Page 2B
SPORTS
East Oregonian
Saturday, November 25, 2017
CIVIL WAR
Ducks look for revenge, Beavers just want a Pac-12 win
By ANNE M. PETERSON
Associated Press
EUGENE — Oregon
understandably wants a
little revenge for last year’s
loss, while Oregon State just
needs a conference win.
The Beavers won last
year’s Civil War 34-24,
snapping an eight-game
losing streak in the series.
The teams meet for the
121st edition of the storied
rivalry on Saturday at Autzen
Stadium.
The Ducks (6-5, 3-5)
have the most to gain from
a win. Oregon became bowl
eligible last week with a
48-28 victory over Arizona,
getting quarterback Justin
Herbert back after a five-
game absence because of a
broken collarbone.
So the Ducks will be
playing for bowl position,
while Herbert continues
regaining his form. He threw
for 235 yards and a touch-
down, and also ran 40 yards
for another score against the
Wildcats.
Asked if he saw any rust
on his starting QB, Taggart
said this week: “I guess if
you want to try to pick out
some things you can.”
“Was he as sharp as you
want him to be? No. He
made a couple reads that I
Pac-12
Oregon State
Oregon
Beavers
Ducks
(1-10)
(6-5)
• Saturday, 4 p.m. (ESPN2)
• at Autzen Stadium
AP Photo/Timothy J. Gonzalez
In this Nov. 26, 2016, file photo, Oregon State running back Ryan Nall, top, dives
over Oregon’s Danny Mattingly for a touchdown in the second half in Corvallis.
think he’d want to take back
after seeing the game, some
simple things he could have
done and helped us out a
couple times, but for the most
part I thought he was on,”
Oregon’s coach added.
Herbert is obviously key
to the team’s bowl hopes
wherever the Ducks ulti-
mately land. Oregon was 1-4
during his absence.
The sophomore from
Eugene has thrown for 1,499
yards and 10 touchdowns
with three interceptions this
season. He’s also rushed for
four scores.
The Beavers have had a
season of disappointment
coming off what appeared
to be a confidence-boosting
victory over the Ducks last
year. Oregon State has won
College Football
just one game this season,
over lower-division Portland
State, and hasn’t won in
conference play.
The team parted ways
with head coach Gary
Andersen early last month.
Interim coach Cory Hall,
who was cornerbacks coach
under Andersen, knows he’ll
have a challenge in Herbert
and the Ducks on Saturday.
“Don’t think for one
minute that Oregon has
forgotten about that,” Hall
said about last year’s win.
ROLLS
ROYCE:
Oregon senior running back
Royce Freeman needs two
more rushing touchdowns
to pass Oregon State’s Ken
Simonton for the Pac-12
record. If he rushes 100 yards
on Saturday, he’ll move into
sixth all-time on the NCAA
career list for rushing yards.
Two rushing touchdowns
will put him in 10th place on
the NCAA’s career list. He
currently has 5,499 career
rushing yards and 58 rushing
TDs.
DYE HONORS: Oregon
sophomore linebacker Troy
Dye was named the Pac-12
Defensive Player of the Week
for his 11 tackles (six solo)
in the victory over Arizona.
The Wildcats, who had the
nation’s third-ranked rushing
offense going into the game,
were held to just 171 yards
by the Ducks. It was the
sixth time this season and
11th in his career that Dye
has had double-digit tackles.
A LITTLE CIVIL WAR
TRASH TALK: Hall, who
watched last season’s Civil
War from the coaches’ box,
recalled when he know
the Beavers would win. “I
remember seeing that our
sideline was jumping around
and we didn’t have raincoats
on and then I saw the fancy
Nike Duck raincoats on. And
I remember thinking, ‘We’re
going to beat them. They’re
not prepared for these
elements.’”
Oregon cornerback Arrion
Springs responded: “it just
sounds like the guy is hating
on the guy that gets all the
girls. You can’t never hate on
the guy that gets all the girls,
it just means the girls like
him more. You can’t do that.
It just never works out in
your favor,” he told reporters.
NALL
FUTURE:
Oregon State junior running
back Ryan Nall isn’t saying
what his plans are after this
season. The Oregon native
has rushed for 769 yards
and eight touchdowns this
season. Nall, who is on track
to graduate after the winter
term, needs 59 yards rushing
to pass Pete Pifer (2,233)
for seventh on the Beavers’
career list.
Pro Football
Division title at stake in Apple Cup Seahawks try to turn things around
By TIM BOOTH
Associated Press
SEATTLE — When he
finally takes off a Wash-
ington State uniform for the
final time, Luke Falk will do
so owning most every major
passing record in Pac-12
history.
Yet to many observers
Falk won’t hold a place in
the hierarchy of great quar-
terbacks in the history of the
conference unless he can fill
the missing piece from his
career resume.
That can change on
Saturday. If Falk can lead
the No. 14 Washington State
past No. 15 Washington in
the Apple Cup, the Cougars
will claim the Pac-12 North
Division title and a place in
the conference champion-
ship game opposite No. 11
Southern California. It would
represent the biggest victory
in a career of accolades for
Falk.
Washington has won four
straight against its rivals and
none have been close. A year
ago in a similar situation
where the winner claimed the
Pac-12 North, the Huskies
routed the Cougars 45-17
in Pullman. If Falk and the
Cougars (9-2, 6-2 Pac-12,
CFP No. 13) are to write
this chapter of their history,
it means winning at Husky
Stadium, a place Washington
State hasn’t won in a decade.
Not so simple, huh?
“You do your best all the
time, so there really hasn’t
been any holding back,
effort, focus with regard to
our team,” Washington State
coach Mike Leach said. “So
it’s not like there’s some
extra private reserve in the
cellar of the bank that we are
able to draw from because
all the sudden, this is a game
that gets a lot of attention
around here.”
This won’t be entirely
on Falk’s shoulders. Wash-
ington State’s offense is the
Apple Cup
Wash. State Washington
Cougars
Huskies
(9-2)
(9-2)
• Saturday, 5 p.m. (FOX)
• at Husky Stadium
most diverse it’s been since
Leach arrived in Pullman,
and the Cougars have an
underappreciated
defense
led by defensive lineman
Hercules Mata’afa that ranks
second in the conference and
11th nationally.
Of course, Washington
(9-2, 6-2 Pac-12, CFP
No. 17) will also have a
significant say in whether
the Cougars are celebrating
their first division title. The
Huskies are the spoilers
this time around, their loss
to Stanford two weeks ago
assuring that Washington
can’t repeat as North Divi-
sion champions no matter
Saturday’s outcome.
The Huskies have won
seven of the last eight in the
series and for most of this
season had one of the top
defenses in the country.
But the Huskies have
shown some vulnerability of
late, giving up 30 points in
consecutive games and last
week watching Utah’s Tyler
Huntley throw for 293 yards
and two touchdowns.
“I think we’ve been being
tested like real football in
the Pac-12 is,” Washington
coach Chris Petersen said.
“I think there are some good
quarterbacks and there are
some good coaches that can
scheme. I think we’ve been
tested like we really should
be. To me, it’s been real
football.”
Here’s what else to watch
in the 110th Apple Cup:
ON THE LINE: The
matchup between Wash-
ington State’s defensive line
and Washington’s offensive
line will be critical. The
Cougars are 10th in the
country with 35 sacks. The
Huskies are tied for 24th in
the country allowing just
15 sacks. Mata’afa has 9½
sacks, but he’s gotten help
from Frankie Luvu.
TIME AFTER TIME: It
may be a bit of a misnomer
considering the type of
offense Washington State
runs, but the Cougars lead
the Pac-12 and are ninth in
the country in time of posses-
sion. Petersen believes that
will be important in which
style will dictate the pace of
the game.
“They’re hanging on
to the ball and they’re
converting third downs,”
Petersen said. “They’re
controlling the clock and the
game their way.”
EARLY JUMP: Recent
Apple Cup matchups have
become blowouts very early
in favor of the Huskies.
Last year was the worst
example for Washington
State as the Huskies jumped
to a 28-3 lead and cruised. In
the three previous matchups
with both Leach and Petersen
as the head coaches, Wash-
ington has outscored Wash-
ington State 66-13 in the first
half of those three games.
LUCKY NO. 7: There’s
been a bit of magic for Wash-
ington State in the past two
Apple Cup’s that have ended
in 7s.
The most famous was
the 1997 game won by the
Cougars 41-35 that clinched
Washington State’s first Rose
Bowl berth in 67 years. Led
by Ryan Leaf, the Cougars
stormed the field after the
victory with roses handed out
as part of the celebration.
Ten years later was almost
as satisfying for the Cougars.
Down 35-28 early in the
fourth quarter, Washington
State rallied for a 42-35
win on a 35-yard TD pass
from Alex Brink to Brandon
Gibson with 31 secondsw
left.
By JOSH DUBOW
Associated Press
SANTA CLARA, Calif.
— Coach Pete Carroll
and the Seattle Seahawks
have a lot bigger worries
than wondering if the San
Francisco 49ers are ready to
make a quarterback switch
to Jimmy Garoppolo.
With the Seahawks (6-4)
having lost two out of three
games to remain behind
the Los Angeles Rams in
the NFC West and missing
several key defensive
players, led by cornerback
Richard Sherman and
safety Kam Chancellor,
they are focused on getting
their season going in the
right direction headed into
Sunday’s game at San Fran-
cisco (1-9).
So the fact the 49ers
are sticking with rookie
C.J. Beathard for at least
one more week instead of
turning the reins over to the
quarterback of the future,
Garoppolo, didn’t change a
thing for the Seahawks.
“We’re just preparing
for the 49ers,” Carroll
said. “They’ve got a style
of offense, they’ve got
really good players that do
what they do. Whoever’s
triggering it from the quar-
terback spot, we’re going to
go play football.”
The
Seahawks
are
usually at their best at this
time of year, going 34-9
after the start of November
over the past five seasons to
overcome some slow starts
and get into position for a
playoff run.
But that has not been the
case this season. Seattle lost
at home to Washington three
weeks ago and then this past
Monday at home to the
Falcons as the injuries have
taken a toll.
“November
and
December have been good
months for us,” Carroll said.
“And that’s kind of where
we are right now. Unfor-
NFL
Seattle
San Francisco
Seahawks
49ers
(6-4)
(1-9)
• Sunday, 1:05 p.m. (FOX)
• at Levi’s Stadium
tunately we’re in the same
situation. I wish we were
ahead of those numbers, but
we’re kind of in the same
spot.”
The 49ers are in a far
different situation, but at
least have the good feeling
of coming off a win, having
beaten the Giants 31-21
before the bye to avoid a
possible winless season.
“We’re 1-9. It’s not like
we’re doing cartwheels
saying we’ve got this figured
out,” general manager John
Lynch said. “We have a long
way to go.”
Here are some other
things to watch:
BEATHARD’S
CHANCE: The 49ers are
sticking with Beathard
while Garoppolo still learns
the offense, in part because
of how well he played two
weeks ago before the bye
in San Francisco’s first win.
Beathard completed 19 of
25 passes for 288 yards and
two touchdowns in a 31-21
win.
“C.J. did play his best
football last week, which
definitely, to me, made the
decision easier,” coach Kyle
Shanahan said.
RUNNING
ROTA-
TION: The Seahawks’
underperforming run game
will get another remodel
this week. With Mike Davis
likely out due to a groin
injury, the Seahawks will
again turn to the combo
of Thomas Rawls and
Eddie Lacy to try and get
something started on the
ground. Seattle ranks 17th
in rushing, but Wilson
is the leading rusher and
the running backs have
provided very little since
rookie Chris Carson went
down with an ankle injury
early in the season. Rawls
was an unexpected scratch
before last Monday’s game
against Atlanta. He’s aver-
aging 2.6 yards per carry.
Lacy is averaging 2.5 yards
per carry.
“I remain the same and I
always stay true. I come out
here and continue to work,
continue to lead,” Rawls
said.
HAPPY HYDE: San
Francisco running back
Carlos Hyde is having one
of his most productive
seasons. He’s topped 100
yards from scrimmage the
past two games and already
has career highs with 42
catches for 274 yards.
Hyde has 36 carries for 227
yards in his past two games
against Seattle.
“He can do anything,”
Carroll said. “He can run
any kind style of football.
Whether it’s gap scheme
or zone scheme, he can do
it all. He’s done a great job
coming out of the back-
field.”
CORNERING
THE
MARKET: Seattle rookie
cornerback Shaquill Griffin
is expected out due to a
concussion suffered against
the Falcons. Seattle felt
fortunate to sign Byron
Maxwell as a free agent last
week following the loss of
Sherman for the season with
an Achilles tendon injury.
But Maxwell was thrust
into a heavy workload in his
first game back with Seattle,
playing 59 of 62 possible
defensive snaps. Carroll
felt Maxwell played well,
outside of one pass interfer-
ence penalty.
“He looked like the guy
that we hoped he would
look like, and that is without
a whole lot of preparation,”
Carroll said. “He really
kicked right back into the
technique and the style of
play.”
College Football
No. 25 Boise State travels to Fresno State to finish off regular season
By DAVID WHITE
Associated Press
FRESNO, Calif. — Boise
State football is back in the
national rankings for the 16th
consecutive season.
To stay there come the
college football bowl season,
the Broncos will have to beat
its biggest rival. Twice.
The No. 25 Broncos (9-2,
7-0 Mountain West, No.
23 CFP) finish the regular
season Saturday at Fresno
State (8-3, 6-1). Win or lose,
they will play the Bulldogs
again Dec. 2 in the Mountain
West Conference champion-
ship game - most likely to
be played in Boise, Idaho, no
matter the results at Bulldog
Stadium.
“The fact is we’re going to
play two games and we’d like
to win both those games,”
Broncos coach Bryan Harsin
said. “If we’re iffy on, ‘Let’s
just win one of the two and
we’ll make the second one
most important,’ then I think
we’ve completely derailed
everything we’re trying to
accomplish throughout the
season.”
The Broncos are back
in the Top 25 after winning
seven straight games since a
2-2 start.
Even if they lose, they are
very much in control of their
postseason destination. A loss
to Fresno State will give them
identical records overall and
in the conference, but the tie
does not go to the head-to-
head winner.
The Mountain West cham-
Mtn. West
Boise State Fresno State
Broncos
Bulldogs
(9-2)
(8-3)
• Sat., 12:30 p.m. (CBSSN)
• at Fresno, Calif.
pionship game host would
go to the team with the best
composite computer score
among four digital rankings:
the Wolfe Ratings, Anderson
& Hester Rakings, Colley
Matrix and the Billingsley
Report.
Boise State holds an
average ranking lead of 22.5-
to-43.8 over Fresno State.
“I’m not going to get too
involved in it,” Fresno State
coach Jeff Tedford said.
“We’re just going to prepare
to play and anticipate going
on the road to play. It’s unfor-
tunate for the fans, I will tell
you that.”
Fresno State fans won’t
complain too much. Last
year, the Bulldogs were
1-11 for the worst record in
program history dating to
1921. Tedford has led them to
a seven-win turnaround in his
first season that is best in the
Football Bowl Subdivision.
Here are other things to
watch:
GETTING
DEFEN-
SIVE: Fresno State brought
back
former
Bulldogs
quarterback Tedford in the
offseason, and what did
the offensive guru deliver?
The Mountain West’s No. 1
scoring defense from a cast of
players that allowed 30-plus
points eight times last season.
This year’s unit is allowing
17.3 points per game, good
for 12th in the nation. Only
Alabama and Washington
have breached the 30-point
mark. Boise State leads the
conference with 34.8 points
per game, so this will be a
tough test.
FAVORITE TARGET:
Boise State senior receiver
Cedrick Wilson clinched his
second 1,000-yard season
while playing through a
shoulder injury. His 57
catches are a career best,
making him the preferred
target of quarterback Brett
Rypien, who leads the
conference by completing
63.9 percent of his passes.
QUARTERBACK
PLAY: Fresno State quar-
terback Marcus McMaryion,
a summer transfer from
Oregon State, was just the
quarterback Tedford needed
to create his brand of effi-
cient offense. McMaryion is
comfortable throwing short
check-down passes when the
coverage is strong, mobile
enough to buy time in the
pocket for routes to develop,
and strong-armed enough to
get the ball over the top of
defense for home-run throws.
FIERCE RIVALS: This
remains one of the great
grudge matches outside the
Power Five establishment.
The Bulldogs look to end
a 21-game losing streak to
top-25 teams dating to 2004,
and are 0-8 against ranked
Broncos teams.