Oregon Magazine

Traveling the West? Stay at Shilo Inns

Once again, Pete calls every Duck and Beaver game in August!

Already in the books:

Beavers: Thu 8/29/2002 Eastern Ky @ Corvallis, OR W, 49-10
Ducks: Sat 8/31/2002   Mississippi State @ Eugene, Ore. W, 36-13
Ducks: Sat 9/07/2002 Fresno State @ Eugene, Ore. W, 28-24
Beavers 9/14/2002 UNLV @ Corvallis, Ore W, 47-17
Ducks:    9/14/2002 Idaho @ Eugene, Ore. W, 58-21
Ducks:    9/21/2002 PSU Vikings @ Eugene, Ore. W, 41-0
Beavers 9/21/2002 Fresno State @ Corvallis, Ore W, 59-19
Beavers: Sat 09/28/2002 @ USC L, 22-0
Beavers: Sat 10/05/2002 UCLA@ Corvallis L, 43-35
Ducks: Sat 10/05/2002 Arizona @ Tucson W, 31-14
Ducks: Sat 10/12/2002 @ UCLA W, 31-30
Beavers: Sat 10/12/2002 @ Arizona St. L, 13-9
Ducks: Sat 10/19/2002 vs. ASU @ Eugene L 45-42
Ducks: Sat 10/26/2002 vs. USC @ Eugene L, 44-33
Beavers Sat 10/26/2002 vs. California @ Corvallis W, 24-13
Ducks: Sat 11/02/2002 vs. Stanford @ Eugene W 41-14
Beavers Sat 11/02/2002 vs. Arizona @ Corvallis W 38-3
Ducks: Sat 11/09/2002 @ Washington State, L, 32-21
Beavers Sat 11/09/2002 @ University of Washington, L, 41-29
Ducks: Sat 11/16/2002   vs. U of Washington @ Eugene L, 42-14
Beavers Sat 11/16/2002 @ Stanford W, 31-21
Civil War on November 23 went to the Beavs, 45-24

Season: Beavs 8-4, Ducks 7-5. Both are bowl bound. (posted 11/24)

(Complete season predictions below the article text.)

“Experts” Fumble 2002 College Grid Forecasting by Pigskin Pete

Will they never learn?? Having read the full complement of national college football forecast magazines, we once again find the Oregon Ducks downgraded…despite their #2 national finish in 2001 and second straight Pac 10 title. If you believe the pundits, the Ducks will windup 16th nationally in 2002 and 4th in their league…these placements are an average of the forecasted finishes—the “experts” unanimously choose the Washington Huskies as the best squad in the Northwest.. Some facts concerning the Oregon program seem to be overlooked, such as:

(1) Ducks are 25-1 @ Autzen Stadium in their last 26 games and this year’s schedule provides no less than eight home dates (in front of an even louder crowd, with the expansion of Autzen this off-season)

(2) UO coach Mike Bellotti has the best win/loss record of any active Pac 10 coach (37-19 in conference play) and has won eight or more games each of the past four seasons

To sum it up, Oregon has a program, architected by Athletic Director Bill Moos and executed by Bellotti, that delivers wins on an annual basis, bringing in big revenues from the home gate and from the major television coverage a chronic contender for regional and national honors demands.

Last season, your humble correspondent correctly forecast the Ducks’ outstanding season, game by game, with only a single miscue (Stanford). We did not fare that well with our prognostication of Oregon State results. Here’s taking another swing at both schools’ performance in 2002, on a game by game basis:

OREGON

Mississippi State, Aug. 31—the southerners have been in the lower echelon of the Southeast Conference in recent seasons, and, on paper, have a mediocre talent pool returning. UO by 14 as new Duck QB Jason Fife gets his baptism of fire.

Fresno State, Sept. 7—this foe has built a solid program (just ask the vanquished 2001 OSU Beaver squad) and will give the Ducks a good game, but the latter’s home advantage will tell. UO by 14.

Idaho, Sept. 14—this mismatch will give Bellotti an opportunity to polish some reserves and could be an interesting debut for frosh QB phenom Kellen Clemens. UO by 36.

Portland State, Sept. 21—and you thought Idaho was a mismatch! This shouldn’t have been scheduled, but PSU has a solid Division IAA squad with local fandom. UO by 48.

at Arizona, Oct. 5—an unbeaten Duck team must now get serious to avoid an upset here. Arizona is still in a rebuilding mode, however, and a seasoned Oregon defense should be the diff. U by 7.

at UCLA, Oct. 12—Bruins have faced a tough early season sked, including a trip to Oregon State the week before this dustup. A struggle, but Oregon offense is now experienced. UO by 6.

Arizona State, Oct. 19—back to the friendly confines of Autzen against a green Sun Devil squad not expected to rise out of the lower half of the league. UO by 14.

USC, Oct. 26—home field should be the deciding factor and SC will be bruised from their encounter with Washington the week before. Troy is back, but Autzen wins. UO by 1.

Stanford, Nov. 2—Ducks have a big incentive to revenge their lone loss last year. The visitors are working with a new coach and battling the unfriendliest crowd in the league. UO by 14.

at Wash. State, Nov. 9—Cougs came into the season with enough talent to take it all and a very favorable schedule. We think this may be the Ducks’ downfall. WSU by 3.

Washington, Nov. 16—if they slipped the week before, the Quackers will be back here, renewing the war with their most hated rival and a big bowl on the line. UO by 1.

at Oregon State, Nov. 23—Beavers will benefit from Ducks’ all-out effort with Washington, and OSU will be stoked for revenge after losing the previous Civil War. OSU by 7.

Oregon’s 2002 record going into bowl season: 10-2…enough to assure an appearance in a major bowl, but probably not national title contention.

OREGON STATE

Eastern Kentucky, Aug. 29—a “gimme” home opener w/Div. IAA club, OSU by 28…this and Temple, Sept. 7 (OSU by 21) give green Bevos valuable learning time for bigger contests.

UNLV, Sept. 14—veteran coach John Robinson has the Nevada school playing solidly, but not enough to beat a good Pac 10 team. OSU by 13

Fresno State, Sept. 21—revenge will rule…Bevos win @ home over team that bashed them in last year’s opener, from which OSU never recovered. OSU by 9

at USC, Sept. 28—letdown expected, SC bounding back from tough opening sched. SC by 7

UCLA, Oct. 5—this should be close, but Bruin defense will rule vs. young OSU offense. UCLA by 7

at Arizona St., Oct. 12—Sun Devils worst in years, Dennis Erickson will outcoach ‘em. OSU by 14

California, Oct. 26—Bears below Devils in talent, Corvallis will celebrate. OSU by 14

Arizona, Nov. 2—should be close, but home field prevails and OSU still in bowl hunt. OSU by 3

at Washington, Nov. 9—experience tells in this matchup, with Dawgs retaliating for last year’s loss.
UW by 9

at Stanford, Nov. 16—hosts battling for bowl life, Beavers beat up from week before. STANFORD by 6

Oregon, Nov. 23—Beavs will go all out at home to deflower Ducks’ national ranking. OSU by 1

This gives Oregon State an 8-4 winning account, propels them into a respectable bowl affair.

So, state of Oregon football fans, you will have reason to walk tall this fall. This will hold true for grid followers throughout the Pacific Northwest, as Washington and Washington State are also expected to live up to their considerable collections of talent. Read ‘em and weep, Californians and Arizonans, football amidst the firs rules!