Ranking Oregon's Biggest Rivals in 2013

Nuff Said

Before the start of last season I wrote about what rivalry currently means the most to Oregon as of 2012 (http://ranzsrants.blogspot.com/2012/09/what-rivalry-means-most-to-oregon.html), and ranked them USC, Washington, and Oregon state, in that order.  

After looking back on that my stance has changed on who Oregon's main rivals are, and where they rank.  So what has changed for 2013?  Let's take a look.

First let's remember that there are many things that go into the making of a rivalry, such as geography, culture, and the product of competition on the field.  That last reason is why you can take USC off the list and replace them with Stanford. 

Since 2009, no team has been in direct competition with Oregon more so than Stanford has.  The two programs have been the class of the Pac-12 in that time, with Oregon going 46-7 and Stanford 43-10.  And since 2009, no team has had a better record against Oregon than Stanford (2-2).

It's been a back-and-forth affair with one team playing the spoiler, the other team watching their conference and national title hopes go up in flames. 

LaMichael James rushed for 257 and 3 TD's in '10
vs. Stanford

In 2009, Stanford shocked #7 Oregon 51-42, ending their national title hopes.  In 2010, #9 Stanford blew a 21-3 1st quarter lead against #4 Oregon, and wound up losing 52-31.  In 2011, #4 Stanford was riding the nations longest winning streak at 17 games (their last loss came the previous year at Oregon) and had revenge on their mind, but it was #7 Oregon that went down to the farm and crushed the Cardinal for the second year in a row, 53-30.  And this past year #13 Stanford defeated #1 Oregon 17-14 in OT, ruining the Ducks' national title hopes.

In 2013 Oregon will be out for revenge, and the game will probably once again decide who plays for the Pac-12 championship, a Rose bowl, and maybe even more. 

Unlike the Stanford series, our two traditional rivals haven't been competitive at all.  But where it lacks in competitiveness, it makes up for with history, tradition, and genuine hate between the fanbases.   

The Washington Huskies...the team Oregon fans love to beat up the most.  Counting this years 52-21 win, the Ducks have won 9 straight in the series, and look to make it 10 this year.  Despite the lack of competition here, the second Washington ends the streak, we know their fans will be celebrating like they just won the super bowl, and will let Duck fans hear about it for a whole year.  We don't wanna see that happen.  So for that reason, the game is still big every year.  It's all about keeping the streak going.

And that leaves us with our little bro Oregon state.  More like our hillbilly in-laws.  The gap between the two programs couldn't be greater than what it is right now.  There was a time when Beaver fans liked to stick their chest out to Oregon fans, and claim their program was on par with the Ducks.  Funny how 5 straight seasons with 10+ wins and 4 bcs bowl games will change that.  Even the most delusional of beaver fan will admit that Oregon is on another level.

The Ducks have won 5 straight over the beavers and will make it 6 next year.  With such a talent gap between the two programs (as illustrated by Oregon's 5 game winning streak), you would think the game would lose some of its luster, but it doesn't.  It's still the civil war...one of the longest played rivalry games in the nation.  And putting beaver fan back in their place NEVER gets old.

WHERE THEY RANK

1. Washington - from most Duck fans I talk to, there is more actual hate towards udub, than Oregon state.

2. Oregon State - there's still plenty of hate for them and the civil war will always be a big game for both teams, no matter how one-sided it is.

3. Stanford - if we were talking about biggest games in 2013, this would be #1.  But we're talking about rivalries here.  Its developed into a rivalry from a competitive standpoint, but it has no staying power.  Stanford won't be a football power forever, and when they fizzle out, so will the rivalry. 

What I've learned is that what really makes a rivalry special is when its built on tradition and the whole fan base gets into it, every year, regardless of records.  Temporary rivals like the one with Stanford or USC come and go, but Washington and Oregon state will always mean something.

          

 

Season Review

Many people felt that this was Chip Kelly's most balanced team at Oregon going into the season, and had the potential to be his best.   

And they were balanced, as they were dominate on both sides of the ball, ranking second in the nation in scoring offense and 25th in scoring defense.  Most games were over by halftime.  In fact, 8 of Oregon's 12 opponents couldn't even hang within 3 td's.

Oregon got off to a 10-0 start and were in position to play for the national championship, and probably would have if it weren't for a fluky 17-14 overtime loss to Stanford.  There were so many "what if's" in that game.   

Like the chop block by De'Anthony Thomas, which would have turned a 77-yard Mariota run to the Stanford 15-yard line, possibly into an early touchdown.  The officials rulling that Stanford TE Zach Ertz had control of that 10-yard pass in the back of the endzone, tying the game at 14, with 1:35 to go in the 4th qtr. And Oregon's kicker Alejandro Maldonado missing that FG in OT, setting Stanford up for an easy game winner.

De'Anthony Thomas stepped up big in Oregon's 48-24 win over the rats

(24) Kenjon Barner and the Ducks ran away from KSU in the fiesta bowl

But the Ducks rebounded the following week with a dominating win in the civil war, and beat a top 5 Kansas St. team decisively, 35-17, in the fiesta bowl.  The Ducks finished the season ranked No.2 in both major polls, which tied the school record for best-ever final ranking. 


Then came the loss of Chip Kelly, who took the job with the Philadelphia Eagles, putting a damper on things, after it seemed like he had turned the NFL down for a second year in a row.

But that doesn't take away from the fact that it was another great year for Oregon football.  Another 12 win season, back-to-back bcs bowl wins, and finishing No.2 in both polls.  The only negative was the loss to Stanford, which prevented Oregon from playing Notre Dame in the national championship.  A game that most experts thought Oregon would win easily.

Losing Chip was tough, but Oregon will be fine.  They're pretty stacked with what they have coming back, and who they have coming in.  They'll be in almost everybody's top 5 at the start of next year, and will be favored in every game they play. 

What Rivalry Means The Most To Oregon?

Many factors contribute to a rivalry, like geography, culture, and the product of competition in the series.  

So when it comes to Oregon, who really matters most to you?  If I had to ask you, who you wanted to beat the most this year, who would it be?  Oregon state?  Washington?  USC?  Lets take a look at each of them, and maybe your answer will change at the end?

First lets start with probably our most natural rivalry, Oregon state.  They fit the first two factors (geographically and culturally) but they fail to meet the third factor (series competitiveness) for many reasons, that I see keep the program always at a distance from Oregon.

The beavers will never be our equal.  There was a time when both programs were down, but Oregon state was really down, and even then the series wasn't competitive enough to be a real intense rivalry.  

The Ducks lead the series 59-46-10.  But they are 28-11 since 1972, and have currently won 4 straight in the series.  

The steady climb of Oregon's program to the top has generated a lot of support from fans (thank you Phil Knight), incredible facilities (again, thank you PK), and national relevance.  All of those factors will keep Oregon an elite program, and ahead of Oregon state.  The beavers don't have the money or fan support to ever compete on the level with Oregon.  They're already too far behind.  

And most Duck fans you talk to always say they root for Oregon state whenever they're not playing Oregon (I want them to lose every game).  Even at Autzen stadium, when they announce the beaver score, if the beavers are winning the fans will cheer (I don't).

So is that a real rivalry then?  Don't you need hate for the other side, like with Washington?

Then there is our rivalry with the Huskies.  Duck fans HATE Washington.  You could read more about it here, but the hate comes from both sides, unlike with Oregon state, where a lot of it comes mostly from them (jealousy and envy).  

Duck fans for years resented how obnoxious and arrogant UW fans were.  Believe it or not, they were always contending with SC and UCLA, so they were a bigger target for Oregon to climb over.

The huskies used to be the big bullies on the block, and Oregon was little brother.  But Oregon got tired of being picked on, they grew up and got bigger, and fought back!  They have firmly replaced UW as the top program in the region, and it's been that way for quite some time now.  Husky fans (who once were too proud to admit they had a rivalry with Oregon) now resent Oregon for sending them back to the bus.

But it hasn't been that competitive either.  Since Kenny Wheaton picked off Damon Huard's pass at the 3 yard line, and housed it 97 yards later in '94, Oregon is 15-4 against Washington, including an 8 game winning streak.  

Oregon has turned their attention elsewhere, to an even bigger bully with a much bigger target on its back...USC.

Duck fans have always taken pleasure in being a thorn in the trojans side.  It's probably because of their arrogance, their southern Californian life style (a lot of animosity towards SoCal in Oregon), and all the hype they get from playing in the nations second largest television market.  

But Oregon has largely been off USC's radar, until recently.  After dominating the conference for most of the 2000's, Oregon elevated their program to even greater heights soon after the hiring of Chip Kelly in 2007, putting them in direct competition with the trojans.

The series has been the most competitive out of the three (OSU, UW being the other two) recently, with Oregon going 3-2 vs. the trojans since 2007. When these two teams meet, there's usually a lot at stake.  Both are ranked, probably in the top 10, and conference as well national positioning is at stake.

You can read more about the growing rivalry here. 

USC fans, as you could imagine, resent Oregon's success, and have developed some hatred for them.  It's a big deal to the players too.  Trojan quarterback Matt Barkley said this about Oregon: 

"Oregon is our biggest competitor in the conference.  Beating Oregon last year was special.  It let us know that if we can compete with Oregon, and beat Oregon, that we can compete with anyone in the country."

Plus it has to mean a lot to so many of the Duck players come from Southern California.  

With everything taken into consideration, in terms of most significance, USC has to rank #1 because there's so much at stake.  A win puts Oregon in the drivers seat for a conference championship at the very least.  The competitiveness in the series has made it more intense as well, and given it a big time feel.

But there's still something about keeping little bro (Oregon state) in check, and never seeing them succeed.  And it's always important to remember why Duck fans hate husky fans so much in the first place.  

I think most Duck fans will always have a special place in their heart for hating on UW and OSU, while the rivalry with USC could fizzle.  And that's why I think Washington and Oregon state will always matter most to Oregon fans. 

Wednesday's Rants: Cocky Beaver Fans, Plus A Bunch of Links

From the Civil War last year. 

There's an awful lot of noise coming out of Corvallis lately.  A win against an extremely overrated Wisconsin team, and now suddenly the beavers are back, and are on their way to a 10 win season.  Shoot, may even beat the Ducks this year!

While the win over Wisconsin (that they claim is the biggest home win in program history) looks nice, let's not get ahead of ourselves here.  Wisconsin is not nearly as good as the team Oregon beat in last year's Rose bowl.  

But that didn't stop beaver believer Andrew, from Salem, emailing me his garbage about how Oregon hasn't beaten anyone, the defense looks terrible, the injuries will catch up with them, and Oregon state will upset the Ducks based on home field alone.  

You see this is why I fuckin hate beaver fans.  Hey beaver fans, who are you to be bumpin your gums at Duck fans?  Your program is garbage, and you haven't achieved anything!  Which is why beaver fans resort to the tactic of comparing other teams (like Alabama, LSU, or USC) to Oregon, and say Oregon will never be on their level, and couldn't compete.  They do that because they know they have no grounds to stand on when it comes to their OWN program.

Wanna know how to shut a beaver fan up?  Just hit 'em with facts.  When I emailed Andrew from Salem back, providing support for my claims from national writers, he got pretty quiet.  Even if all he said about Oregon is true (weak schedule, bad defense, injuries will hurt them) Oregon will still smoke the beavers for the 5th straight year, and put all their little fans back in check.  

Know your place beaver fan.

LINKS:

A very good breakdown of why Oregon will beat USC this year from the bleacher report.

Latest on Josh Huff

Oregon's schedule may be tougher than thought?

Oregon's all white uniforms revealed

Week 3 and Oregon is a consensus top 5 team

No Love For The Beavers

In case you forgot, or you are new to the blog, I HATE the beavers.  I can't stand it when Duck fans say 'I root for them in every game when they're not playing the Ducks.'  

To hell with that!  I have no sympathy for them.  I want them to lose every game.  They're so out of touch with reality, predicting 9 or 10 wins this year, including wins over Wisconsin and Oregon.  

Puleeease!

I guess they have to fantasize don't they?  Realistically what do they have to look forward to this year, knowing they're not really competing for anything?

Another thing that bothers me about beaver fan is how they label Duck fan as fair weather, and a bang wagon fanbase.  

Pretty funny because in their magical run last year of going 3-9, including a loss over FCS power Sacramento State, they ranked 10th in the conference in attendance.  

Where's the support?  Aren't these the same fan's that claim to support their team through thick an thin?  Isn't that the very definition of a fair weather fan base?  One that doesn't support the team during the midst of a 3-9 campaign?  

Silly beavers.  But that's ok...you're a baseball school anyway right?

My Thoughts On Haters and The Oregon Ducks

Hate is an ugly thing isn't it?  Well, unless you're the one that's being hated on.  For them, it's a form of flattery.  For the haters, it's a sign of weakness.

To be so consumed with other peoples lives instead of focusing on their own, really is pathetic.

There are two different types of haters in this world:  those that hate when you're on top, and those that hate the ones striving to BE on top.

If you haven't noticed, the Oregon Ducks have a lot of haters.  One trip around college football message boards and you'll see them everywhere.

There are the traditional haters (rivals) like Oregon state, UW, and USC (who'll I get to in another rant) that are jealous of their success.

Then they have the non-traditional haters - from other conference's like the Big 12, B1G, and SEC - that are also jealous of their success, but also scoff at the notion that Oregon can get any better, or win a national championship.

Many of the teams from those conferences kind of represent the old guard in college football (and you can throw SC in there as well): Alabama, Texas, Ohio State, Michigan, etc., that aren't ready to accept Oregon yet as a major player, and are afraid of what they can become.

They see what Oregon is doing out here in our own little part of the country.  A grass roots movement that started in the late 80's really, prior to receiving any kind of help from "Uncle Phil" right on up until now.

They see the flashy uniforms, multi-million dollar facilities, and fans packing Autzen stadium on Saturday's, making it the loudest stadium in the country.  They see us taking recruits from their own backyard.  Places like Texas, Indiana, Florida, and Alabama.

They see it and they don't like it.

The small time programs like our little bro in Corvallis (Oregon state) are only mad because we are what they never will be!  

Just remember - no matter who you are or what you do in life - haters are the ones who say you can't and won't, because they're scared you will.

Go out and prove them wrong!

A Message To The Pac 12

Got into a conversation the other day with a coug fan about who has the worst fans in the Pac 12.  His answer?  Oregon.  And the beaver fan butting in on our conversation naturally said the same thing.

And they're not alone in this.  Many of the other fans from the conferences 11 other teams say the same thing.

To be fair, even I can admit Oregon fans can be a little overzealous at times.  What can I say?  We're proud of our teams' recent success.  The seed that was planted 18 years ago when Kenny Wheaton went the other way against Washington, is now a full grown Douglas Fir tree.

Oregon fans love to point out that their fir is more beautiful than yours!  So if you're getting tired of it and want them to go away, it aint happin'.

Oregon has a track record that goes back to "the pick" in 1994, and has been building since.  Joey Harrington took the program to the next level in 2000 and 2001.  In both years - 2001 especially when they were snubbed out of the NC - Oregon was in contention for a national championship appearance. 

Since Chip Kelly has been here (first as an OC in '07) Oregon has climbed to even greater heights.  National champion contenders in '07, '09, played for it in '10, and again a contender last year.

Oregon is the only team currently in the country to have played in three straight bcs bowl games.

And fans that used to say, "Kelly has yet to win a bcs game," can no longer play that card after Oregon's win over Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl.

Sure Oregon lost an experienced starter at QB in Darron Thomas, who went 23-3, but the Ducks have depth all around, including at QB.

Both Brian Bennett and Marcus Mariota have tremendous potential.  

Combine that with many key players returning, some people project Oregon will be BETTER in 2012, and they're set up nicely beyond 2012 as well.

Of course there are the sanctions yet to be handed down, and that's the only hope fans from the 11 other teams have.  However, from what I've read so far, I see no reason to think it will be anything more than a slap on the wrist.

And Chip may leave for the NFL as he almost did earlier this year.

The point is this:  the program that turned the corner in '94, will keep movin' along.

The Ducks aren't going away.

Pac 12 Coach Rankings: Where Does Chip Come In?

Picked this article up today out of SportingNews, which ranks the top coaches in the Pac 12, and coming in at #1 is Chip Kelly.  Can't say I disagree...the numbers speak for itself. 


As for the rest of the list I don't really care:

2. Mike Leach (WSU)
3. Lane Kiffin (SC)
4. Kyle Whittingham (Utah)
5. Sark (UDumb)
6. David Shaw (Stanford)
7. Rich Rod (Arizona)
8. Mike Riley (OAC)
9. Jeff Tedford (Cal)
10. Jim Mora (UCLA)
11. Todd Graham (ASU)
12. Jon Embree (Colorado)


The new comers (Leach, Rich Rod, Mora, Graham) come in at 2, 7, 10, and 11 respectively.  Which brings up my only question about the rest of the rankings...why is Leach at #2, when he hasn't even coached a game in the conference yet?  In fact the other new comers should be left off the list.  At least if you're making a list of the best coaches based on what they've already done in the conference, not what they MAY do.


Just my opinion.

 

Looking Back: 2008 Civil War PT. 2

#24 Jeremiah Johnson scoring on his 83 yard touchdown run

I, on the other hand, was less confident given Oregon's recent struggles at Reser.  Also, Oregon was playing a beaver team motivated by a jacked up home crowd, and playing for the right to go to the Rose bowl.

I could only hope for the best.

However, it became evident early on that this was the Ducks day.  They set the tone in the first quarter with a 17 yard touchdown pass from Jeremiah Masoli to Jeff Maehl, and never looked back.

The faster - more athletic Ducks, ran wild on the beavers that day.  Oregon state appeared baffled at times on defense, and looked slow.  They couldn't stop Oregon's relentless attack, as the Ducks won 65-38, and amassed a total of 694 yards of total offense.

Oregon would go on to finish the season 10-3 after a Holiday Bowl win over Oklahoma State.  The beavers won a forgettable Sun Bowl over Pitt, 3-0...a score fitting for such a crappy bowl game.

Revenge is sweet, especially with a lot at stake.  The more at stake, the more a loss hurts.  As former Oregon receiver Jaison Williams said (on the game) "to go out and ruin somebody's dreams like that, it felt good."

Seeing beaver fans leave heartbroken, and discarded single roses all over the stadium was priceless.  That's why it's my favorite memory.

Below is my video containing the best clips from that game.  Enjoy!

My Biased Predictions For Next Season

It's never too early to make predictions for next season is it?  College football fever has hit me, so why not?  Spring games are in full effect everywhere across the country, and ESPNU as well as CBS CS are airing replays of games from last year.


My predictions might be a little biased; I think the Ducks could run the table.  They certainly have the talent to do it, but chances are they probably won't. 


Here's a look at each game, followed by my thoughts: (Home games in yellow)

• SAT. SEP. 01 Arkansas State:  First ever meeting against this team from the Sun Belt conference, who bring with them two former Auburn Tigers in Michael Dyer, and head coach (previously the O.C. at AUB) Gus Malzahn.  For Oregon this means a chance at payback against those two.  Ok so maybe the fans are thinking about that more, but Ducks roll.  Plenty of players getting playing time and experience. (W)

• SAT. SEP 08 Fresno State: Don't know much about Fresno State and what they have coming back, but I do they're going through a transition after firing Pat Hill.  New coach means new system players having to get used to.  Ducks win easily anyway.  (W)
• SAT. SEP. 15 Tennessee Tech:  Another first ever meeting for Oregon against a team I know nothing about, but know they don't stand a chance.  Another great opportunity for players to get experience.  (W)
• SAT. SEP. 22 Arizona:  Arizona has a new coach in Rich Rodriguez, who'll probably bring in his potent spread offense, but it's still the same Arizona team that Oregon has been kicking around for a while now.  Nothing new here, Ducks win.  (W)
• SAT SEP. 29 Washington State:  Another team with a new coach.  Mike Leach could be scary up in the Palouse, but not this year.  Ducks will win their sixth straight in the series.
• SAT. OCT. 6 Washington:  the poodles could be a solid team next year, but no where near the level of Oregon yet.  They have some questions to answer though...like who's gonna replace Polk at RB?  And what about the defense?  If they don't see an improvement off of last year's team, don't expect them to be any different.  They're gonna get clobbered by the upper echelon teams, such as Oregon, who will win their 9th straight in the series. (W)
• THURSDAY OCT. 18 ASU:  The Ducks annual Thursday game against another team breaking in a new coach.  The Ducks have won 7 in a row in the series, soon to be 8.  (W)
• SAT. OCT. 27 COLORADO:  Did you see how bad Colorado was last year?  Now they come into Autzen for the first time since losing 32-30 in 1986.  This one won't be that close.  (W)
• SAT. NOV. 01 USC:  Here we go, Oregon's first challenge.  The game that could determine who has home field for the Pac 12 championship.  Ducks won on their last trip to LA, 53-32, but this one will probably be closer.  I hate predicting a loss for the Ducks but if it's gonna happen, it's probably gonna be here.  For now, I'll give it one of these (?)
• SAT. NOV. 10 CAL:  Oregon has won three straight against Cal, but the last visit to Berkely was a tough one.  Oregon was fortunate to squeak out a 15-13 win.  Cal is one of those teams that wins the recruiting wars, but never lives up to their preseason hype.  Could they give Oregon a game?  Sure.  Given the fact it's in Berkely also helps.  But Oregon still wins. (W)
• SAT. NOV. 17 STANFORD:  The Ducks return home to face the cardinal, who have gotten blasted by the Ducks the last two times.  Losing Luck is a HUGE loss to overcome.  Ducks chop the tree's down again.  (W)
• SAT. NOV. 24 CIVIL WAR:  That brings us to our showdown with Oregon State, which has become more of an annual beatdown.  The gap between the Ducks and the Beavers hasn't been this wide in a long time.  The difference in talent and depth is amazing, which is why Oregon will roll, winning their fifth straight over the barkrats.

So looking at that I see 11 winnable games, with the only real threat being SC.  Whatever happens, the Ducks are almost certain to have another 10+ win season, and be playing in a January bowl game.