consideration for a BCS bowl game. I think we are firmly out of the running

--Dominic

Autzen Stadium is where great teams go to die." - J. Brady McCullough, The Michigan Daily.

by dvieira on Dec 1, 2008 11:14 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Well that's just nuts...

but it doesn’t suprise me. Why make rules if you are just going to declare a team ineligible with 2 weeks left in the season? I thought I saw that somewhere, but it’s just wierd. Where they saying that they couldn’t get the automatic bid, or just couldn’t be in the BCS in general? That just seems strange to me that they’d come out and say that with games left to be played.

694 Yards. 'Nuff said.

by MarineCorpsDuck on Dec 1, 2008 11:28 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Because it's not hard to poll 4 groups

about 2 spots when tOSU and BSU are done playing

by bradLL99 on Dec 1, 2008 12:53 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

First time poster...

I’ve been a closet Oregon fan for a few years now. I think it must be the awesome uniforms. When I’m not playing as LSU on NCAA football I’m playing as Oregon.

Congrats on a great win…Although I wouldn’t have minded seeing USC watching the rose bowl this year from their sofas.

by LSU Jonno on Dec 1, 2008 12:17 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

thanks, hope you’re enjoying Gary Crowton.

It's spelled "M-A-R-C-H-I-N-G-B-A-N-D."

I support Roger Kieschnick in his quest to becoming the best Kieschnick ever to play professional baseball.

by Takimoto on Dec 1, 2008 12:21 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Welcome to our madhouse!

It's spelled "S-h-u-n-b-o-w-l"

by JShufelt on Dec 1, 2008 12:33 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Welcome

…and you’re not alone. Last year I was in Chicago on business during the ASU game. I went to the ESPN Zone and there was a group of LSU fans there. They were all talking about how they love the Ducks and wanted to play us in the title game. Then Dixon got hurt. Hey, wait a minute…

694 Yards. 'Nuff said.

by MarineCorpsDuck on Dec 1, 2008 12:37 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

awww, why you gotta do that on 694-Day+2?

It's spelled "M-A-R-C-H-I-N-G-B-A-N-D."

I support Roger Kieschnick in his quest to becoming the best Kieschnick ever to play professional baseball.

by Takimoto on Dec 1, 2008 12:45 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

When healthy...

I think LSU and Oregon were the best two teams last year.

Out of all the teams we could have played, I was scared of Oregon the most.

Crowton led the offense to a school record in scoring last year. This year his play calling has been suspect, especially trying to break in new QB’s but I’m still confident in his ability. Were you guys sad to see him go?

by LSU Jonno on Dec 1, 2008 1:34 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

In their prime, it would have been a helluva matchup.

Scanning the national scene, LSU had the defense that would have matched up the best against Oregon’s offense. Ohio State’s guys were simply too slow.

I was sad to see Crowton go, but I think we had an upgrade at OC in the end. :-)

It's spelled "S-h-u-n-b-o-w-l"

by JShufelt on Dec 1, 2008 1:38 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

i was

but i got over it. real fast. like oregon 39 michigan 7 fast.

It's spelled "M-A-R-C-H-I-N-G-B-A-N-D."

I support Roger Kieschnick in his quest to becoming the best Kieschnick ever to play professional baseball.

by Takimoto on Dec 1, 2008 1:39 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I wasn't

I didn’t like him that much. I was pleasantly surprised with 2005, where he made a Unitas candidate out of dear Kellen Clemens. But then 2006 rolled around and it was Ludwig time again.

He ran an efficient power spread with a good QB, but I was ever so tired of pop screen after pop screen in 2006.

Alright time's up lez do this...

by qrsouther on Dec 1, 2008 3:58 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

He didn't turn into Ludwig...

Ludwig wasn’t creative. Crowton was too creative. He wouldn’t just give the ball to the playmakers.

That’s one thing that Chip Kelly does very well.

--www.AddictedToQuack.com, SBNation's Oregon Ducks blog

by jtlight on Dec 1, 2008 5:13 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Sorry should've clarified.

Didn’t mean he became Ludwig in his schemes, just that our offense was extremely stoppable, and, like you said, he didn’t capitalize on impact players like Chip does.

Kicker.

by qrsouther on Dec 1, 2008 5:16 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Well, I don't like the sound of this...

Crowton was too creative. He wouldn’t just give the ball to the playmakers.

I’d say that would be our number one problem with Crowton this year. Hopefully he matures some in this area.

Anyway, good luck, and good chatting with yall.

by LSU Jonno on Dec 2, 2008 6:50 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Seriously

Why wouldn’t he just hand the ball to Stew more then 5 times (guess, probably hyperbole) in the Vegas Bowl.

by bradLL99 on Dec 3, 2008 9:25 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Also...

Tim Day…what a freaking travesty.

--AddictedToQuack, SBNation's Oregon Ducks blog

by jtlight on Dec 3, 2008 9:32 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

One of the biggest, most athletic TEs we'd had since Justin Peele and until Ed Dickson.

Totally wasted in his Senior year.

Kicker.

by qrsouther on Dec 5, 2008 8:33 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

More athletic then Wrightster? I have no idea, and the point is he wasn’t given the ball enough.

by bradLL99 on Dec 5, 2008 11:18 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

That was Crowtown for you...

Man, I’m glad he’s not around anymore.

Also, I’m glad Kelly pulled it together in the passing game. I think a big reason that we struggled was that we didn’t throw downfield enough. Finally we started doing that in the Arizona game, and went after it aggressively in the OSU game.

--AddictedToQuack, SBNation's Oregon Ducks blog

by jtlight on Dec 5, 2008 12:56 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs