Unmistakable college football noise blared from inside the Moshofsky Center on Wednesday afternoon as the Oregon Marching Band practiced its routine.
As it did, members of the color guard moved in rhythm with the sound, waving yellow and red flags in synchronized motions.
And over in the Duck Shop near Autzen Stadium, sales were brisk with Oregon fans buying plenty of Civil War items to gear up for the big game.
“Our little ‘Beat the Beavers’ face tattoos have been really popular this week,” said Christy Cameron, a shop supervisor. “People have been really pumped up, and everyone’s been in a great mood. We started with a really busy day after Thanksgiving, and it’s just been picking up steam from there.
“We can’t wait for Game Day,” she said.
That was also the theme for the Oregon football team Wednesday as Civil War week reached its midway point. The waiting began Nov. 11, the day after the Ducks beat UCLA, and the anxiety to suit up and battle the Beavers has about reached its limit.
“Every morning I wake up and I’m like, ‘Damn, I’m one day closer,’” cornerback Steve Smith said. “So let’s see, there’s Thursday, Friday and then Saturday. We only got three more days. That’s right down the road now, baby.”
Yep, just three days until the Ducks can finally play the game they’ve anticipated for three weeks.
“It’s felt like two months,” linebacker David Moretti said.
Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti has done his best to control his team’s emotions since the Bruins game, but even he has admitted to wishing the game would come sooner.
Bellotti described Monday and Tuesday’s practices as “very awesome” and was excited to see his team come back from their five-day Thanksgiving break with a “real hunger to play football.”
He was also glad their hunger for food over the holiday didn’t cause them to get a little out of shape.
“They did a nice job of watching TV and watching their weight,” Bellotti said. “It was a tremendous relief on Monday to know that we’re finally going to play this week. But I have to make sure they get through today’s practice, because they were pretty antsy yesterday.”
The players have filled their time by resting their bodies and letting all their bruises subside. They’ve tried to pace themselves through practice. They’ve watched more film on the Beavers than probably all of their previous opponents combined.
Now, all they want to do is play. And while Saturday at 1:38 p.m. is the exact kickoff time, any day and time would do at this point.
“We could play right now in the parking lot if that’s what need be,” defensive end Seth McEwan said. “We’ve been going over this stuff over and over. It’s second nature to us now. It’s time to strap it up and get it going.”
So while the rest of their fellow students spend their nights in the library or in computer labs during Dead Week, the Ducks have been focusing on the Beavers. When the Civil War was moved back to Dec. 1 to accommodate television, some University professors voiced complaints because it is the weekend before finals.
“I know I got study groups, and because of practice I have to miss them,” Smith said. “But I’ll take care of that stuff next week. This Oregon State game is big.”
Defensive tackle Chris Tetteron had a different attitude. “There’s nothing else on my mind,” he said. “Not even finals.”
For the time being, Oregon is studying the playbooks and game film and patiently waiting as the calendar slowly makes its way to December.
“You want to just play and get it over with,” Moretti said. “This delay is killing me. But our intensity has been there all week, and it’ll be there Saturday.”
So will Cameron and her fellow Duck Shop employees. Starting at 10:30 a.m., when all the motor homes begin lining up, she’ll begin bracing herself for the pregame rush of customers.
“It’s great,” she said. “I love it.”