History in the Making as Beavers Travel to USC

On September 16th, 1960 an Oregon State College football team did something that has not been done since. They beat USC in Los Angeles 14-0.

The top songs for the week of Sept. 16th were Johnny Burnette, "You're Sixteen" and "It's Now or Never" by Elvis Presley. The movie "Psycho" was just hitting the movie screens. Dwight D. Eisenhower was President of the United States. The United States had not yet entered the Viet Nam War. The Dallas Texans beat the Oakland Raiders 34-16.

In 1960 a new house cost $12,700.00. the average income per year was $5,315.00, a gallon of gas was 25 cents and the average cost of new car was $2,600.00 . You could go down to your local Ford dealer and purchase a new Ford Mustang for $2368.00.

Mark Hatfield was governor of the State of Oregon. Oregon State College would not become Oregon State University for another 7 months. Terry Baker, Oregon State's only Heisman Trophy winner was starting his sophomore year in high school. Parker Stadium in Corvallis was 7 years old and held 28,000 fans. The Beavers finished the season 6-3-1, tied for first with Washington and Tommy Prothro was Oregon States head football coach. USC would go on to win 12 of the next 20 conference titles.

Little did the Beavers football team know the meaning of the game that they were about to play at USC that warm fall day in Los Angeles in front of 32,928 fans. Forty-nine years later, no other Oregon State football team has beaten a USC football team in Los Angeles. The last time the Beavers won at USC, many of the parents of current team players were just being born and the parents of the 1960 OSU players lived through one of the most turbulent times in world history. The nation and the world was only 14 years removed from the crisis of World War 2 and the Korean War had ended just 7 years earlier.

This is one of the last major streaks the Beaver Football Program has left to end. Earlier this season the Beavers stopped another such streak at ASU where they had not won since 1969. Can today be the day the Beavers finally get this monkey off their backs? Lets take a quick look at how both teams are doing this season and try to see if the Beavers can pull of the upset that will end the streak.

On paper this is a miss match. USC has the bigger, stronger players with more speed and a better pedigree. The series started in 1914 and USC leads the series 54-10-4.

However, that fact alone has not meant much the last few years. Since 2000, no other school in the country has beaten USC more then Oregon State. Starting in 2000 the Beavers have beaten the Trojans three times in Corvallis. And the Beavers have had their chances to beat USC in L.A. In 2001 the Beavers missed two field goals late, one with only 35 seconds left in regulation, only to lose to USC 16-13. This is a streak that is ready to fall and Mike Riley has his sights firmly set on it happening this week. When Mike Riley has a bye week he is 9-3 in his next game. He has won 7 in a row and his last loss coming off the bye week was to #2 USC in 2003.

BY THE NUMBERS - Click Here for Complete Stats

USC dominates the stats this week, but the Beavers are not putting up big stats this season so far. They have trailed in stats in every game this season except Portland State. This week the Beavers only meaningful advantage in stats shows up in turnover margin. The Beavers are +2 this season, not great, but USC is -2. If the Beavers can win the turnover margin they will have a chance to win. The rest of the stats are pretty close really with only slight differences between the two teams. I expected the differences to be bigger. The one stat that scares me the most is sacks. USC has 26 sacks this season and OSU has given up 19 sacks. If the Beavers O-line cannot protect Canfield this will be a very long day. And consider this. USC mostly rushes 4 lineman, and does not blitz very often. It will be interesting to see the protection schemes that the Beavers come up with to protect Canfield.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The Beavers must protect the QB and open running lanes for Quizz. USC has a strong rush defense but the Beavers have come up with ways to run the ball in the past vs USC. Quizz ran for over 150 yards last year and the Beavers found open receivers all over the field. The game rests firmly in the hands of the men on the offensive and defensive lines. If the Beavers can pressure the USC quarterback and protect Canfield, this could be the Beavers day. I am sure that USC coaches have reminded the USC players of what happened last season and will be well prepared for what the Beavers might throw at them.

The Beavers have not done well in Nationally televised games during the regular season and this game is on ABC at 5 pm pacific time. Last season with the Rose Bowl on the line the Beavers folded like a cheap tent against Oregon in the Civil War. Can the Beavers overcome nearly 50 years of history and a prime time TV audience and shock the world one more time? YES WE CAN!

FINAL SCORE

BEAVERS 27
USC 24

GO BEAVERS!