Civil War Week: Game Prediction

With Saturday's kickoff for the 114th Civil War less than 24 hours away, all the build up and speculation will finally be put to rest and the game will actually be played. With ESPN's College Game Day on campus, the hype and buzz around Corvallis has never been higher. While the last two Civil Wars certainly had high stakes, this one tops both of them. The nation has been intrigued and captivated by the year the Oregon Ducks have had, while the Beavers' routine late-season improvement has evaded this year's squad. With a national audience tuning in to see if the Ducks can set their place in the BCS National Championship Game, the atmosphere will be unmatched.

If you're a Duck fan: Your team is this close to taking the program to a whole new level. A win in the Civil War not only puts the Ducks in the title game, but takes another step toward separating themselves from the in-state rivals. Going into a madhouse that is Reser, the Ducks will need to take the crowd out of the game early, something they haven't done on the road this season. With the Beavers struggles against mobile quarterbacks doubled with their injuries across the front seven, Oregon is foaming at the mouth. There can't be any sign of overconfidence however, because OSU plays at their best when the pressure is off, which it will be on Saturday. The Ducks will need to play relentless on both sides of the ball for the entire game, or their dream season could slip away.

If you're a Beaver fan: This is the perfect opportunity to put the enemy back in their place. With all the pressure on the other side, it's put up or shut up time for the Beavers. Back in the role as the spoiler coming off a thumping at the hands of Stanford, most people outside of Corvallis are overlooking OSU. There is no reason not to, but Beaver fans know that it's not about wins and losses and perception, it's about the game on the field Saturday. Just ask USC. There are few coaching staffs that can put together a game plan like Mike Riley and company, and if (that's a big if) the players can execute and play with the passion they had two Saturdays ago, the Ducks will be in for a surprise.

The bottom line is: There was a blurb in Sports Illustrated about how the Oregon-Oregon State rivalry is less hate oriented and more creative dislike towards each other. I have yet to see anything this week that makes me think that is true. The two schools legitimately don't like each other and the way their football teams play is as stark a contrast as the universities themselves. Oregon knows what's at stake. Their poise throughout the entire season won't evaporate in one game. Oregon State also knows what's at stake. Not only would a loss to the Ducks send them to the national title game, but the Beavers would be stewing over a third straight loss to their bitter rivals while missing out on a bowl game for the first time since 2005. That being said, the Ducks have gotten away with some close calls on the road all year, pulling away late in the game to give an almost deceptive final score. On the road in Corvallis, this will be their toughest road test to date. At 5-6, the Beavers certainly have had a letdown season, but still have the players and play-makers on both sides of the ball to make this more of a contest then the prognosticators are forecasting. The Beavers have the Ducks right where they want them. College football seems to always have a wacky way of ending the season, and this year it will be in Corvallis. The Ducks will let the Beavers hang for too long, and behind a fired up crowd and energized team, OSU will pull off the shocker of the year, taking advantage of the opportunity at hand. Beavers 31, Ducks 29