11/27/07: Grin and Barrett

November 27, 2007

Okay, let me start by saying notice almost all the trash talk are from Beaver fans. Secondly, if this situation was flipped there would be more Duck fans doing the talking. With that being said, this year’s Civil War is no different than usual.

Yet I can’t help but think the Beaver believers are a little more confident since they're playing the University of Oregon JV team this weekend. Let’s get a few things straight, Oregon State is not playing the second ranked team in the country anymore. This is not the same Oregon team who was in national title contention, this is not the same Oregon team who averaged 50 points a game, nor is it the same team that would have completely embarrassed you three weeks ago. And, even after all these injuries and dropped passes,
Oregon is somehow still five point favorites! Give it a rest Beaver fan; you will have your win.

I’ll I ask is that you do it classy. Remember, these are the same Oregon fans that not only had no problem with you winning in baseball, but probably cheered for you.

Don't act like this Saturday is the biggest upset in football history, it's not. This Oregon team shouldn't even be in the top 25, or 50... But, somehow they are still five point favorites. You are five-point underdogs to a team starting its fourth string quarterback, a wide receiver who was a cornerback two weeks ago, and scored no points in the last seven quarters.

Recently at a Portland Trailblazer game during a timeout, the jumbo-tron screen showed a Beaver fan wearing an “OSU Football” shirt and the crowd cheered, then the camera panned to an Oregon fan and the crowd booed. In just three short weeks these cheers flip-flopped. All the bandwagon and closet fans come out.

OSU fans also remember you are cheering that someone got injured. I understand you want your team to win, but without a Dennis Dixon injury this would not even be a close game. Dixon is unlike any player college football fans have ever seen. He is the most important player to any team in the country. Don’t believe me? Take a look at last week’s debacle in the Rose Bowl.

A team that averaged 50 plus points a game couldn’t even muster three. In fact the Ducks didn’t even cross the Bruin 30-yard-line. Then, as if they did something, UCLA players acted like they were unstoppable. These were the same Bruins who got blown out by Utah and Notre Dame. These were also the same Bruins, who had 27 total yards of offense in the first half with no completions against Oregon. That was not the number ninth team in the country UCLA beat.

Just look after the game, there were no “HUGE UPSET ALERT” out there. No college football shows were talking about a top-ten team being beat; it was like it was just expected. Just like a Beaver win in this weekend’s 111th meeting between Oregon State and Oregon in Eugene.

My prediction, Beavers 3, Ducks 0; in one of the ugliest games ever. Both defenses play well, but both offenses look terrible. Autzen keeps it close, but that's about it.

I realize I make this prediction after basically being completely wrong on my BCS predictions, but that just means I’m like every other sports writer in America. This season has been the definition of unpredictable.

I only wish there was an option for a coach to turn down an invitation to play in a bowl game, because I honestly feel at this point Oregon can not beat any college team in the country. It’s sad to think how quick everything has fallen apart.

As an Oregon fan, I’d like to say it’s been a great season, and a privilege being part of such a memorable run while it lasted. But, as Duck fans know, it’s not if, but when will they fall apart? We knew it was coming, but to a player like Dixon, really hurts. He deserves the Maxwell player of the year award, if not the Heisman. We’ll always look back at 2007 and think what could have been.