Today we found a couple of nice articles about tailgating experiences at an OSU football game as well as a WSU football game. While both have their own unique aspects there is one thing that should be a constant at all tailgaters. The travel edition of UP-2-U!!! It makes a great game for tailgaters as it comes in a small bag that can be carried and stored anywhere very easily. It is also a great way to pass the time leading up to the game in-between eating great food, conversing with friends, and enjoying some beverages. If you have never experienced a tailgater before a college football game before it is something that you MUST do sometime. To read more about some fans personal experiences at OSU tailgaters check here:
http://www.buildingthedam.com/2010/7/7/1557732/where-i-come-from-your-tailgating

To read more about fans personal experiences at WSU tailgaters check here:
http://www.cougcenter.com/2010/7/7/1557211/where-i-come-from-tailgating

As Oregon State fans may remember, QB Sean Canfield was drafted in the 7th round of this years NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints. With summer workouts going on right now and training camp approaching in the near future Canfield has been introduced to the New Orleans life style. To get an update on Sean Canfield check out this article: http://www.nctimes.com/sports/columnists/paris/article_0020ccbf-b0a8-5ab6-ac2f-d58bf67fdc2c.html

There have been rumors circulating recently that WSU athletic director Bill Moos is trying to arrange a WSU vs. UO match-up at Qwest Field, home of the Seahawks. While the details are far from finalized it would definitely be a great venue to showcase a Pac-10 conference game and also gives the Cougs something to look forward to as well as some national exposure. However, as I said this deal is far from finalized and if Oregon doesn’t end up accepting the deal there is a plan B. That plan B is the Oregon State Beavers. Oregon State is notorious for traveling to big stadiums to play games in order to gain national exposure as well as the monetary benefits that come along with playing in a big stadium (see OSU vs. TCU in the new Cowboys stadium scheduled for Sep. 4). For the sake of the Pac-10 as a whole I hope that one of these deals will follow through as a conference game at Qwest Field would draw a lot of fans as well as be very exciting for both teams involved.

As you may have heard by now the Pac-10 recently expanded and has added two new schools to effectively make the conference now the “Pac-12”. While the official name of the new conference has yet to be determined we will refer to it as the Pac-12 for simplicity. The University of Colorado and University of Utah have accepted invitations to join the conference and all signs point to them competing in the conference beginning in the 2011-2012 school year. This wasn’t the exact line up that commissioner Larry Scott was hoping for when he decided to pursue expansion but it seems that the expansion still does provide benefits for the current Pac-10. By adding two teams to bring the total to 12 the conference can now host a conference championship game in which the winner gets an automatic BCS berth. This is very good for the conference because it means that one conference loss does not mean that a schools chance of making a BCS game are hurt significantly as it is currently. For example, last year Nebraska went 6-2 against other Big 12 teams but those two losses were good enough to place them atop the Big 12 North division and consequently they were able to play in the conference championship game and have a chance for an automatic BCS berth. This is also great for the conference because it increases the chances of getting more than one team in the BCS, especially if there is an upset in the conference championship.

The biggest criticism coming from the expansion is the fact that there will now be two divisions with six teams in each and not every team will play each other as they do now. The Pac-10 is the only BCS conference that still uses the round robin format that requires every team play each other. While these divisions most definitely wouldn’t affect interstate rivalries such as OSU-UO or WSU-UW it is unclear what affect it will have on non-interstate rivalries such as UO-UW. Many fans believe that it will hurt the conference to not have games such as UO-UW played every single year.

Check out ESPN blogger Ted Miller’s take on the new “Pac-12”: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5299014

Also, be sure to check out Ted Miller’s possible options of how the new divisions will be split:

http://espn.go.com/blog/pac10/post/_/id/10588/a-conference-divided-what-will-pac-10-divisions-look-like

While the Pac-10 rivalry season kicked off last weekend with the “Big Game” between Stanford and Cal, there are two northwest rivalries that will be taking place in the next couple of weeks. This weekend the 102^nd meeting ever between Washington and Washington State will take place in Seattle. Even though the Huskies and Cougars have struggled for the past few seasons the Apple Cup is always guaranteed to provide a good game and also a lot of heart. The Huskies and Cougars always have a lot to play for in this game and it will show. Washington (3-7, 2-5 Pac-10) is looking to win the Apple Cup and then beat Cal the following week to finish with 5 wins. This would be a nice step in the right direction for the Huskies who went winless last year. The Cougars (0-8, 1-10 Pac-10) have avoided a complete winless season by beating SMU earlier this year however they will look for their only Pac-10 win in the last game of the year. Last year’s matchup in Pullman had both the Huskies and Cougars fighting for one Pac-10 win and the Cougars ended up coming out on top in that game.

In the other northwest rivalry, the “Civil War”, the Ducks and Beavers are preparing for the biggest matchup in the school’s history. The 113^th meeting between the Ducks and Beavers will take place next Thursday December 3 in Eugene and what is at stake is very clear to everyone. Win the game and you are going to the Rose Bowl. Lose the game and you have a year to think about the Rose Bowl that could’ve been. The Ducks (9-2, 7-1 Pac-10) have not been to a Rose Bowl since the 1994-95 season. What an accomplishment it would be for Chip Kelly to lead the Ducks to a Rose Bowl in his very first season. The Beavers, like always it seems, have come on very strong late in the season. They have put themselves in the position that they were in last year as well. Win the Civil War, and go to the Rose Bowl. The Beavs couldn’t get it done last year at home and because of this still have not played in the Rose Bowl since 1965. Is this the year Mike Riley finally takes them to the top of the Pac-10? This game is definitely going to be an exciting one that every football fan should enjoy.

The Pac-10 football season has been a crazy one to say the least. From USC losing three conference games so far to Stanford being in the Rose Bowl discussion in late November nothing has seemed right. Don’t feel bad if you are confused about your team’s chances of making the Rose Bowl right now because there are 4 teams that still have legitimate chances to make the Rose Bowl. I will go into a little more depth on those chances so you know who to root for and against so that your team has the best shot at being in Pasadena on New Years Day.

Oregon: The Ducks control their own destiny. If they win their last two games @Arizona and then at home against rival Oregon State then the Ducks will be playing in the Rose Bowl for the first time since January 1, 1995.

Arizona: Just like Oregon, Arizona controls its own destiny despite being a game back in the loss column right now. Due to Arizona’s victories over Stanford and Oregon State if the Wildcats beat the Ducks this weekend, and then win their final two games against rival Arizona State and @USC, then the Wildcats will be playing in the Rose Bowl for the first time ever.

Oregon State: Just when it looked like the Beavers might have a mediocre season, they once again turned it on late and are now looking straight at the Rose Bowl. Oregon State holds a tie breaker over Stanford but they lost to Arizona, so for the Beavers to make the Rose Bowl they must have Oregon beat Arizona this weekend and then win the Civil War in Eugene next weekend. If the Beavers can pull off a Civil War win, and a win at WSU, accompanied by an Arizona loss then the Beavers will be in the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1965.

Stanford: Stanford has beaten Oregon and USC in the last two weeks and has now put them solidly in the Rose Bowl talk. However, Stanford needs a lot to happen for their shot at the Rose Bowl to become a reality. They have lost to both OSU and Arizona, so the Cardinal need Arizona to beat Oregon, then Oregon to beat OSU, and then have Arizona lose to either ASU or USC in their final two games. It may seem like a long shot for the Cardinal to make the Rose Bowl but as we have seen in college football anything is possible.

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/nov/09/tuels-status-up-in-air/?print-friendly

: http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindbeaversbeat/2009/11/oregon_state-oklahoma_in_sun_b.html

Oregon State looks primed to make another classic late season charge towards the top of the Pac-10 after a 31-14 victory at California. Oregon State dominated this game from start to finish and even more so after Cal RB Jahvid Best suffered a concussion. Best leaped into the end zone and was upended which caused him to slam down on his back. He ended up receiving a severe concussion which was his second one in as many weeks. After Best left the game it seemed obvious the Beavers were going to win because the Bears became one-dimensional with the passing game. OSU QB Sean Canfield continued his string of 300 yard plus passing games by going 29 for 39 for 342 yards and 2 TD’s with 1 INT. The leading receiver was TE Joe Halahuni who had 6 catches for 128 yards. Jacquizz Rodgers ran the ball 25 times for 67 yards and a TD but for the most part the Bears defense did a good job of stopping the run. James Rodgers once again had another solid game with 6 catches for 80 yards and a TD. The Beavers host the Washington Huskies next weekend in Corvallis.

Pac-10 Schedule for (11/14/2009)

#25 Stanford at #12 USC   12:30 PM

Washington at Oregon State   12:30 PM

UCLA at Washington State    2:00 PM

Arizona State at #14 Oregon   TBA

#18 Arizona at California   TBA

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindbeaversbeat/2009/11/cal_safety_says_he_has_to_get.html