Civil War (college football game)

Civil War

Oregon Ducks Oregon State Beavers
Sport	College football
First meeting	November 3, 1894 OAC 16, Oregon 0
Latest meeting	November 27, 2015 Oregon 52, Oregon State 42
Next meeting	TBA
Trophy	Platypus Trophy
Statistics
Meetings total	119
All-time series	Oregon leads, 63–46–10
Largest victory	Oregon 44, OAC 0 (1895) Oregon 44, Oregon State 0 (1987)
Longest streak	Oregon, 8 (1975–82, 2008–present) Oregon State, 8 (1964–71)
Current streak	Oregon, 8 (2008–present)

The Civil War is the colloquial name for an American college football rivalry game played annually in Oregon, between the Ducks of the University of Oregon in Eugene and the Beavers of Oregon State University in Corvallis. First played 122 years ago in 1894, it is the fifth most played college football rivalry game in the United States. Both universities are members of the North Division of the Pac-12 Conference.

Series history

The game was first played in 1894 and has been contested 119 times through 2015; Oregon leads the series 63–46–10. The game was not contested in 1900, 1901, 1911, 1943, and 1944 and two games were played in 1896 and 1945. 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]

The 1922 Civil War game ended with the University of Oregon defeating Oregon Agricultural College (now known as Oregon State University) 10 to 0.

The game is usually played in even-numbered years at the home field of Oregon State in Corvallis (since 1954, Reser Stadium, formerly Parker Stadium) and in odd-numbered years, at the home field of Oregon in Eugene (since 1967, Autzen Stadium). Seven games were played at Multnomah Stadium, (now known as Providence Park) in Portland: in 1908, 1917, 1933, 1934, 1938, 1950, and 1952. In an effort to mitigate rioting, the 1912 and 1913 games were played at a neutral site in Albany following riots after the 1910 game that led to the 1911 game's cancellation.^[2]

From 1997 through 2006, the home team won the game. The streak was snapped in 2007, when Oregon State beat Oregon at Autzen Stadium 38-31 in double overtime. In 2008, the Ducks returned the favor in Corvallis by beating OSU 65-38. The streak of visiting teams winning was snapped at two games in 2009 when the Ducks won 37-33 in Eugene.

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.^[3]

Other athletic contests (most notably, men's and women's basketball) between the schools are also referred to as Civil War games.

Memorable games

1933: In a game played before 32,183 spectators at Multnomah Stadium in Portland, both teams came into the game undefeated: the Beavers were 5–0–2 and the Ducks were 7–0. The Beavers scored first, but the rest was all Oregon, with fullback (and future Chicago Cardinal) "Iron Mike" Mikulak rushing for 89 yards on the way to a 13–3 victory. The Ducks won a share of the PCC championship, but Stanford got the bid to the 1934 Rose Bowl.^[4]

1957: The Ducks had a 6–1 conference record and the Beavers were 5–2. A Beaver win at Hayward Field would give them a share of the conference title, but since the Beavers had been to the 1957 Rose Bowl, the Pacific Coast Conference's no-repeat rule meant that no matter what, the Ducks were headed for the 1958 Rose Bowl, their first Rose Bowl appearance since 1920. Both teams scored on their first possession, but that ended the scoring until late in the third quarter, when Beaver kicker Ted Searle put Oregon State on top, 10–7. A late fumble by the Ducks' Jim Shanley secured the win—but not the Rose Bowl—for Oregon State.^[4][5]

1959: The Ducks came into the game with just one loss. An Oregon win, coupled with a Washington loss, could have earned the Ducks a Rose Bowl invitation. Meanwhile, Oregon State was 2–6, its first losing record in 5 years. The Beavers started shakily, fumbling on their first two possessions and falling behind 7–0 in the first quarter. The rest was all Beavers as they salvaged their season with two touchdowns and a field goal to upset the Ducks, 15–7.^[4][6]

1969: With the score tied at 7 and less than a minute left, Oregon State placekicker Mike Nehl attempted a 29-yard field goal to put the Beavers ahead. Nehl had already had one field goal blocked and missed one field goal on the day, and this one was blocked by Oregon's Jim Franklin, hit an official, bounced off the foot of Oregon linebacker Don Graham, and was recovered by Oregon State tight end Bill Plumeau at the Duck 4 yard line. Nehl again came on to try his fourth field goal, and this time, connected on a 21-yard kick to give the Beavers a 10–7 win—the sixth on the way to what would be eight straight OSU Civil War wins.^[4]

1983: (Main article: 1983 Oregon State vs. Oregon football game) Played during a rainstorm and pitting two mediocre squads against each other, the game ended in a scoreless tie and is commonly known as the "Toilet Bowl" because of the poor quality of play exhibited in the game. There were eleven fumbles, five interceptions, and four missed field goals. It was the last NCAA Division I football game to end in a scoreless tie.^[4][7]

1987: Oregon earned the most lopsided victories in the series, a 44–0 drubbing led by Ducks quarterback Bill Musgrave.^[4]

1988: The Beavers had not won a Civil War in 13 years coming into the game, and Oregon head coach Rich Brooks had not lost a Civil War in 21 attempts (18–0–3) as either a Ducks coach or Beavers coach or player. Both streaks ended on this day, with the Beavers posting a solid 21–10 victory that included two fourth-quarter touchdowns.^[4]

1994: Oregon needed a win in front of a hostile Parker Stadium crowd to secure a bid to the 1995 Rose Bowl, but they trailed 13–10 in the fourth quarter. Duck quarterback Danny O'Neil took the Ducks on a 70-yard drive that culminated in a 19-yard pass to Dino Philyaw to give them the 17–13 win and their first Rose Bowl in 37 years.^[4][8]

1998: Oregon State prevails in double overtime (the first ever overtime Civil War), 44–41. Beaver fans rushed the field after the first overtime after the Ducks failed to score on fourth down, but a pass interference penalty gave the Ducks another chance. It took officials 15 minutes to clear the field, after which the Ducks scored to send the game to a second overtime. The Ducks managed a field goal in their possession, but Beavers running back Ken Simonton scored to give the Beavers an upset win, their fifth win of the season, and their best record since 1971.^[1][4]

2000: Oregon came into the game ranked #5 in the country with Oregon State at #8, the first time both teams have been ranked in the top 10 simultaneously. With a win, Oregon would go to the Rose Bowl; the Beavers needed a win to force a tie between the two teams, and keep alive hopes of going to the Rose Bowl. Oregon State won the game 23–13, but was denied a Rose Bowl bid when Washington beat Washington State later the same day. Oregon State was extended an at-large invitation to BCS' Fiesta Bowl.^[4]

2001: Oregon came into the game needing only a victory over their arch-rival for the team's first outright Pacific-10 Conference championship since 1994 and a trip to the Fiesta Bowl; the Beavers needed a win to secure a winning season. After OSU initially took a 6–3 lead into halftime, Oregon rallied behind a Keenan Howry punt return for a touchdown to give the Ducks a lead they would not relinquish, amidst a driving rainstorm. Final score: Ducks 17, Beavers 14.^[4]

2007: Oregon State wins 38–31 in double overtime at Autzen, the first road team to win the game in 10 attempts. The game featured a blocked Oregon State field goal with 1:01 remaining, followed by a missed Oregon field goal as regulation expired.

2008 Oregon State needed a victory to get a bid to the 2009 Rose Bowl, their first Rose Bowl in 44 years. Instead, Oregon ran away with a 65–38 blowout, setting Civil War records for the most points scored by one team and the most total points scored.

2009: Called the "War for the Roses", because it was the first time the Civil War guaranteed the winner a Rose Bowl berth.^[7] In a back-and-forth game, Oregon won, 37–33. The Ducks represented the Pac-10 in the 2010 Rose Bowl, their first appearance since 1995.

2010: Oregon, coming into the game second in the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) standings, needed to win the game to secure a spot in the BCS championship game. Oregon State, at 5–6, needed a win to become bowl eligible. With ESPN's College GameDay staged in Corvallis for the first time, the Ducks won 37–20 to secure a spot against Auburn in the 2011 BCS National Championship Game.

Notable game-related incidents

1910: Following 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 Oregon Agricultural College hooliganism to the statewide press, offending students of OAC and causing the rivalry to be suspended for 1911.^[9]

1937: After defeating Oregon 14-0 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 were thrown into the 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.^[9]

1954: 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 25 UO students and hold them "prisoner".^[10] 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."^[9] Meanwhile, the UO raiding party kidnapped a single OSU student and paraded him around the UO campus.^[10]

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.

1972: After a 30-3 UO victory at Corvallis which ended an eight-game win streak in the series by the Beavers, Ducks fans stormed 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.^[9]

2010: After a 37–20 victory which sent the Ducks to the BCS championship, a group of Duck fans lit on fire a T-shirt saying "I hate your Ducks" over the Beavers logo on the field. The resulting fire caused significant damage to the artificial turf. Police used a photo of the incident from the Portland Tribune to arrest a University of Oregon student and charge him with riot and several misdemeanors.^[11]

Game results

Oregon victories

Oregon State victories

Ties

#	Date	Location	Winning team		Losing team
1	1894	Corvallis, OR	Oregon State	16	Oregon	0
2	1895	Eugene, OR	Oregon	44	Oregon State	0
3	1896	Eugene, OR	Oregon	2	Oregon State	0
4	1896	Corvallis, OR	Oregon	12	Oregon State	8
5	1897	Eugene, OR	Oregon State	26	Oregon	8
6	1898	Corvallis, OR	Oregon	38	Oregon State	0
7	1899	Eugene, OR	Oregon	38	Oregon State	0
8	1902	Corvallis, OR	Tie	0	Tie	0
9	1903	Eugene, OR	Oregon	5	Oregon State	0
10	1904	Corvallis, OR	Oregon	6	Oregon State	5
11	1905	Eugene, OR	Oregon	6	Oregon State	0
12	1906	Corvallis, OR	Tie	0	Tie	0
13	1907	Eugene, OR	Oregon State	4	Oregon	0
14	1908	Portland, OR	Oregon	8	Oregon State	0
15	1909	Eugene, OR	Oregon	12	Oregon State	0
16	1910	Corvallis, OR	Oregon	12	Oregon State	0
17	1912	Albany, OR	Oregon	3	Oregon State	0
18	1913	Albany, OR	Tie	10	Tie	10
19	1914	Corvallis, OR	Tie	3	Tie	3
20	1915	Eugene, OR	Oregon	9	Oregon State	0
21	1916	Corvallis, OR	Oregon	27	Oregon State	0
22	1917	Portland, OR	Oregon State	14	Oregon	7
23	1918	Corvallis, OR	Oregon	13	Oregon State	6
24	1919	Eugene, OR	Oregon	9	Oregon State	0
25	1920	Corvallis, OR	Tie	0	Tie	0
26	1921	Eugene, OR	Tie	0	Tie	0
27	1922	Corvallis, OR	Oregon	10	Oregon State	0
28	1923	Eugene, OR	Oregon State	6	Oregon	0
29	1924	Corvallis, OR	Oregon	7	Oregon State	3
30	1925	Eugene, OR	Oregon State	24	Oregon	13
31	1926	Corvallis, OR	Oregon State	16	Oregon	0
32	1927	Eugene, OR	Oregon State	21	Oregon	7
33	1928	Corvallis, OR	Oregon	12	Oregon State	0
34	1929	Eugene, OR	Oregon	16	Oregon State	0
35	1930	Corvallis, OR	Oregon State	15	Oregon	0
36	1931	Eugene, OR	Tie	0	Tie	0
37	1932	Corvallis, OR	Oregon	12	Oregon State	6
38	1933	Portland, OR	Oregon	13	Oregon State	3
39	1934	Portland, OR	Oregon	9	Oregon State	6
40	1935	Eugene, OR	Oregon	13	Oregon State	0
41	1936	Corvallis, OR	Oregon State	18	Oregon	0
42	1937	Eugene, OR	Oregon State	14	Oregon	0
43	1938	Portland, OR	Oregon State	14	Oregon	0
44	1939	Eugene, OR	Oregon State	19	Oregon	14
45	1940	Corvallis, OR	Oregon	20	Oregon State	0
46	1941	Eugene, OR	Oregon State	12	Oregon	7
47	1942	Corvallis, OR	Oregon State	39	Oregon	2
48	1945	Corvallis, OR	Oregon State	19	Oregon	6
49	1945	Eugene, OR	Oregon State	13	Oregon	12
50	1946	Corvallis, OR	Oregon State	13	Oregon	0
51	1947	Eugene, OR	Oregon	14	Oregon State	6
52	1948	Corvallis, OR	Oregon	10	Oregon State	0
53	1949	Eugene, OR	Oregon State	20	Oregon	10
54	1950	Portland, OR	Oregon State	14	Oregon	2
55	1951	Eugene, OR	Oregon State	14	Oregon	7
56	1952	Portland, OR	Oregon State	22	Oregon	19
57	1953	Eugene, OR	Oregon State	7	Oregon	0
58	1954	Corvallis, OR	Oregon	33	Oregon State	14
59	1955	Eugene, OR	Oregon	28	Oregon State	0
60	1956	Corvallis, OR	Tie	14	Tie	14
61	1957	Eugene, OR	Oregon State	10	Oregon	7
62	1958	Corvallis, OR	Oregon	20	Oregon State	0
63	1959	Eugene, OR	Oregon State	15	Oregon	7
64	1960	Corvallis, OR	Tie	14	Tie	14
65	1961	Eugene, OR	Oregon State	6	Oregon	2
66	1962	Corvallis, OR	Oregon State	20	Oregon	17
67	1963	Eugene, OR	Oregon	31	Oregon State	14
68	1964	Corvallis, OR	Oregon State	7	Oregon	6
69	1965	Eugene, OR	Oregon State	19	Oregon	14
70	1966	Corvallis, OR	Oregon State	20	Oregon	15
71	1967	Eugene, OR	Oregon State	14	Oregon	0
72	1968	Corvallis, OR	Oregon State	41	Oregon	19
73	1969	Eugene, OR	Oregon State	10	Oregon	7
74	1970	Corvallis, OR	Oregon State	24	Oregon	9
75	1971	Eugene, OR	Oregon State	30	Oregon	29
76	1972	Corvallis, OR	Oregon	30	Oregon State	3
77	1973	Eugene, OR	Oregon State	17	Oregon	14
78	1974	Corvallis, OR	Oregon State	35	Oregon	16
79	1975	Eugene, OR	Oregon	14	Oregon State	7
80	1976	Corvallis, OR	Oregon	23	Oregon State	14
81	1977	Eugene, OR	Oregon	28	Oregon State	16
82	1978	Corvallis, OR	Oregon	24	Oregon State	3
83	1979	Eugene, OR	Oregon	24	Oregon State	3
84	1980	Corvallis, OR	Oregon	40	Oregon State	21
85	1981	Eugene, OR	Oregon	47	Oregon State	17
86	1982	Corvallis, OR	Oregon	7	Oregon State	6
87	1983	Eugene, OR	Tie	0	Tie	0
88	1984	Corvallis, OR	Oregon	31	Oregon State	6
89	1985	Eugene, OR	Oregon	34	Oregon State	13
90	1986	Corvallis, OR	Oregon	49	Oregon State	28
91	1987	Eugene, OR	Oregon	44	Oregon State	0
92	1988	Corvallis, OR	Oregon State	21	Oregon	10
93	1989	Eugene, OR	Oregon	30	Oregon State	21
94	1990	Corvallis, OR	Oregon	6	Oregon State	3
95	1991	Eugene, OR	Oregon State	14	Oregon	3
96	1992	Corvallis, OR	Oregon	7	Oregon State	0
97	1993	Eugene, OR	Oregon State	15	Oregon	12
98	1994	Corvallis, OR	Oregon	17	Oregon State	13
99	1995	Eugene, OR	Oregon	12	Oregon State	10
100	1996	Corvallis, OR	Oregon	49	Oregon State	13
101	1997	Eugene, OR	Oregon	48	Oregon State	30
102	1998	Corvallis, OR	Oregon State	44	Oregon	41^2OT
103	1999	Eugene, OR	Oregon	25	Oregon State	14
104	2000	Corvallis, OR	Oregon State	23	Oregon	13
105	2001	Eugene, OR	Oregon	17	Oregon State	14
106	2002	Corvallis, OR	Oregon State	45	Oregon	24
107	2003	Eugene, OR	Oregon	34	Oregon State	20
108	2004	Corvallis, OR	Oregon State	50	Oregon	21
109	2005	Eugene, OR	Oregon	56	Oregon State	14
110	2006	Corvallis, OR	Oregon State	30	Oregon	28
111	2007	Eugene, OR	Oregon State	38	Oregon	31^2OT
112	2008	Corvallis, OR	Oregon	65	Oregon State	38
113	2009	Eugene, OR	Oregon	37	Oregon State	33
114	2010	Corvallis, OR	Oregon	37	Oregon State	20
115	2011	Eugene, OR	Oregon	49	Oregon State	21
116	2012	Corvallis, OR	Oregon	48	Oregon State	24
117	2013	Eugene, OR	Oregon	36	Oregon State	35
118	2014	Corvallis, OR	Oregon	47	Oregon State	19
119	2015	Eugene, OR	Oregon	52	Oregon State	42
120	2016	Corvallis, OR
Series: Oregon leads 63–46–10

Series record sources: College Football Data Warehouse^[12]

See also

• Most-played rivalries in NCAA Division I FBS

Notes

References

1. Edmonston Jr., George. "Up Close and Personal: Greatest Civil War Games". Oregon State Alumni Association. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
2. Edmonston Jr., George. "Happy Birthday Parker (Reser) Stadium". Oregon State Alumni Association. Retrieved 2009-08-23.
3. "The Passing of the Platypus Trophy". University of Oregon Alumni Association. April 2010. Retrieved November 17, 2010.
4. Binder, Doug (November 22, 2008). "Civil War: The complete game-by-game history". The Oregonian. Retrieved November 29, 2009.
5. Hunt, John (November 26, 2009). "Civil War: Rewind 52 years to the biggest game ever in Oregon". The Oregonian. Retrieved November 29, 2009.
6. "Oregon State wins from Oregon, 15–7". New York Times. November 22, 1959. Retrieved November 22, 2010.
7. "In anticipation of the Civil War, a look back at the rivalry between Oregon and Oregon State". Washington Post. November 22, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
8. McCann, Michael C. (1995). Oregon Ducks Football: 100 Years of Glory. Eugene, OR: McCann Communications Corp. ISBN 0-9648244-7-7.
9. Prince, Seth (November 22, 2008). "Civil War: 5 moments that fanned the flames of the rivalry". The Oregonian. Retrieved November 23, 2008.
10. "Intruders Set Bonfire to Blazing, Pay With Shaved, Daubed Heads". The Oregonian. Associated Press. November 20, 1954. p. 1.
11. Wihtol, Christian (December 9, 2010). "Student arrested in burning of shirt on OSU football field". The Register-Guard. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
12. "Oregon vs Oregon State". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved November 20, 2012.