THE 113TH CIVIL WAR IS JUST 3 DAYS AWAY

In just three days the biggest and most important game in Civil War History will be played at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. Why is it the biggest and most important? Because for the first time ever the winner of the Civil War game is guaranteed a spot in the Rose Bowl.

The hype has been big to date but as this day has gone along you can just feel things starting to really ramp up. For me it has been a difficult day to concentrate on work and have spent most of my day checking the blogs and twitter posts on the Beavers press conference. And the hype is only going to get bigger the closer we get to kickoff, which at this time is only 2 days and 20 hours away.

The Ducks have had their "I smell roses" youtube video cranked up for days now and this morning the Beavers fans fired back with their own version of the video titled "I smell roast duck"(see below). I follow many Beaver players on Twitter and they have been noticeably quiet the last week or so. Perhaps Riley has them focused on the task at hand and not shooting their mouths off before a career defining game.

Friends and neighbors of mine are just as caught up in the hype as many of your are. Those who have no ties to either school are taking sides and calling and asking to wear some of my extensive collection of Beaver gear (more on that later). People who have never showed allegiance to any team are all of a sudden sporting the colors of their favorite team. Nearly every person I know has asked me how I am doing and if the Beavers are going to pull of the upset this year. I have been burning up the fiber optic internet lines all day with emails to many Beaver fans on their feelings as the game draws closer.

For the second year in a row the Beavers have put themselves one game from getting back to the place that 12 years ago was just a dream they hoped they could realize someday.. Now, Coach Riley and his staff have put a system in place that is consistently getting the Beavers to the top of the conference with a shot at a PAC-10 title. The Beavers have established themselves as contenders year to year but have yet to take the next step. To win the big game on the road that will define this team and this program for all time. The one game that will finally say, "We Have Arrived".

But this year it is more difficult then last year. Last season we had the home field advantage. Last season we had the edge. This year, the Ducks have both of those and the Beavers are the team trying for the upset. Not many people are giving the Beavers much of a chance as the Beavers are 8 to 10 point underdogs heading to Autzen. This year we have Quizz Rodgers playing in the big game. This year, it's not the first time they have played a game with this much on the line. This year, Beaver fans are confident, yet reserved as the Beavers must go into a hostile place and preserve. THIS YEAR . . . IS YET TO BE DETERMINED. Will the Beavers be able to win in one of college footballs most difficult places to play? Can the Beavers shake off the ghosts of last season? Can these Beavers, rewrite nearly 45 years of history and do what so many are wishing for? The future is not written in stone, it's what you make it.

As for me, I am trying to stay focused on what is ahead and not let the hype get to me. I remember the feeling of getting the big win and going to the Fiesta Bowl. I waited 36 years for the Beavers to win another conference title and it felt really good. Now its been another 9 years and I am ready to have that feeling again. COME ON BEAVERS, LET'S GO GET THIS ONE.

BY THE NUMBERS - Click Here for complete stats

The stats for this game really tell the tale. This game is going to be strength against strength. Ducks rushing offense vs Beavers rushing defense. Beavers passing offense vs Ducks passing defense. Right down the line this game has "great game" written all over it. Several of these categories are so close you could throw them out and what you have left is two very good teams that are pretty well matched. The Beavers have to be able to contain the Ducks rushing game weather it comes from the QB position or the running back. The Ducks have to stop the control passing game of the Beavers. The two teams feature two of the top three running backs in the conference and the two top quarterbacks in the conference. My oh my this is going to be a great game.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The Ducks are favored and have the big advantage of playing at Autzen which is one of the toughest places to play in the nation. The Beavers have to maintain their composure and respond to what the Ducks do because this is going to be a track meet of a football game. The Beavers cannot give up the big play like last year and make the Ducks pass to beat them. The Beavers DB's have to be smart and not let the Ducks receivers get behind them. I think the Beavers are going to have to play a near perfect game to win unless the Ducks have been listening to their own talk. If the Beavers can jump out early and take the crowd out of the game then it is anyone's ball game.

Just like last year you might as well hold on because I think it is going to be a wild ride. I CANNOT WAIT FOR IT TO GET HERE!

FINAL SCORE

BEAVERS 48
DUCKS 44

GO BEAVERS!

GO BEAVERS!

Civil War T-minus 4 days

Just 4 more days left to the start of the 113th Civil War between my Oregon State Beavers and those feathered fowl from Eugene. I hope it gets here soon because my metabolism cannot take much more.

It all started out so peacefully. With the win last week in Pullman and then the Ducks win in Arizona the stage was set for the most important Civil War of all time. The winner goes to the Rose Bowl. The potential cost of a lose in this game for either team is more for the Beavers then the Ducks. If the Ducks lose they are sole #2 and will go to the Holiday Bowl. If the Beavers lose they are, once again, tied for second.

Last year, after the loss to the Ducks the Beavers found themselves tied for second and ended up in El Paso for the Sun Bowl (3rd place bowl). The year before, 2007-2008, the Beavers finished third in the PAC-10 and ended up in the Emerald Bowl (5th place). This is all because of the complex system of determining the bowl berths based upon, no-repeat clauses, head to head tie breakers and who the bowl commettees think will bring the most fans. The last option beinging the one most considered.

So with a loss in the Civil War this year, where would the Beavers end up? Ted Miller from ESPN has the Beavers losing and tied for second and going to the Las Vegas Bowl (5th place).

So if the Beavers lose on Thursday they are 6-3. Cal beats Washington next week they end up 6-3. The winner of the USC-Arizona games ends up at 6-3 with the loser going to 5-4. Stanford finished yesterday at 6-3.

So with that in mind, the Beavers beat Stanford and Cal and lost to Arizona or USC. So that should put the Beavers in no worse then the 3rd place bowl which is the Sun Bowl. But since the went there last year (insert no-repeat clause) the Sun Bowl won't take then. That moves then to the Emerald Bowl (4th Place) vs an ACC team. If the Beavers drop to the Las Vegas Bowl they will most likely face Utah because BYU has been 5 years in a row and the Beavers have already faced Utah.

So basically if the Holiday Bowl does not take the Beavers we get screwed for the third year in a row by dropping down to a bowl that was not what we earned.

IMO the Holiday Bowl would be absolutely nuts to take any other team then the Beavers if we lose. We travel better then any other team in the PAC-10 and we have never been to the Holiday Bowl. I already have hotel rooms booked in Pasadena and San Diego as do several other Beaver alums I know.

So lets go and win the Civil War and end the bowl confusion for the Beavers. And if we by chance lose to the Ducks. The Holiday Bowl had better make the correct decision this year and bring the team that truely deserves to be there. THE BEAVERS!

GO BEAVERS BEAT THE DUCKS!

BEAVERS WIN SETS UP A CIVIL WAR FOR ALL TIME

On Saturday the Beavers went into cold and windy Pullman Washington and ran all over the depleted Cougars of Washington State. Final score Beavers 42, Cougars 10.

Quizz Rodgers tied a OSU single season rushing TD record with his 19th TD of the season tieing him with Ken Simonton and Steven Jackson. Rodgers also rushed for 165 yards and 2 touchdowns on 24 carries moving him into second place in the PAC-10 in rushing with 1313 yards.

Sean Canfield had another solid game going 22 of 29 for 231 yards and 2 touchdowns. Canfield leads the PAC-10 in yards per game (254.3), Pass Efficiency (147.6), completion percentage (70.3%), total yards (2797) and TD passes (19).

James Rodgers caught 6 balls for only 33 yards at WSU, but the older Rodgers brother held onto his PAC-10 lead in receptions per game (7.0), Receiving Yards per Game (78.6), All Purpose Yards per Game (173.6).

Damola Adeniji led the Beavers in Pullman with 5 catches for 89 yards and 1 touchdown. Tight End Joe Halahuni added 44 yards and 1 Touchdown.

The win moves the Beavers to 8-3 (7-2) and in sole possession of second place in the PAC-10 thanks to loses by Stanford and Arizona on Saturday. What this means is that for the first time in 113 years of Oregon State vs Oregon Football. The winner of the Civil War will be going to the Rose Bowl. Oregon is currently in first place with a record of 9-2 (7-1). Should the Beavers, who are currently 10 point underdogs for the Civil War, win the game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. It will be the first Rose Bowl appearance for the Beavers since the Jan. 1 1965.

This is the second year in a row that the Beavers have held their destiny in their own hands going into the Civil War. Last year the Beavers entered the Civil War as the favorites and with a Rose Bowl berth in hand with a victory over the Ducks. But it was not to be as the Ducks won the game and left a bad taste in many Beavers mouths after the game.

Last year the Beavers were the team with the target on their backs and the whole nation talking about them. This year it is the Ducks who have the spotlight and the talk. After an opening season loss to Boise State was made even worse by some post game punching by a Duck player. The Ducks have won 9 of 10 games including an exciting overtime thriller in Tucson on Saturday night that put the Ducks in the drivers seat for the Rose Bowl.

The Beavers in the mean time have been flying somewhat under the Radar and have quietly put a run together themselves winning 6 of their last 7 games and have somewhat quietly put themselves into position to go to the Rose Bowl once again with one more win this season. Just one more win. But the real pressure this year is on the Ducks. They are the favorites, they are at home, and they are the team the nation is watching. Meanwhile, the Beavers players are preparing, they are studying film, they are going to work to get better everyday they put a foot on a football field. That is their goal. Through humility, integrity, effort and belief in one another, a group of individuals can come together as a team to accomplish what one man may see as impossible.

In Eleven days, two different teams will step onto a field with the same dream and play a game that will have lifelong meaning to many who see it. Only one team can walk off the field that day and be a champion. IT'S OUR TIME! LET'S GO GET IT. GO BEAVERS!

BY THE NUMBERS - CLICK HERE FOR OSU vs WSU POSTGAME STATS

BRING ON THE DUCKS BEAVERS WIN 42-10

The game started well with the Beavers going up 21-3 on the Cougars but they hit the skids late in the second quarter and it took the Beavers nearly a full quarter to get back on track. But they did behind a solid game by Canfield 22 of 29 231 yards .758 completion percentage. Quizz Rodgers had 24 carries for 165 yards as the Beavers shut out the Cougars in the second half and scored 21 points of their own to make the Civil War on Dec. 3rd the biggest game in Civil War history in the last 45 years. If the Ducks can beat Arizona tonight in Tucson the winner of the Civil War goes to the Rose Bowl.

For the second year in a row the Beavers go into the Civil War with a chance to go to the Rose Bowl. If we can pull off the upset in Eugene in 12 days it will be the party of the century in Corvallis and the State of Oregon. I will walk to Pasadena if I have to but if it happens and you are a reader of this blog, I will buy you a round of drinks in Pasadena.

Look for my complete OSU - WSU postgame breakdown later this weekend. Way to go Beavers. Mike Riley is the Best Coach in the Nation.

GO BEAVERS! BEAT THE DUCKS!

BEAVERS IN PULLMAN TO FACE 1-9 COUGARS

The 7-3(5-2) Beavers are in Pullman Washington to face the 1-9 (0-7) Cougars of Washington State University. On the face of things you look at this game and think "Wow, should be a blowout. Yawn). But in fact this is one of the biggest games of the year for the Beavers. If the Beavers can take care of business in Pullman today, the Beavers will go into the Dec. 3rd game with the Ducks in a tie for second place and potentially holding (once again) a chance for the Rose Bowl in the palm of their hands.

A Beavers win today, combined with a win by the Ducks in Tucson would make the Civil War winner the PAC-10 Champion and give the Beavers their first Rose Bowl Berth in 45 years. The last time the Beavers went to Pasadena was for the Jan. 1, 1965 Rose Bowl with Michigan. The Beavers lost that game 34-7.

So this game today is huge for the Beavers season and I hate to admit it but I may just have to cheer for those feathered guys down I-5 today. I never ever cheer for the Ducks so that is big.

The biggest issue for the Beavers today is trying to stay focused when the game two weeks from now could be for such big prize and to stay focused today when you are 31 point favorites. Pullman is not an easy place to play. Cougar fans are true blue fans and will show up to cheer for their team no matter what. I have three Cougar alums in my family and I can attest to their passion for the Cougars. The team may have hit rock bottom but you can never give a team at the bottom a chance for life. If you do, you may find yourself on the losing end of the scoreboard. The Cougars have no where to go but up so the Beavers have to put the pedal down early and put this game away in the first half to take the fight out of the Cougars and their fans.

A game like this is very scary because their is so much to lose for the Beavers. You are on the road vs a team that is desperate for a win. The weather will be a factor. Temperature at kickoff is to be around 40 degrees with a 20% chance of rain or snow. You add cold hands and a wet ball into the mix and just about anything can happen if the Beavers don't stay focused. Just ask SMU. The Mustangs are bowl bound under Coach June Jones but they went into Pullman in September and looked past the Cougars and came home to Texas with a loss. The Cougars only win of the season.

The OSU-WSU series has been a close one over the years with the Cougars holding a 47-43 lead but the Beavers have won 2 in a row and 4 of the last 5. The Beavers are also leading the PAC-10 the last two seasons in road conference wins, going 7 for 9 on the road in the PAC-10 the last two years.

Lets take a look at the numbers..

BY THE NUMBERS - Click Here for Team Stats

The Beavers dominate the statistics winning 28 of 32 categories. Since one category is home field advantage that leaves just 3 wins for the Cougars. One of those wins is in punting where the Cougar punter is slightly ahead of Hekker but in Net Punting (the actual stat the conference records, punt minus return) the Beavers lead that category too. So that leaves interceptions and 4th down defense. Well the interception numbers for both teams are in the bottom half compared to the rest of the conference and 4th down conversions should not have an affect in this game.

Big numbers to watch is passing and rushing offense for the Beavers. The Cougars are last in the PAC-10 in both passing and rushing defense and the Beavers ranked 1st in passing offense and 6th in rushing offense. If the Beavers establish the ground game early on the Cougars it will put huge pressure on their pass defense to stop the Beavers. I don't look for Riley to open this game up in the air given the cold weather in Pullman. Look for the Beavers to pound the ball on the ground early and often putting pressure on the Cougars defense to stop the run and then go deep with the passing game on a first down situation to James Rodgers or Adeniji.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Like I said earlier, very game is big for the Beavers and this game is no exception. A Beavers win moves them closer to 10 win season and moves them one step closer to a conference championship. They must stay focused and execute their offense and put as much pressure on the Cougar defense as possible. The Beavers must hold onto the ball and not make stupid turnovers from a lack of focus. If the Beavers do these things this game should be over by the middle of the third quarter.

FINAL SCORE

BEAVERS 49
WASHINGTON STATE 14

GO BEAVERS!

BEAVERS GIVE NICE GIFT TO DADS, BEAT HUSKIES 48-21

It was a Great Day to be a Beaver as is most any day. But this last Saturday was even better then most for me as it was my first Dad's Weekend as a Dad to an OSU Student and the second reason is that the Beavers ended beating those stinking Huskies even worse then I had predicted. Combine those to facts together with near perfect late fall weather and you have a very memorable day for me and for Beaver Nation.

It was my first Dad's Weekend as a parent of an OSU student and it turned out to be a very memorable one for me for several reasons. First off my daughter and I had a great time together. I could tell she was nervous about what to do with me for two whole days, but with a little help from friends she did a great job of entertaining her dad. Add to that the fact that I got to go back to the building that once was home to my fraternity and walk through the house was a real treat. I also was more then amazed to find at the house that night another dad of a student who is now a member of the new frat occupying that house. This dad was an old fraternity member of mine from the 70's. We enjoyed talking about the old days for a couple hours while the kids did their own thing. It was a great weekend and I am looking forward to seeing my daughter at thanksgiving.

As for the game, the Beavers won 48-21 over the Huskies and it was not as close as the score. After punting the first time they had the ball the Beavers scored points on their next seven possessions. Taking a 27-7 halftime lead and stretching it out to 41-7 in the fourth quarter before allowing the Huskies to pick up two late touchdowns, one off a sack and fumble of Canfield that ended in a 39 yard TD pass on the first play. The Beavers final score came with 8:08 to go to make the score 48-14. The Huskies scored one more time late to finish the game.

Quizz Rodgers carried the ball 18 times for 159 yards and 2 TD's. James Rodgers caught 5 balls for 46 yards and 2 TD's. Joe Halahuni caught 2 balls for 8 yards and 2 TD's. Sean Canfield had another great game going 21-29 for 185 yards 4 TD's and no interceptions. Sean was sacked 3 times while the Beavers had their best sack performance of the season getting to Jake Locker 4 times.

Quizz Rodgers performance Saturday moves him over 1,000 yards for the season with 1148 yards (3rd in PAC-10). James Rodgers and Quizz are 1,2 in the PAC-10 in receptions per game and James is first in the PAC-10 in receiving yards per game at 83.2. Sean Canfield continues to lead the conference in passing yards per game (256.6) and is second in passing efficiency (146.5). Quizz and James Rodgers also ranked at or near the top in the conference in several other offensive categories including scoring and scoring TD's, and all-purpose yards.

This is the sixth time in a row the Beavers have beaten the Huskies and have not lost to the Dawgs since the 2003 season in Corvallis.

With the win over the Huskies on Saturday and a couple of stunning upsets by other teams, the Beavers now find themselves in a tie for second place in the PAC-10 with Stanford and Arizona with two loses each. This coming weekends game with the Cougars has all of a sudden become a huge game for the Beavers and one that they can ill afford to look past. The Beavers have been called 30+ point favorites this weekend in Pullman but snow is in the forecast and you never know what can happen when the weather turns bad. The Cougars only win this season came over bowl-bound SMU. So the Beavers need to pay attention and get this game put away early.

Statistically for the game the Beavers won every category but punting average and 4th down conversions. It was total domination by the Beavers from the opening kickoff to the final gun and was the best overall performance by the team this season. The Beavers seem to be hitting their stride this season. As in previous years the Beavers are strong late and this could make for another exciting end to another great season for the Beavers. With two games to go anything is still possible for this team, all they need to do is finish the job.

GO BEAVERS!


BY THE NUMBERS - Click Here for Postgame Stats

BEAVERS MEN'S BASKETBALL 2009 STARTS TODAY

The Dual in the Desert will be where the 2009/2010 Men's Basketball season will begin. The Beavers have traveled to Lubbock, Texas this week to play in the Dual in the Desert Tournament to open their season. The Beavers first game will be against Texas A&M Corpus Christi. Not to be confused with "The" Texas A&M. The Beavers have played TAMCC once before in 1999 in Corvallis. The Beavers won that contest 82-70.

TAMCC is picked to contend for the Southland Conference title this year and return most of their team from last year when they won 18 games. This matchup should favor the Beavers who also return many key players from last seasons CBI Championship team.

The next two games of the tournament will be first time meetings between Oregon State and South Dakota and Texas Tech. South Dakota is starting their second year at D1 and Texas Tech is a member of the Big12 conference and is picked to finish 9th in preseason polls. Texas Tech is coached by Pat Knight, son of college basketball legend Bobby Knight.

The 2009/2010 Beavers will be zeroing in on a magical number this season. 1600. That is 1600 wins by the Oregon State basketball program. With 6 victories this season the Beavers will get 1600 wins for the program and is currently the 15th winningest program in college basketball history. As amazing as that mark is, it is something that should have happened a long time ago. In 1990 Oregon State was the 6th winningest program in college basketball history before going on a 18 year stretch of losing that was rivaling the football teams historic stretch of 28 losing seasons.

But with the run to the CBI title last season and finishing with an 18-18 record, the Beavers expectations are much higher and there is a new sense of excitement at Historic Gill Coliseum this year. Beaver players have been quoted as saying that their goal is the NCAA Tournament. With all that has happened since Craig Robinson has come to Corvallis last year, I have little doubt that the Beavers may just accomplished that goal.

GO BEAVERS!

BY THE NUMBERS - CLICK HERE FOR 2008/2009 FINAL STATS

BEAVERS HOST WASHINGTON FOR DAD'S WEEKEND MUST WIN GAME

This weekend, Nov. 13-15, 2009 will be a very special weekend for this Beaver Fan. Since 1965, when my older brother first entered Oregon State I have been attending games and events at Oregon State. I have attended games as a young man, a student and as an alumni. I have been to Dad's weekends as the little brother and I have been to Dad's weekends as a student. But this weekend, for the first time, I will be attending Dad's weekend as a DAD!

My brother and I talked many times over the last 20 years or so about how it would be great if our kids could attend Oregon State as we did. How much fun it would be to be the DAD of an Oregon State student. Now I get that chance. My oldest daughter had the opportunity to go to other schools and play softball. I encouraged her to take those offers and follow her dream to play college softball . But when it came time to make that choice she choose Oregon State over those other schools and this weekend I couldn't be prouder to be an OSU DAD.

This Saturday starts a three game stretch that the Beavers must win all three games if their hopes of another PAC-10 conference title are to remain alive. The first game of that stretch is the Washington Huskies who come to Corvallis for a 1pm game at Reser Stadium.

The last line I heard was the Beavers were 12 point favorites but point spreads mean very little in this conference as almost any team can win on any given weekend. The Huskies 3-6(2-4) are in eighth place in the conference but their record is not a fair reflection of how this team has played this season. The Huskies have beaten USC in Seattle 16-13 and Arizona in Seattle 36-33. Those two teams are currently first and second in the conference standings. In addition the Huskies lost in overtime at Notre Dame and lost in the final seconds at Arizona State and nearly pulled off a season opening upset of LSU. So this Huskies team is far better then their 3-6 record shows.

The Beavers enter this game coming off their most complete game of the season in beating CAL in Berkeley 31-14. The win in Berkeley gives the Beavers 6 wins and makes them bowl eligible for the fourth year in a row which is a school record. The Beavers three losses this season are all to current top 20 teams with a combined record of 22-4 and with the exception of Oregon, the Beavers have completed the toughest part of the 2009 schedule. Which bowl they will play in is still up in the air and only time will tell where they will end up.

This weekends game will be the 93rd time the two schools have played each other dating back to 1897 with the Huskies holding the advantage in wins. However, since 2003 the Beavers have the advantage, winning 5 in a row. In 1985 the Beavers pulled off one of the biggest upsets in college football history when they went into Seattle 38 point underdogs and beat the Huskies 21-20.

But home field has not been the advantage for the Beavers that is has in past years. This season the Beavers have lost 2 of their 3 losses at home and have played with less consistency at Reser. This might change this Saturday as the Beavers will be closing out their home schedule and it will be senior day for 12 seniors including Sean Canfield, Lyle Moevao, Damola Adeniji, Taylor Kavanaugh, Keaton Kristick, Tim Clark, Howard Croom, Patrick Henderson, Latu Moala, Sioeli Nau and Gregg Peat. I would like to thank these seniors for the great plays and enjoyable time I have spent watching the Beavers. Once a Beaver, always a Beaver.

BY THE NUMBERS - CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE STATS

This game brings together to of the nations top third down teams. The Huskies are ranked 6th in the nation by converting 49.6% of third downs and the Beavers come in ranked 20th in the nation at 46.1%. Oregon State is also one of the top teams in the nation in red zone offense at 94.7%.

For the first time since the Portland State game this season the Beavers enter this game with a statistical advantage over their opponent. The Beavers won 21 of the 32 categories looked at with one tie in turnover margin. However the differences between the two teams stats is not all that revealing as both teams are very similar in what they do. The biggest difference i see is in rushing defense where the Huskies are giving up over 60 yards more per game on the ground then the Beavers.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The Beavers need this win and I am sure they want to leave their home fans with something to remember for the 2009 home season. The Beavers are going to face a healthy Jake Locker for the first time. Locker can pose a real problem for defenses with his ability to throw and run. Locker skills have been favorably compared to Tim Tebow of Florida. He is a big strong quarterback that can hurt a defense in many ways. The Beavers will have to contain Locker and a Huskies offense that is very balanced. Stopping the running game while containing the passing game will be key for the Beavers if they want to win this Saturday.

Canfield and the Rodgers brothers need to continue to do what they have been doing so well over the past few weeks. Control the ball, make smart decisions. The emergence of Adeniji and Halahuni have helped spread the offense out over more targets which makes things more difficult on opposing defenses. Look for the Beavers to use the passing game to open up the running game as the Huskies will most likely stack the line to stop Quizz and James from running the ball. Canfield will need to continue to make smart accurate throws down field to stretch the defense and open up the running game.

FINAL SCORE

BEAVERS 41
WASHINGTON 21

GO BEAVERS!

BEAVERS TAKE DOWN #20 CAL 31-14

The Oregon State Beavers went into CAL on Saturday and Sean Canfield put on another exhibition of his skills while Jaquizz Rodgers was shut down most of the game. The Beavers defeated #20 (BCS) CAL 31-14 in front of 56,000+ at Memorial Stadium. In doing so the Beavers have moved themselves back into contention for the PAC-10 conference title but will need help from others if the Beavers hope to get back to the Rose Bowl for the first time in 45 years.

Sean Canfield was pinpoint accurate for most of the game going 29-39 for 342 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 rushing touchdown and 1 interception. Canfields performance on Saturday kept him on top of the PAC-10 in yards per game with 264.6 just ahead of next weeks opponent Jake Locker (244.8).

It was an offensive performance the Beavers needed as the CAL defense shut down Quizz Rodgers for most of the game. In the first half Quizz had 5 yards on 10 carries. For the game Quizz finished with 78 yards on 25 carries and 1 touchdown. The rushing touchdown by Quizz gives him 15 on the season and 26 rushing touchdowns for his career. Quizz also has 2 career receiving touchdowns. An interesting statistic is that James and Quizz are 1, 2 in the PAC-10 in receptions per game at 7.33 and 6.44.

A fact that many may overlook from the CAL game was the play of the defense. For probably the first time this season the Beavers defense played a full 60 minutes of defense and shut down the CAL offense to the tune of 239 total yards with only 39 yards on the ground. The defense did allow CAL to score a late touchdown that was marked by several cases of stupid mistakes and penalties that helped CAL keep the drive alive but overall the Beavers defense had perhaps their best game of the season.

However the performance of the Beavers has been overlooked by the media by a very scary moment late in the second quarter when all-american running back Jahvid Best went high into the air for CAL's first score of the game and landed awkwardly on his back and lay motionless for several minutes. Best was taken to the hospital on a backboard and neck brace after the game was halted for 15 minutes for doctors and paramedics to work on the injured Best. As of this morning Best has been released from the hospital. He had a sever concussion. I hope Best gets well soon but I do not feel he should return to play anytime soon. Concussions are one of those things that doctors really do not know much about and players return to action far to soon from. I will have more on my opinions on that later this week.

On defense for the Beavers, senior linebacker Keaton Kristick has another solid game and was talked up by the Television announcers regarding his skills and potential to play at the next level. Kristick is hard hitting and has good speed. If he can add another 20 pounds to his frame and maintain his speed you could see Kristick playing on Sundays next fall. Kristick is currently third in the PAC-10 in tackles with 70 for the season.

The Beavers not only dominated CAL on the field but they dominated them in the stats. Of the 18 postgame stats we look at the Beavers won 13 categories and tied in three others. That means the Beavers won of tied 16 of eighteen statistical categories for the game, only losing on punting average by 2 yards and in penalties by 1 penalty.

Joe Halahuni has really come on strong the last few weeks and has been a key part of the success of the Beavers offense. At CAL, Halahuni had 6 catches for 129 yards. Many of those in key down and distance situations getting the Beavers first downs to extend drives. The Beavers offense, that at one time this season channeled 85% of it threw the Rodgers brothers has become much more balanced. Canfield completed passes to 7 different receivers on Saturday.

Next up for the Beavers is a Dads Weekend (yea for me) game at home against the Huskies. The Huskies are much improved this season and have had the Beavers number at Reser in the past few years giving the Beavers fits at home. I for one an looking forward to my first Dads weekend at OSU and will be cheering loudly with my daughter on Saturday for our Beavers.

GO BEAVERS BEAT THE HUSKIES!


BY THE NUMBERS - Click here for postgame stats

Beavers Crush CAL 31-14

The Beavers going into Strawberry Canyon on Saturday and beating up on #20 CAL was a great day to be a Beaver. But what might be even bigger news is that for once this season the Beavers defense played a complete game to the end. Yes they did give up one last touchdown in the final minutes that was marked by several stupid plays by the defense to keep CAL's drive alive. But all in all the defense played one of its best games of the season.

In my previous posts I have talked about the defense and their lack solid play for a full 4 quarters. How they have a tendency to give up major points in the second half and make games close or give back hard fought leads by the Beavers. But at CAL, the Beavers defense came to play for a full 60 minutes and it showed. Good Job Beavers!

With Quizz struggling to get yards on the ground it became Sean Canfields game to win or lose and Sean stepped up his game with pinpoint passes down the field. Sean finished the game 29-39 for 349 yards and 1 interception on an under thrown pass into the endzone to a open Adeniji.

Great game Beavers! Let's keep it rolling and put down the Dawgs next Saturday at Reser. Keep working hard all week and lets not have a let down. Keep getting better everyday on the practice field and lets finish strong in 2009.

Complete postgame breakdown later today. Now I am off to Corvallis for a few hours then home to write more on the Beavers!

GO BEAVERS!

OSU Mens Basketball Wins

The 2009/2010 Men's Basketball exhibition season came to an end today with a 75-55 win over Western Oregon at Gill. Next up for the Beavers Men's Basketball team the Dual in the Desert Tournament at Texas Tech. The Beavers will open against Texas A&M Corpus Christi.

Here's to another good season for the Beavers. Let's get back to the NCAA Tournament.

GO BEAVERS!

Halloween at Oregon State

The Oregon State vs UCLA game last Saturday was held on Halloween and Beaver Nation came dressed for a party. Over the course of the game I caught many Beaver and Bruin fans in their Halloween Costumes. Some were very creative. And don't forget to find Waldo.

Click Here to see Halloween Photos!

GO BEAVERS!

UCLA Game Photos

At the homecoming game vs UCLA last week I attended the game by myself and took that opportunity to really explore Reser Stadium in a way that I have never done before. Getting to the game about 60 minutes prior to kickoff I explored nearly every inch of the stadium from corner to corner and photographed the whole first half of the game from many different angles.

It was a unique opportunity for me to see the game from places in the stadium that I have never watched it from before and provided me with a perspective from other Beaver fans on how they enjoy a game from the front row to the last row.

I enjoyed this so much that I will continue to take shots of the games from many different places in Reser in the future. Enjoy these photos as much as I enjoyed taking them and view Beaver Nation as perhaps you have not seen it before.

Click Here to view all 55 photos from the UCLA Game.

GO BEAVS!

BEAVERS IN BAY AREA FOR SHOWDOWN WITH CAL

The next 4 games for the Beavers will determine how much of a success this season will be. For Oregon State the standard that success is measured by has changed in the last 11 years. Today, success for Oregon State is 8 or more wins per season and contending for a PAC-10 title every year. The programs success is also determined, like it or not, by how successful the team down the road is doing. This year, for the Beavers to consider this season a success and to stay on track to be considered a top team in the PAC-10 conference, the Beavers need to win at least 3 of their next 4 games.

With Oregon in first place and undefeated in conference play, a win in Eugene will be difficult at best. Cal on the other hand has struggled with good teams and is currently tied with the Beavers at 3-2 in conference. So a win in Strawberry Canyon this Saturday is the best option for the Beavers to get a win between the two teams. The other 2 remaining games have the Huskies coming to Corvallis and the Beavers going to WSU. The Huskies game will be a tough game but the Beavers should win that one and WSU is just plain bad so that game should be a route.

So that leaves CAL and Oregon to get the third win and CAL is the best option of the two. CAL's star running back, Jahvid Best, is recovering from a concussion and his status for Saturday is up in the air. The Beavers have had good success at CAL in recent years and this season the Beavers seem to be playing better on the road then at home. So the CAL game is the key to success for the Beavers this season. A win gets the Beavers bowl eligible and will keep them in that third place spot with either Stanford and USC with 2 loses depending upon how they do this weekend.

With the Ducks playing at Stanford on Saturday the Cardinal may lose so that would drop another team below the Beavers. That would leave the Beavers tied with USC in the third spot with Oregon 1st and Arizona 2nd. Hard to believe as bad as the Beavers played Arizona at home we could have won that game and been in second ourselves at this point of the season.

A loss for the Beavers this weekend will drop the Beavers into the bottom half of the conference with 3 loses and remove any chance of getting into a better bowl game. With 3 teams in conference already bowl eligible (Oregon, USC and CAL) and Arizona playing the Cougars will give the Wildcats 6 wins and make them bowl eligible. The Beavers will be in the 5th spot looking up at the rest of the conference. So a win at CAL is as close to a must win game for the Beavers as it gets.

BY THE NUMBERS - Click Here for complete Stats

Again this week the Oregon State football program is behind in stats to their opponent with almost all the major offensive and defensive stats going CAL's way. Things that stand out and could make a difference in this game is field goal kicking. OSU is 15 of 19 on field goals this season while CAL is a terrible 8 of 15 on field goal attempts. Combine that with Oregon States passing offense and rushing defense and the Beavers should move the ball on CAL.

So this game looks to turn on a couple of factors once again. Canfield controlling the offense with the passing game, Quizz and James keeping the CAL defense on edge with the running game and Justin making his field goals. Also the Beavers O-line must keep CAL and their 23 sacks off Canfield while the D-line must shut down the CAL running game.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Beavers go into CAL and come home with a victory. Quizz rushes for over 150 yards and 2 TD's while Canfield throws 2 TD's. Beavers defense will continue to struggle in the second half but the offense keeps CAL off the field long enough for the defense to hold on and make a stop or two. Look for it to be a shoot out with the Beavers hanging on for a win.

FINAL SCORE

BEAVERS 38
CAL 28


GO BEAVERS!

Polls and the BCS

For years now I have complained and complained about the current system we have for deciding a national champion in Division 1 college football. Bottom line is it is all about the money and which school or team can bring the most fans to the bowl games, spend the most money and attracted the largest TV audience. If has nothing to do with being fair or giving the little guy a chance to shock the world.

If a team like Boise St. or Hawaii gets into a BCS bowl game and loses the responce is, "See those teams from smaller conferences just don't belong". But how many Rose Bowls and Orange Bowls have we sat through and watch USC dismantle Michigan or Penn St. or Florida crush Alabama or Oklahoma. In those cases the answer is always "wow so and so is real good. Look how they took apart this good team". The losing team is those cases are not put down. It is not suggested that they are not worthly of competing at this level. It just put down, and rightly so, that they got beat that day by the team that played better. So why do the Boise States, Utah's and TCU's get slammed by the press after a loss?

The big thing this season is that Boise State schedule is weak and that other then Oregon they have not played anyone, but neither has Notre Dame but ESPN and everyone keeps talking about them winning out and getting into a BCS game. Notre Dame has beaten two teams with a winning record this season and so has Boise St. The teams Notre Dame has played have lost 37 games combined and the teams Boise St. has played have 37 combined losses. So why is Notre Dame considered so good when Boise St. is given no credit?

When will we stop the search for money and just let the kids play the game and let the best team win. I vote for a playoff system that includes the conference champion from each of the 10 conferences plus 6 at large teams based on final poll results. This would give us a 16 team playoff with all conferences represented by a champion and the next best six teams. Simple, easy to do, and it won't mess up the current bowl system.

Come on people, let's have a playoff system.