Oregon–Oregon State football rivalry
The Civil War is the colloquial name for the annual college football game in the U.S. state of Oregon between the Oregon State Beavers and the Oregon Ducks. First played in 1894, it is the seventh-oldest college football rivalry game in the United States.
History
The game is played in late November or early December, alternating between Reser Stadium in Corvallis (home field of Oregon State University) and Autzen Stadium in Eugene (home field of the University of Oregon). It has been contested 112 times as of 2008. The University of Oregon holds a series lead of 56-46-10. The game was not contested in 1900, 1901, 1911, 1943, and 1944. The first reference to the "Civil War" name was in 1929 and came into common use in 1937. Prior to that, it was called the "Oregon Classic" or the "State Championship Game."[1]
From 1997 through 2006 the winner of the game was the home team. The streak was snapped in 2007, when Oregon State University beat the University of Oregon at Autzen Stadium 38-31 in double overtime. In 2008, the Ducks returned the favor in Corvallis by beating OSU 65-38.
From 1959 to 1961, the Platypus Trophy was awarded to the winning school. The trophy was lost for 40 years and found in 2005, and beginning with the 2007 game, was awarded to the winning school's alumni association.
Other athletic contests (most notably, men's and women's basketball) between the schools are also referred to as Civil War games.
Memorable games
The 1983 contest between the two teams produced a scoreless tie. Played during a rainstorm (and pitting two mediocre squads against each other), the game is commonly known as the "Toilet Bowl," due to the poor quality of play exhibited in the game (it was not a steadfast defensive struggle; Oregon scored twice but committed penalties during both plays, and was unable to score during the post-penalty play). No NCAA Division I football game has ended in a scoreless tie since, and due to the recent introduction of overtime into NCAA football (which eliminated ties), it is unlikely to ever happen in the future, unless a subsequent rule change allows tie games to once again occur.
Notable game-related incidents
After the 1910 edition, a 12-0 Oregon victory in Corvallis, fans of both teams began a verbal argument that escalated into exceedingly rowdy behavior as Ducks fans returned to the train station to leave. The UO's public relations department spread stories of (then) Oregon Agricultural College hooliganism to the statewide press, offending students of OAC and causing the rivalry to be suspended for 1911.[2]
After defeating Oregon 14-0 in the 1937 game in Corvallis, Oregon State fans had a large rally the next evening that lasted for six hours. Approximately 2,000 Oregon State students decided to caravan the following day to Eugene and have another celebration. State police initially halted the group, then agreed to lead them through the town if they agreed to behave. However, once Oregon students got out of class, the situation escalated with Ducks pelting Beavers with tomatoes and water balloons, some Oregon State students thrown into a millrace, and other OSU students taken to Skinner Butte, stripped and forced to repaint the "O" hillside letter yellow and slide down the painted surface.[2]
Before the 1954 game, 50-60 UO students infiltrated Corvallis and lit the traditional OSU homecoming bonfire early. While it had been done before, this time OSU students were able to capture 15-20 UO students and hold them "prisoner". The captured students had their heads shaved, were painted orange and black and some were forced to do menial labor for OSU fraternities. One captured Duck was marched through the OSU campus with a sign that said "I'm a dumb Duck."[2]
In 1960, a UO student abducted the OSU homecoming queen from the front of her home in Corvallis. She was returned unharmed thirty minutes later, but before that the OSU student body president received a ransom note demanding he ride a child's scooter to the center of Eugene and make a public appeal for her return.
The 1972 game, a 30-3 UO victory at Corvallis, resulted in Ducks fans storming the OSU field to take down goal posts; after taking down the south goalposts, Beavers fans attempted to defend the north goalposts, resulting in a large brawl.[2]
Scores
- Green █ indicates Oregon wins; Orange █, Oregon State wins; Gray █, ties.
- Bold font indicates victor; italic font indicates loser.
- V/H indicate visitor and home team (Neutral-ground games shown in footnotes).
V H |
1894█ UO:0 OAC:16 |
1895█ UO:44 OAC:0 |
1896█ OAC:0 UO:2 [3] |
1896█ UO:12 OAC:8 [3] |
1897█ OAC:26 UO:8 |
1898█ UO:38 OAC:0 |
1899█ OAC:0 UO:38 | |||
V H |
1900█ No game |
1901█ No game |
1902█ UO:0 OAC:0 |
1903█ OAC:0 UO:5 |
1904█ UO:6 OAC:5 |
1905█ OAC:0 UO:6 |
1906█ UO:0 OAC:0 |
1907█ OAC:4 UO:0 [4] |
1908█ UO:8 OAC:0 [5] |
1909█ OAC:0 UO:12 |
V H |
1910█ UO:12 OAC:0 |
1911█ No game [6] |
1912█ UO:3 OAC:0 [7] |
1913█ OAC:10 UO:10 [7] |
1914█ UO:3 OAC:3 |
1915█ OAC:0 UO:9 |
1916█ UO:27 OAC:0 |
1917█ OAC:14 UO:7 [5] |
1918█ UO:13 OAC:6 |
1919█ OAC:0 UO:9 |
V H |
1920█ OAC:0 UO:0 |
1921█ OAC:0 UO:0 |
1922█ UO:10 OAC:0 |
1923█ OAC:6 UO:0 |
1924█ UO:7 OAC:3 |
1925█ OAC:24 UO:13 |
1926█ UO:0 OAC:16 |
1927█ OSAC:21 UO:7 [8] |
1928█ OSAC:0 UO:12 |
1929█ OSAC:0 UO:16 |
V H |
1930█ UO:0 OSAC:15 |
1931█ OSAC:0 UO:0 |
1932█ UO:12 OSAC:6 |
1933█ UO:13 OSAC:3 [5] |
1934█ UO:9 OSAC:6 [5] |
1935█ OSAC:0 UO:13 |
1936█ UO:0 OSAC:18 |
1937█ OSC:14 UO:0 |
1938█ OSC:14 UO:0 [5] |
1939█ OSC:19 UO:14 |
V H |
1940█ UO:20 OSC:0 |
1941█ OSC:12 UO:7 |
1942█ UO:2 OSC:39 |
1943-4█ No games [9] |
1945█ UO:6 OSC:19 [3] |
1945█ OSC:13 UO:12 [3] |
1946█ UO:0 OSC:13 |
1947█ OSC:6 UO:14 |
1948█ OSC:0 UO:10 |
1949█ OSC:20 UO:10 |
V H |
1950█ OSC:14 UO:2 [5] |
1951█ OSC:14 UO:7 |
1952█ OSC:22 UO:19 [5] |
1953█ OSC:7 UO:0 |
1954█ OSC:14 UO:33 |
1955█ OSC:0 UO:28 |
1956█ UO:14 OSC:14 |
1957█ OSC:10 UO:7 |
1958█ UO:20 OSC:0 |
1959█ OSC:15 UO:7 |
V H |
1960█ UO:14 OSC:14 |
1961█ OSU:6 UO:2 |
1962█ UO:7 OSU:20 |
1963█ OSU:14 UO:31 |
1964█ UO:6 OSU:7 |
1965█ OSU:19 UO:14 |
1966█ UO:15 OSU:20 |
1967█ OSU:14 UO:0 |
1968█ UO:19 OSU:41 |
1969█ OSU:10 UO:7 |
V H |
1970█ UO:9 OSU:24 |
1971█ OSU:30 UO:29 |
1972█ UO:30 OSU:3 |
1973█ OSU:17 UO:14 |
1974█ UO:16 OSU:35 |
1975█ OSU:7 UO:14 |
1976█ UO:23 OSU:14 |
1977█ OSU:16 UO:28 |
1978█ UO:24 OSU:3 |
1979█ OSU:3 UO:24 |
V H |
1980█ UO:40 OSU:21 |
1981█ OSU:17 UO:47 |
1982█ UO:7 OSU:6 |
1983█ OSU:0 UO:0 [10] |
1984█ UO:31 OSU:6 |
1985█ OSU:13 UO:34 |
1986█ UO:49 OSU:28 |
1987█ OSU:0 UO:44 |
1988█ UO:10 OSU:21 |
1989█ OSU:21 UO:30 |
V H |
1990█ UO:6 OSU:3 |
1991█ OSU:14 UO:3 |
1992█ UO:7 OSU:0 |
1993█ OSU:15 UO:12 |
1994█ UO:17 OSU:13 |
1995█ OSU:10 UO:12 |
1996█ UO:49 OSU:13 |
1997█ OSU:30 UO:48 |
1998█ UO:41 OSU:44 [11] |
1999█ OSU:14 UO:25 |
V H |
2000█ UO:13 OSU:23 |
2001█ OSU:14 UO:17 |
2002█ UO:24 OSU:45 |
2003█ OSU:20 UO:34 |
2004█ UO:21 OSU:50 |
2005█ OSU:14 UO:56 |
2006█ UO:28 OSU:30 |
2007█ OSU:38 UO:31 [11] |
2008█ UO:65 OSU:38 |
2009█ OSU At UO |
References and notes
- ^ Edmonston Jr., George. "Up Close and Personal: Greatest Civil War Games". Oregon State Alumni Association. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
- ^ a b c d Doug Binder, Civil War: 5 moments that fanned the flames of the rivalry, The Oregonian, November 22, 2008, Accessed November 23, 2008.
- ^ a b c d Two games in 1896 and 1945
- ^ Oregon AC did not allow a single point in 1907, Outscored opponents 139-0 in 7 games
- ^ a b c d e f g Game played in Portland
- ^ Riots during 1910 game resulted in cancellation of 1911 Civil War game
- ^ a b 1912 and 1913 games played on neutral field in Albany due to riots at the 1910 Civil War game
- ^ Oregon Agricultural College becomes Oregon State Agricultural College
- ^ No teams due to World War II
- ^ Known colloquially as the "Toilet Bowl"
- ^ a b (2OT)
External links
- Civil War Presented By Northwest Dodge Dealers
- OSU Football Media Guide:Results
- Doug Binder, Civil War: The complete game-by-game history, The Oregonian, November 22, 2008.