CORVALLIS, Ore. — “It’s a great day to be a Beaver!” Oregon State athletic director Scott Barnes belted out, 45 minutes before OSU and Oregon kicked off for the 128th time.
A little more than four hours later, after a 49-14 Ducks win, Barnes still felt the same, even with a little brain fog from the whirlwind past few days.
Oregon State’s near-term future has been determined. After a year in the wilderness, left behind in conference realignment, it’s going to rebuild the Pac-12 with Washington State, adding Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State and San Diego State on Thursday. On Saturday, as Oregon State players walked off the field dejected, OSU administrators caught the end of the Apple Cup on Peacock, happy that Washington State knocked off rival Washington.
It all highlighted the mix of emotions. It’s good to have a set plan. It’s good that one of these teams won a rivalry game. It’s good to have a path to the College Football Playoff in 2026.
But it doesn’t fix the long-term concerns. Nobody’s under any illusion a rebuilt Pac-12 will be the same as the old Conference of Champions, although Barnes said they will keep the name (and its number). Nobody’s sure what college football could look like in five years. The revenue coming in won’t be what it was. Nobody’s even sure if this rivalry with Oregon will continue. It’s scheduled only through 2025.
nothing civil about it. pic.twitter.com/SLnispRrjR
— Oregon State Football (@BeaverFootball) September 14, 2024
“It’s been a long year,” Barnes said. “The first reaction (this week) was relief that we finally got it done.”
Not quite done. Now at six teams for 2026, the Pac-12 plans to add between two and four more schools, Barnes said. Asked if football would be a requirement, he responded, “Yes.” That may or may not rule out Gonzaga, at least as far as primary targets go. Sources familiar with the Pac-12 thinking say the next step truly hasn’t been determined, but schools such as Memphis, Tulane and some in Texas like UTSA and North Texas could be the top targets. More Mountain West schools haven’t been ruled out, and Barnes said there is no geographic limitation.
Fans are mixed, too. There’s relief about the plan, but there’s worry about the game. Countless tailgates before the game featured green and orange together. This might be the last time they play in Corvallis. (The Apple Cup in Washington is scheduled through 2028.)
“How can you not play this game?” said a woman wearing an Oregon jersey, noting her son went to Oregon State. Another Oregon State fan who never talks to her Oregon-grad sister on this day said the bitterness and hatred are better than not playing the game.
Every single Oregon fan I asked said they want the rivalry to continue. The schools are less than 50 miles apart. They’re the only FBS programs in the state. This game is the second-most-played rivalry in FBS history, behind only Minnesota and Wisconsin.
It was called the Civil War for nearly a century for a reason. A riot and brawl between fans in 1910 saw the game canceled the following year and played at a neutral site for the next two. When Oregon State won in 1913, they canceled classes and threw a parade. OSU fans kidnapped Oregon’s live duck mascot in 1946. There are, somehow, multiple instances of students kidnapping students from the other school during the rivalry and putting them through chores.
Thomas J. Autzen, the namesake of Oregon’s stadium, is actually an OSU alumnus. The stadium donation was made by his son, an Oregon grad, through the family foundation. There’s an Autzen House on OSU’s campus.
Barnes would only say he hopes the rivalry continues. Oregon turned down an interview request for athletic director Rob Mullens this week, saying there was no update on the future of the game. Nike founder and CEO Phil Knight, a native of the state and Ducks benefactor, was in the house on Saturday for the game.
This was Oregon’s first win in Corvallis since 2018. Two years ago, Oregon State overcame a 21-point second-half deficit without throwing a single pass in that stretch, going with 16 consecutive runs and three kneel-downs. It was the second time in three years the Beavers knocked off a top-15 Oregon team to ruin its College Football Playoff chances.
Damien Martinez had 103 rushing yards in that 2022 game. But he’s at Miami now, with former WSU QB Cam Ward. Oregon State’s QB of the future last year, Aidan Chiles, is starting at Michigan State now, playing for former OSU coach Jonathan Smith. Oregon’s kicker on Saturday, Atticus Sappington, transferred across the rivalry in the offseason. He was met with loud boos from Beavers fans every time he trotted out.
Being left behind in conference realignment was one thing. Losing a program legend in Smith and seeing the roster picked apart compounded the issues. Oregon is sixth in 247Sports’ Team Talent Composite, which accounts for recruiting rankings of players on the current roster. Oregon State is 73rd. It was evident Saturday. Even as the Beavers kept it close for a half, the Ducks never punted in the game. The 10 drives resulted in six touchdowns, two field goals and two half-ending kneel-downs.
Oregon State coach Trent Bray, an OSU player from 2002 through 2005, didn’t care to talk about the future of the game or the conference after the loss. “I haven’t even thought about that, to be honest. That’s a ways down the road. I’m not concerned about it right now.”
Over in Seattle, a victorious Washington State coach Jake Dickert was in a different position. He came into his press conference with a cigar and asked, “Who’s got a lighter?” Dickert said they might retire the Apple Cup trophy as a Pac-12 trophy and make a new one since WSU and Washington aren’t in the same conference anymore. The Cougars benefitted from playing a similarly rebuilding UW program, unlike the Beavers’ rival.
This new Pac-12 plans to stick together. Barnes confirmed the six schools had signed a “long-term” grant of rights agreement, locking their future TV rights together. He said the details of those terms would be released later. He hopes to add more schools as quickly as possible.
There was a lot to cheer about for Oregon State and Washington State this week. Saturday’s Beavers loss was a low point, but everyone around the program quickly moved on. They have to. The work has only just begun.
“These are long, historic decisions that we’re making, and we’ll take enough time to make sure we’ve got the right new members,” Barnes said. “But the sooner that we can move forward, the better.”
(Photo of Anthony Hankerson: Ben Lonergan / The Register-Guard / USA Today Network)
