Civil War (college football game)
| College Football Rivalries |
   |
| Invite Your Friends to Rate |
[edit] Summary
The Civil War is the colloquial name for the annual college football game in the U.S. state of Oregon between the Oregon State Beavers and the Oregon Ducks. First played in 1894, it is one of the oldest college football rivalries on the West Coast of the United States, and the seventh longest in the nation.
The game is played in November, alternating between Reser Stadium in Corvallis (home field of Oregon State University) and Autzen Stadium in Eugene (home field of the University of Oregon). It has been contested 110 times as of 2006. The University of Oregon holds a series lead of 55-45-10. The game was not contested in 1900, 1901, 1911, 1943, and 1944.
The Civil War briefly had a traveling trophy, an abstract maple-carved statue of a platypus (a creature which resembles a cross between a duck and a beaver). The Platypus Trophy was awarded from 1959 to 1962, after which it disappeared. Rediscovered in 2005 in a closet at the University of Oregon's MacArthur Court, there is a move to revive the Platypus Trophy as part of Civil War tradition.
Other athletic contests (most notably, men's and women's basketball) between the schools are also referred to as "Civil War" games; however the term is most commonly used to refer to the annual football game.
The 1983 contest between the two teams produced a scoreless tie. Played during a rainstorm (and pitting two mediocre squads against each other), the game is commonly known as the "Toilet Bowl", due to the poor quality of play exhibited in the game (it was not a steadfast defensive struggle). No NCAA Division I football game has ended in a scoreless tie since, and due to the recent introduction of overtime into NCAA football (which eliminated ties), it is unlikely to ever happen in the future, unless a subsequent rule change allows tie games to once again occur.
All Civil War games since 1997 have resulted in a victory for the home team.
[edit] Results
Oregon 55 - Oregon St. 45 - 10 ties
