Oregon Ducks Favored Over OSU Beavers In The Not So Civil War

Sports News - December 3rd, 2009 - Written by John

One thing is certain. There will be a rare match-up in the Rose Bowl this year.How it all shakes out, well, that's up to the Civil War. The cold-blooded interstate feud between Oregon and Oregon State will decide the Pac-10 tonight when the Beavers travel to Eugene, where the winner will face Ohio State in Pasadena.

Ohio State is already a rare participant in the Rose Bowl, not punching a ticket since 1996. For Oregon and Oregon State, it's just as uncommon. The Ducks haven't made it to Pasadena since 1994, and Oregon State hasn't done it since 1964.

College Football Betting Lines have the Ducks favored for their second-straight win by 9 1/2 points, according to BetUS, with a 62 1/2-point total. It may seem like an unusually high over/under, but consider the rivalry game has gone over that mark in four of the last five meetings. Oregon State has played the over in five-straight games and eight of the last ten, while Oregon has gone over in nine of it's last 11 home games.

The Beavers were in this position a year ago, just a win away from making their first Rose Bowl appearance in 45 years, but surrendered the most points in school history in a 65-38 loss to Oregon to end the regular season. It snapped a six-game winning streak and dashed the hopes of returning players like running back Jaquizz Rodgers and quarterback Lyle Moevao, who have made their discontent public.

Instead of playing on New Year's Day in a premier bowl, Oregon State went to the Sun Bowl, where they beat Pittsburgh in a snoozer, and the Ducks beat Oklahoma State in the Holiday bowl. Moevao's last Twitter message, before the account was shut down, said "This is what I've been waitin for. Payback is a (expletive)!"

The message was circulated around before finding it's way to ESPN.

It's clear that the Beavers still remember the heartache of when they had to play without Rodgers, and his brother James, who is a starting receiver. Together they are one of the best tandems in football. Jaquizz Rodgers is 12th in the nation with 1,313 yards and has 20 total touchdowns. James Rodgers leads the team with 77 catches for 865 yards and nine total touchdowns, and is second in rushing yards with 260 on primarily hatch plays.

But Oregon's response is a good one. LeMichael James is the 13th-ranked rusher, just three yards short of Rodgers (1,310). Behind him, quarterback Jeremi Masoli has 619 yards on the ground, and together they combine for 23 touchdowns. Masoli also has 1,865 yards passing and 14 touchdowns.

In his last game on Nov. 21 against Arizona that kept Oregon in the conference race, Masoli was brilliant leading his team to an overtime win with six total touchdowns and 345 yards from scrimmage.

Oregon State has won four straight, and six of the last seven, averaging over 35 points per game.