The Civil War is one of college football’s oldest rivalries. Played nearly every year since the late 1800s, there is no love lost when the Ducks and Beavers take the field.
Civil War 2013: Oregon State vs. Oregon preview, TV time, odds
The 117th playing of the Civil War is set for Friday night in Eugene.
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The storyline to watch in this one will be Oregon's effort and mentality. Before losing to Arizona last weekend, De'Anthony Thomas and Josh Huff made headlines when they basically said they had no interest in playing in anything other than the National Championship. They said playing in the Rose Bowl again was "whatever." After falling to the Wildcats, they won't have to worry about even being invited to the Rose Bowl. Do they come out ready to turn their season around, or are they still looking flat and uninterested?
The numbers
Rankings and records: Oregon leads the all-time series, 60-46-10. The Ducks have won the last five meetings, with four of the last five being decided by 17-plus points.
After being blown out last weekend, Oregon comes in ranked 12th in both the polls. Oregon State is not ranked.
Vegas: Oregon is a 21.5-point favorite, with an over/under of 68 points.
Weather: It’ll be a chilly night for football with temperatures in the low 40s by kickoff. There’s no rain in the forecast.
Black Friday college football
Iowa at Nebraska, Noon ET, ABC The Golden Boot, 2:30 ET, CBS The Apple Cup, 3:30 ET, Fox The Civil War, 7 ET, FS1 Three names to know
Marcus Mariota - Everyone already knows Mariota; it's his health to keep an eye on. He came into last weekend with an injured knee, and he took an inadvertent knee to the back of the head while making a tackle against Arizona. If he's not 100 percent, this one could get interesting in a hurry.
Brandin Cooks - Cooks may be the best receiver in college football that you've never heard of. He has 110 receptions for 1,560 yards and 15 touchdowns. If he gets a step on the cornerback, he's gone.
De’Anthony Thomas - The only guy on the field who could catch Cooks in a race is De’Anthony Thomas. While the Ducks offense has stalled a bit in November, Thomas continues to shine. Look for him to have a big day against a suspect OSU defense that just got torched by Washington.
Two things at stake
If losing to Stanford and Arizona wasn’t bad enough, a loss to their in-state rival would be a crushing blow for a team that was ranked No. 2 a couple of weeks ago. A win would get the Ducks their confidence back.
Oregon State already has six wins, but they’re projected to play in a dinky bowl game. A win would go a long way toward a better postseason fate.
How to witness
TV: 11/2 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1. XFINITY customers can stream live here.
Further reading
For more on this game, be sure to check out Addicted To Quack, Building The Dam and Pacific Takes.
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