OSU Wins Oregon's Civil War Game

This year's Civil War was a memorable event and had all of the usual rivalry.

File photo

(EUGENE, Ore.) - After an initial surge, Oregon State seemed to slip in the first half of the Civil War game today, but showed their fans that the second half would be different. The first half of the Civil War was memorable and had many great plays.

The Beavers looked like it was going to be their game at first as they brought the score to 21-7 in the second quarter.

But as the game neared halftime, Oregon scored two touchdowns to bring the 21-7 score to 21-21.

Oregon's Garren Strong singlehandedly and without interruption made the touchdown and the extra point that tied them with the Beavers before halftime. He is playing for his brother he said, who just passed away from a battle with cancer.

Walter Thurman's fourth interception of the year brought the ball back into the Duck's hands in the fourth quarter.

Oregon called a time out with 1:19 left in the tied game.

Then when the clocked reached 1:01, Thurman intercepted again with his blocking of a Serta field goal, the announcers said it may have been the best play of his career. In the next play the ball was thrown to Strong who caught the ball but quickly went out of bounds.

Then a spectacular catch by Jason Williams brought them a first down. But that didn't last and they were soon at their fourth after serious pressure from OSU.

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A long field goal attempt by the Ducks in the fourth quarter failed to make the mark, but a flag was called for "leaping and landing on a player," getting a 15 yard first down, a rare call over safety.

With ten seconds left the shortened field goal was missted by the Duck's Matt Evensen, losing an opportunity to bring an end to the game as the clock clicked from ten seconds to zero.

This meant a coin toss for choice of offense, defense or end of field, each team getting one possession.

A catch by the Ducks Ed Dixon brought Oregon to the ten yard line with another first down.

A field goal from Evensen gave them the lead, bringing the score to 31-28. Oregon State's next move was an incomplete pass. Needing desperately to gain yardage, the Beavers followed that with another incomplete pass.

OSU then kicked a 41 yard field goal and Alexis Serna tied the game again at 31-31.

Rodgers ran the touchdown that put the Beavers ahead, and a successful field goal moved to score to 38-31. The Ducks were unable to come back, the Beavers won the Civil War without a home court advantage for the first time since 1993.

Today's game was the 111th edition of the Civil War game between Oregon State University and the University of Oregon. It has been sold out for over fifty consecutive years.