Oregon State Has a Chance to Shake Up National Picture With Upset of Oregon

The question isn't whether "little brother" can handle the big time. Been there, done that already this season. The question is whether 'little brother" can pull off the big upset.

Oregon State is "little brother" in this scenario, handed the new moniker earlier this week by Oregon cornerback Cliff Harris.

And at least publicly, the Beavers have managed not to take too much umbrage. Given the set-up of Saturday's Civil War game in Corvallis against the top-ranked Oregon Ducks, how much of an argument could they really put up?

The Beavers are simultaneously in a spot and in the spotlight. Mike Riley's team sits at 5-6, in need of one more win for a bowl game.

They need to shake up the entire landscape of college football to get it.

---

---

And they will have to do it on network television just a little while after the ESPN "GameDay" crew dissembles the set at the Memorial Union after its first trip to Corvallis.

Saturday's Civil War game seemingly is all about Oregon, whether the Ducks can finish an undefeated season and earn the program's first trip to the national title game. But "little brother" has some skin in the game, too. And all this hype, this isn't unfamiliar territory. Oregon State opened the season in Cowboys' Stadium against TCU and played on the blue turf at Boise State already this year.

"We're coming off of a situation where it could feel more overwhelming than ever," Riley said. "We've played, I guess this will be five teams in the top 10 at one time or another during the year, and we're finishing with No. 1. So we've had plenty of work against very good opponents but this one provides the biggest, toughest challenge, I believe."

The rivalry game cliches' abound. Throw out the records. Anything can happen. But in this case, you gotta ask ... really?

Last weekend in a 24-hour span, Oregon beat bowl-bound Arizona at home by three touchdowns and Oregon State went to No. 4 Stanford and lost 38-0.

Oregon has barely felt an opponents breath on its neck in the second half of any game this season. Oregon State has had four games decided by three points or less.

The Ducks have been dominant, ranked first nationally in scoring offense and total offense. They have won by more than 32 points a game.

Oregon State has played tough, won some big games. Cal and USC come to mind. It has lost some tough ones. Playing close against Boise and TCU ain't for nothin' . And it has lost some games it should have won -- like Washington State and UCLA.

"The one thing I have faith in is that this team has gotten up off the mat," Riley said. "It's been quite a roller coaster. We've had some really good wins and some clunkers and that's what I'm most concerned about."

The Beavers are undoubtedly steeled for this challenge. Oregon will be their fifth Top 10 opponent of the season. After being knocked from the Rose Bowl two straight years by the Ducks, the Beavers have a chance at the biggest knockout blow of the year.

"It's not just to knock them out, we need to win to make it a bowl game and that should be our motivation, to continue our season," said tailback Jacquizz Rodgers.

And all the hype and attention?

"That's not for us ... we've got to go out there to play to win," Rodgers said.